"whirled peas" wrote in message
...
Bill Noble wrote:

2. I don't generally start with "clean" wood cut to a round "blank",
instead I start with a gnarly thing with branches and holes and bark and
worms and whatever else nature gave it.

root balls are good for this (pick ones small enough for your lathe) -
use plastic (pourable, clear) to fill in gaps and make it hold together
(I'm still working on one of these)


I'm new to this group and a total neophyte to wood turning in general.
Right now, I'm just in the reading and planning phase, so I have a lot of
questions to ask of you experts. Your idea of working with root balls
sounds very interesting. How do you prepare a root ball for turning? I
would think it would be difficult to remove all the soil and rocks and
stuff that would instantly dull a cutting tool. Once clean, how do you
mount a root ball between centers? The trunk end seems easy, but what
about the root end? Or maybe you just chuck up the trunk end and not use
the tailstock? Around here, stumps are basically junk wood that are
difficult to dispose of -- they don't even split easily for firewood. As
is, they are much too big for a lathe. Is there a "best" way to cut them
up into lathe-size pieces? Is there anything special you have to do to
deal with the wild grain, or is it just not a problem? Starting with root
balls, what shapes have you ended up with?

well, since you asked - my lathe can turn about 40 inches in diameter, but
for root balls I wouldn't go that big

You have two approaches -
1. wash, wash wash (pressure washer helps), then dry it out, cut to some
reasonable shape with a saw and clippers, make a paper form and pour in
casting resin, then turn the mess

2. wash, cut off unintersting parts, mount remainder between centers and
turn it a bit to see what needs to come off - remove, cut it off, repeat.
In a limiting case, cut the roots off the ball and just use the solid wood -
you will get great grain. Like a crotch only better.

and yes, it will dull your tools - that's why you learn to sharpen (or use
carbide for the roughing)

you can hold the trunk end in a chuck for a small root ball, but supporting
with the tail stock is a good idea.