(Q) Online Listing of Suitable Turning Wood

They all cut well, seal them as fast as you find them or LDD them. Woodfinder.com is a good place to start looking for suppliers. What metro area? There may be sawmills near you.

Dave in Fairfax

So, just about anything goes - that's good to know. I guess I'll learn the subtleties as I gain experience.

As for sawmills in my area - I live in Atlanta, GA - nothing left here but masses of SUV driving, cell phone yacking morons... :-\

That's why there are so many trees being cut - they're paving paradise to make room for more of them...

It's over 60 miles to the nearest sawmill that I know of - and they deal mostly with pine for the building industry.

LDD?

Thanks,

Greg G.

I believe that this is the point where Leif jumps into the conversation. A 1:1 mix of water and Costo Liquid Dishwashing Detergent (hand not machine). Soak the wood until you are ready to turn it, return it to the mix if you don't finish in one session or have to stop for some reason, finish with whatever as soon as you are done turning. DO NOT allow it to dry. Leif?

Dave in Fairfax

I believe it was Dave in Fairfax that responded to a similar question by me almost a year ago. To whit: free wood is good wood.

Cottonwood and some other very soft hardwoods can be avoided. Likewise anything without much color or grain. Other than that, I would try about anything. Even more plain woods like maple are good with natural edges or with the interesting grain of crotch wood. Go for interesting colored woods.

I have done apple, walnut, maple, sycamore, cherry, plum, maple burl, ponderosa pine, aspen, black locust, and many more. Tony Manella recently noted that he had turned about 60 different types of wood.

Derek

OK, I Googled on this LDD technique and think I understand it now.

Now my concern is how to quickly dry a piece. I'm trying the microwave in a bag idea, in the hopes that I can salvage intact the lidded bowl turning I completed yesterday from wet, green cherry.

Having cut cherry for flat woodworking, I'm all too aware of how easily it cracks and checks. I hope a slow, gentle nuking in a humid environment will persuade it to dry intact. I want to give it to SWMBO when she returns Monday. I'll probably have to clean up the lid somewhat, as I noticed the vessel shrinking in diameter more than the lid - but it is thicker, so it may just dry more slowly - they may end up the same circumference when dry. Who knows - I'm new at this...

Thanks,

Greg G.

And let us hope for lots of it! I cringe when I think of the trees around here that ended up firewood, 'cause I didn't have a lathe at the time...

Greg G.

Heck, I'll try anything once...

So far, I've done two. :-\

I wonder how peach turns? We've got a decorative peach tree that has reached end-of-life and will probably have to be removed this fall. I hate to do it 'cause SWMBO simply loves it's spring flowers, but it has become old and weak and has lost most of it's limbs. I can think of no better way to perpetuate her memories of it's multicolored spring blooms than to immortalize it as a box or vase on her desk.

Thanks for the info!

Greg G.

Greg G.

Interesting idea, although I tend to be of the mind that "I wouldn't want to be part of any group that would have me as a member". ;-)

Several of the woodworking stores around here have suggested attending their "group" meetings as well. The ones I know about are on the wrong side of town, and my loathing of this city's traffic makes that a remote possibility - but there may be some around here I am unaware of. I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled... turned... open.

Thanks,

Greg G.

Take a look at my sig line and follow the links for local chapters. You'll find people who are interested in helping and don't have a monetary interest, unlike the local stores.

Dave in Fairfax

Boy, you guys take this stuff seriously! Very similar to the Orchid Society my in-laws are involved with in Southern California.

I'll have to take time to peruse your site - looks very interesting.

The Georgia Association of Woodturners at Highland Hardware is the closest one to me - and it's not all THAT close. I guess I'll just have to resign myself to the fact that I live in an intellectually blighted area... ;-) Nothing new there, however. I've known it from childhood - and stood out for ridicule because of it.

Thanks again,

Greg G.

Greg, G. wrote: snip

Whoa! Not MY site, just a group I'm a member of.

Dave in Fairfax

Sorry about that.

Greg G.

Peach, and other fruit woods, generally turn very well BUT have a lot of movement when drying and a strong tendency to crack when drying. If the tree is coming down anyway, there's no reason to NOT work with the wood. You might have to try a few pieces, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

No problem...Have fun!

Matt Heffron Inland Woodturners

Gorgeous! I don't have access a.b.p.w., or I'd put out a picture for the world... :-(

John Pierce Maker of Fine Wood Chips and Sawdust