Firewood Log To Maple Wood Bowl (ep76) Projects, Woodturning 18 Comments Woodturning has been something I have messed around with a few times over the last 20 years. I have never owned my own lathe until around June of 2016. Before that I had only hopped on friends lathes and various theater shops. Oddly enough I have turned a lot of items from foam for various theater and stage props but haven’t turned many things from wood. That is sort of the backwards way of doing things. Foam is rather forgiving and getting a tool to catch in it is extremely infrequent if not non-existent. So switching over to a material that negates that freedom is a learning experience to say the least. It’s been a slow going process but one of my friends showed me a ton of tips and techniques recently when I was staying at his house. In this particular bowl, which I believe to be maple, (if you know, comment below) I was having a ton of end grain tear-out. In comes my buddy Braxton with the push-cut. You can see it at the 4:05 mark in the video. Poof, the tear-out was gone! If you aren’t familiar with Braxton make sure to click here and check him out. He’s a really good guy and his videos are always entertaining. Now to the brass tacks. I have a local farmer that sells firewood. He also has some logs and stumps that haven’t been cut up or split yet. He charges next to nothing for these pieces. After stacking the firewood pile the other day I saw this piece and figured I’d try and make something from it. I figured I’d have my go at making a larger bowl. It measured approximately 11″ around after it was completed. The log started out around 13″ in diameter. It was fairly dry but not enough to prevent it from warping slightly over night. I was expecting that and I am completely okay with it. The log was relatively free of cracks and checks so it was game on. Watch the video and let me know what you think! Share this:FacebookTwitterTumblrPinterestReddit 18 Responses john cooper November 20, 2016 Well done as usual. I just wish Maple was available where I live. Reply Nick November 20, 2016 thanks John – I was pretty happy on the overall project! Reply umpire20 November 20, 2016 And not a word was spoken!!!!! That sure surprised me. A nice looking lathe and a good end result with your project, Nick. Good job Reply Nick November 20, 2016 I bet it would surprise my mother too, lol – thanks, glad you dug it! Reply Fred McIntyre November 20, 2016 It really is a beautiful bowl Nick. Reply Nick November 20, 2016 Thank you Fred, I appreciate you saying so as always! Have a good day buddy! Reply Gregg ( Protect Your DIGITS Creations) November 20, 2016 Nick please tell that wood to shut up , it is now screaming with Craftsmanship beauty……… Hahaha. Great job Reply Nick November 20, 2016 lol – speaking I can handle, but if it starts screaming, it’s going to it’s room! Reply Denny Rice November 20, 2016 Nick, Nice looking bowl. Great job as usual.. Reply Nick November 20, 2016 always appreciated Denny, thanks! Reply Tom Pritchard November 22, 2016 Great job..I will have to try some day. FYI, I love your new band saw. Reply Nick November 22, 2016 thanks Tom – I’m putting it through its paces that’s for sure! Reply Tom O'Brien November 22, 2016 Nick, Your bowl looks like something the Shakers would have designed, with the idea of it lasting a zillion years. It looks graceful and sturdy at the same time.I like the top edge, which suggests durability. Reply Nick November 22, 2016 thanks – I like a lot of Shaker pieces, and yes, they knew how to make things last! Reply Tim Grace December 13, 2016 Looks like you got that 14BX set up and going! Bowl turned out very nice. I’m still trying to figure my lathe out. I do have a couple of pieces of cherry and walnut (from trees in my front yard) in the wood shed that I’ve been wanting to turn into something. Reply Nick December 16, 2016 yeah that saw is working out really well – turning is a steep learning curve for sure but I’m having a blast soaking it all up! Reply inventionaddict June 29, 2017 Nick, how long did it take start to finish? Reply Nick June 30, 2017 I’d say maybe 2 hours – I didn’t really keep track Reply Leave a Reply to Nick Cancel reply
john cooper November 20, 2016 Well done as usual. I just wish Maple was available where I live. Reply
umpire20 November 20, 2016 And not a word was spoken!!!!! That sure surprised me. A nice looking lathe and a good end result with your project, Nick. Good job Reply
Nick November 20, 2016 Thank you Fred, I appreciate you saying so as always! Have a good day buddy! Reply
Gregg ( Protect Your DIGITS Creations) November 20, 2016 Nick please tell that wood to shut up , it is now screaming with Craftsmanship beauty……… Hahaha. Great job Reply
Nick November 20, 2016 lol – speaking I can handle, but if it starts screaming, it’s going to it’s room! Reply
Tom Pritchard November 22, 2016 Great job..I will have to try some day. FYI, I love your new band saw. Reply
Tom O'Brien November 22, 2016 Nick, Your bowl looks like something the Shakers would have designed, with the idea of it lasting a zillion years. It looks graceful and sturdy at the same time.I like the top edge, which suggests durability. Reply
Nick November 22, 2016 thanks – I like a lot of Shaker pieces, and yes, they knew how to make things last! Reply
Tim Grace December 13, 2016 Looks like you got that 14BX set up and going! Bowl turned out very nice. I’m still trying to figure my lathe out. I do have a couple of pieces of cherry and walnut (from trees in my front yard) in the wood shed that I’ve been wanting to turn into something. Reply
Nick December 16, 2016 yeah that saw is working out really well – turning is a steep learning curve for sure but I’m having a blast soaking it all up! Reply