# Would you turn this blank?



## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

Got the pictured Juniper blank for a steal, but the defects shown, go right through.

Would you turn this into a bowl and make the defects part of the finished project, or cut them out as part of the finished project?

Or, would you cut it into pen blanks, that could make some pretty nice pens?

It measures 8" diameter by 4" thick.

Not sure what I'm going to do with this. :blink:


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

I'd turn it as a bowl and leave the defects ase they are. Should make a very interesting piece. Just be careful when turning and you shouldn't have any problems. If you're hesitant, send it to me and I'll turn it into a bowl :yes:


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

sawdustfactory said:


> I'd turn it as a bowl and leave the defects ase they are. Should make a very interesting piece. Just be careful when turning and you shouldn't have any problems. If you're hesitant, send it to me and I'll turn it into a bowl :yes:


Will you send it back after you turned it? 

How do I maintain the bark portions, cover with epoxy?


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

WillemJM said:


> How do I maintain the bark portions, cover with epoxy?


If you just want to stabilize the bark areas, you could use CA glue.

If you want to fill them in to make it easier to turn, then I would use 2 part epoxy.

The epoxy should be stronger, but takes more time.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

sawdustfactory said:


> I'd turn it as a bowl and leave the defects ase they are. Should make a very interesting piece. Just be careful when turning and you shouldn't have any problems. If you're hesitant, send it to me and I'll turn it into a bowl :yes:


I agree. :thumbsup:



WillemJM said:


> Will you send it back after you turned it?


:laughing::laughing:


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

I would like to get some Juniper. Looks to make a really nice bowl.


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

rrbrown said:


> I would like to get some Juniper. Looks to make a really nice bowl.


This one smells almost like Cedar, but stronger and nicer.

Thanks all for the advice, I will give it a shot and turn a bowl, epoxy the bark areas to maintain the look and not lose them. Will post up, but probably only October, moisture is at about 15%. Will do a rough first and then let it dry for final turning.


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## jlmarta (Jul 29, 2012)

When I was a kid (eons ago) our wood shop teacher introduced us to what he called 'Tennessee Cedar'. We used some to build a cedar chest. It (the wood) was gorgeous and had that strong cedar smell.

Fast-forward to 1993 when we bought the house we're now in. There were 3 way-overgrown shrubs that I promptly took out, saving the larger trunk and limb pieces for possible use in the shop that I built later. These shrubs-cum-trees were Hollywood juniper and the wood looks and smells exactly like the Tennessee Cedar I knew from yesteryear.

I love that mixture of creamy-white and red and I love the way it still smells... I still have a few small pieces left.

To get to your question, I'd definitely turn a bowl out of it leaving the strengthened imperfections in place . That's a great bit of eye appeal.....


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

I would actually use CA instead of epoxy, just so there could be imperfections in the bowl. 

And yes, I'd send it back :laughing:


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

sawdustfactory said:


> I would actually use CA instead of epoxy, just so there could be imperfections in the bowl.
> 
> And yes, I'd send it back :laughing:


Thanks, that sounds like the way to go, but I have never used CA on wood, would not know where to start?


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

With a blank like this, I'd give serious consideration to turning it all the way to "finished" in a single shot and let it warp as it dries ... adds to the unique organic nature of the piece, IMO.

You have to leave something on the base so that after it's dried and stopped moving you can re-finish it (either on the lathe or a sander) or the whole thing will be wobbly. Alternatively, make it with 3 little legs, a tripod is always stable.


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

duncsuss said:


> With a blank like this, I'd give serious consideration to turning it all the way to "finished" in a single shot and let it warp as it dries ... adds to the unique organic nature of the piece, IMO.
> 
> You have to leave something on the base so that after it's dried and stopped moving you can re-finish it (either on the lathe or a sander) or the whole thing will be wobbly. Alternatively, make it with 3 little legs, a tripod is always stable.


How thick would you go, 1/8"?


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## Horatio (Apr 4, 2012)

Another vote for "turn it"....but I've had cedar explode on me so.....Seeing as how the questionable areas are arranged, you could probably be careful and get away with it. Once complete, the flaws will make the piece very interesting. You can nickel and dime pen blanks out of smaller pieces but something of this size is a little harder to find.


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

Horatio said:


> Another vote for "turn it"....but I've had cedar explode on me so.....Seeing as how the questionable areas are arranged, you could probably be careful and get away with it. Once complete, the flaws will make the piece very interesting. You can nickel and dime pen blanks out of smaller pieces but something of this size is a little harder to find.


+1 on that

Got wood? Turn it.....


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

WillemJM said:


> How thick would you go, 1/8"?


(Not joking) it would depend on how lucky I was feeling ...

I'd certainly hope to get it down to 1/4" or less, but if the walls start flexing like crazy it might be beyond my skills to get it down to 1/8".

Remember to finish the outside (including sanding through 320 or 400) before starting to hollow the inside.

Then take the inside in steps of perhaps 1" at a time, thinning the wall all the way to your target thickness (and, again, sanding through the grits) before moving on to hollow out another inch depth.

The objective is to keep maximum support and stiffness so you can complete the inside without it flexing and either chattering or catching mightily. (Feel free, ask me how I know this :laughing


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

i cannt imagine turning something less than 1/4":no:
i couldnt hold my breath that long:laughing:
do you guys catch yourselves doing that?
if it was mine i would do as they said but i would leave it a little thicker and maybe just bevel the edge to make it look thinner
only because i would be afraid of messing it up with a catch that thin:yes:
anyway i cant wait to see it after you finish it


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## jlmarta (Jul 29, 2012)

I've read where good turners often try for 1/8" walls. I've only tried it once on a mahogany piece but without success. It didn't disintegrate on me but the wall of the piece was so thin it wouldn't stand up to sanding and finishing.

I don't have any qualms about 1/4" though. And I wouldn't be embarrassed to have a better turner than I criticize me because it was so thick. I've deliberately left some of my pieces thick - some for aesthetics and one (a goblet I turned from a piece of really brittle burl) because the piece was top heavy and I figured it could be knocked over and might break the rim of the goblet.

Let your instincts guide you.


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

robert421960 said:


> i cannt imagine turning something less than 1/4":no:
> i couldnt hold my breath that long:laughing:
> do you guys catch yourselves doing that?
> if it was mine i would do as they said but i would leave it a little thicker and maybe just bevel the edge to make it look thinner
> ...


You can get pretty thin, key is to learn how to grind your bowl gouges, so you really have to try to get a catch and you can cut as well as scrape with the gouge.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Willemstad, with the CA, flood some thin onto those bark inclusions, especially where it meets the wood. Stop and check often and if you tun past where it stopped (it looks loose again), reapply. Also get some accelerator so you don't have to wait for it to dry.


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## NYKen (Aug 24, 2012)

I vote turn it as well. That piece has some wicked character, and should turn out to be stunning once finished. Just ake ur time, and no big hoggin cuts and you should be fine. Share the finished piece with us though please

Ken


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

Thanks all, I ventured into your advice, turned it and here is the bowl.


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

Wow ... 

Aren't you glad you went ahead and turned this? It's great!


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## blaineo (Dec 29, 2012)

Oof-da... Well, isn't that a head turner.. Very nice..


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Gorgeous. The defects add a lot to the piece. Well done. :thumbsup:


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

Looks like the defects make this bowl beautifull. Great job


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## Nate Bos (Jan 11, 2012)

ya, that turned out awesome! about the wood, I think the real name for it is Eastern RedCedar, although it is not a cedar, it is a member of the juniper family, go figure:laughing:. It is fun to turn, make sure you save the shavings as you might be able to use them for something!:thumbsup: have fun


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

Nate Bos said:


> ya, that turned out awesome! about the wood, I think the real name for it is Eastern RedCedar, although it is not a cedar, it is a member of the juniper family, go figure:laughing:. It is fun to turn, make sure you save the shavings as you might be able to use them for something!:thumbsup: have fun


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_californica

It smelled like Cedar, but much stronger.


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