Converting Logs to Blanks - Question

[jcredding]

Just started a 12 day work trip, so have a little extra time on my hands. Looking for recommendations on how to turn logs into bowl blanks - wife just called and said a neighbor took down a silver maple today and the tree guy dropped about 20 pieces off at the house around 18” long and up to 26” across. I won’t be home to seal it for a while so going to have to deal with that when I get back, but I don’t usually get good big pieces like this to work with. Curious if there’s anyone whose videos you particularly like.

Also curious what kind of sealer people like.

Thanks,
John

[MichaelMouse]

Just started a 12 day work trip, so have a little extra time on my hands.  Looking for recommendations on how to turn logs into bowl blanks - wife just called and said a neighbor took down a silver maple today and the tree guy dropped about 20 pieces off at the house around 18” long and up to 26” across.  I won’t be home to seal it for a while so going to have to deal with that when I get back, but I don’t usually get good big pieces like this to work with.  Curious if there’s anyone whose videos you particularly like.  

Also curious what kind of sealer people like.

Depending on your location, the weather may well keep end checks at bay for now.  Smart money roughs the pieces as rapidly as possible to get them curing for summer turning.  Those you can't get at right away can be "sealed" out of the sun by tacking cardboard or plastic bag parts over the endgrain, and keeping them off the ground UNLESS you want some spalting. Those should be left on the ground and provided with good moisture keeping cover to encourage spalt.  Rotate periodically to spread the moisture as it will follow gravity for sure. 

Plenty of advice by looking up "prepare a log for turning" with your favorite engine.  Don't expose new endgrain until you're ready to turn, and for your safety and your lathe's health, undercut the endgrain to gain better balance.  Even better balance and max diameter clearance over the bed possible with a bandsaw.  Use it! 

When I was learning, folks were always talking about sealing a rough blank after turning.  I took their advice and mildewed a few pieces of maple beyond salvation.  It's a bit of a balancing act between drying rapidly enough to keep mildew at bay and not so rapidly as to cause cracks.  I don't use sealers any more since I pitched a half gallon of unused Anchorseal twenty plus years back.  Turn with a curve - don't make "dog dishes" with broad bottoms - keep things humid for the first week or two, and things will be fine.  Basement floor in summer, garage in winter for me.  

After that, it's equipment dependent.  I've got a pin chuck and a couple of Nova chucks, so I base my work flow on them. You may have different equipment, but in all cases, never change mount until you have at least made a good centering mark.

[jcredding]

Thanks. I’m in Southern California, so likely going to lose some over the almost 2 weeks I’m gone - work really gets in the way of my hobby. Will seal what I can when I get back and get started.

[crokett™]

If I have that much to work with, I learned not to prep blanks unless/until I was able to do at least a first turn within a few days. Leave the logs as logs until you can prep them and turn them. There is much greater potential for checking if the logs are cut to size and not turned.

[Wipedout]

Thanks.  I’m in Southern California, so likely going to lose some over the almost 2 weeks I’m gone - work really gets in the way of my hobby.  Will seal what I can when I get back and get started.

can you have your wife paint the ends - latex paint will work in a pinch

[Joe K1]

Thanks.  I’m in Southern California, so likely going to lose some over the almost 2 weeks I’m gone - work really gets in the way of my hobby.  Will seal what I can when I get back and get started.

If the logs are on your driveway with direct exposure to the sun, at a minimum I would suggest covering them during sunlight hours and uncovering a few hours at night or early morning.  If any of the big rounds are face down in full contact with a surface, try raising a corner with a shovel and inserting a small block, stick etc. for air circulation to reduce mold formation between the surfaces.  I live in Orange County, CA and mold stain seems to penetrate and discolor soft maple fairly fast, even under Anchorseal.  Don't find free Maple that often, good luck.

Joe

[MidwestMan]

Just started a 12 day work trip, so have a little extra time on my hands.  Looking for recommendations on how to turn logs into bowl blanks - wife just called and said a neighbor took down a silver maple today and the tree guy dropped about 20 pieces off at the house around 18” long and up to 26” across.  I won’t be home to seal it for a while so going to have to deal with that when I get back, but I don’t usually get good big pieces like this to work with.  Curious if there’s anyone whose videos you particularly like.  

Also curious what kind of sealer people like.

Thanks,
John

My thoughts are to limit the amount of air getting to the end grain of the cut logs. (both ends of course)
Can someone stand up the log onto earth? If so, can that someone put cardboard on the top with some weight on it, or better yet paint it with any leftover paint. ? If that can be done, then the air won't be able to as easily get to it, to inhibit air circulating and drying it out and then checking happens. (checking is your enemy at this point).

Until you can get home to prep further.

my 2 cents