Any turning with the pith included is likely to be a failure. Also, any
attempt to dry the branches with the pith included is likely to be a
failure. So, I think a lot of us turn down such projects because of the
limited chance for success.

I've done some treen from small branches -- spoons, spurtles -- both
spindle work where you don't need much wood. Maybe a candle stick would
work.

When a hollow form is done spindle-wise and includes the pith, sometimes
problems can be alleviated by drilling out the pith in the bottom,
letting the piece which was turned green dry and then plugging it.

Overall, though, I find dealing with small branches more trouble than it
is worth.

Bill

Woodborg wrote:
Upto now i have been turning bowls from large diameter logs, cut either
side of middle to remove heart wood, rough shaped then dipped in the
LDD. My question is for the smaller branches of less than 8" in
diameter. How do you use these, because if you remove the heartwood
their wood be nothing left. I would guess these would be spindle
turned, but do you have to have them completly dried to stop the
different drying rate from middle to out side?
I'm asking this as my dad has a willow tree thats a bit tall and needs
reducing by 50 percent and i would like to make something out of the
small logs because it brings back memories as a small child climbing up
this tree
Mark