"Woodborg" wrote in message
...

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


You make smaller things, including bowls with the pith out, but certainly
not limited to them. Branch wood is best turned to final thickness green,
because it has that reaction wood on the ground side which can take control
if left to any thickness.

If you try to dry a branch, maintaining the integrity of the bark is
critical. It will split rapidly radially without it. This also means it
will dry slowly, so expect limbs other than willow to spalt inside the bark.
Even that's not a bad thing. Cut 'em long, stack aside and save some
branches as you turn others green. Willow's all but bullet-proof in drying.
Small willow branches make exceptional Christmas ornaments, being light at
the outset.

Some examples of branch turning.
http://photobucket.com/albums/d160/G...ch-Upright.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/d160/G...f-4-inch-B.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/d160/G...t=26749816.jpg