I'm turning a bowl out of pecan wood. I roughed it out while green and let
it dry. Its tough cutting and I'm getting lots of torn end grain. I've
sanded with 60 grit paper until I was covered with dust and still have a
little torn grain showing. I guess I'll continue to sand, but was wondering
if there is a better way. I'm using sharp tools (at least I think they
are). I'm using a belt sander to sharpen them. Does anyone else have this
much problem with this wood? I've tried it before and it seemed to be just
as big a problem. Any help would be appreciated.
Rick

In article , Rick Spivey
wrote:

I'm using sharp tools (at least I think they
are).

Maybe you should make sure they are, rather than thinking they are.

--
~ Stay Calm... Be Brave... Wait for the Signs ~
------------------------------------------------------
One site: http://www.balderstone.ca
The other site, with ww linkshttp://www.woodenwabbits.com

"Rick Spivey" wrote in message
. ..
I'm turning a bowl out of pecan wood. I roughed it out while green and
let it dry. Its tough cutting and I'm getting lots of torn end grain.
I've sanded with 60 grit paper until I was covered with dust and still
have a little torn grain showing. I guess I'll continue to sand, but was
wondering if there is a better way. I'm using sharp tools (at least I
think they are). I'm using a belt sander to sharpen them. Does anyone
else have this much problem with this wood? I've tried it before and it
seemed to be just as big a problem. Any help would be appreciated.


Work on your presentation. You want the edge of the tool to parallel the
rotation of the piece to the greatest extent possible. You would also like
to skew the edge slightly, so the trailing edge cuts cleanly. That allows
the wood to cut itself en passant, without excessive pressure from the tool.
You're looking for the minimum friction cut - it's the best.

A great turner that used to frequent this group, Steve Russell, called
dried pecan "pecancrete". And for a good reason.

It is one of the few hardwoods we have here in abundance in S. Texas,
so everyone around here has at least tried it. When it is really
green, it tears out like hell. It is strange as different pecans seem
to turn a lot different from each other. I have turned green pecan
that almost turn out in little balls from the tear out (went to the
BBQ) and other pieces from different trees that turned long swishing
curlies. I think when it is about half way dry, it turns well, and
finishes well. When it is totally dry, it is a great wood to BBQ with,
or make some small spindle turnings because all of it seems to wind up
really hard when dried.

It can be made into some beautiful pieces though, so stick with it. As
as side note, I don't have near as much tear out or precision cutting
problems since I quit running to the grinder every few minutes. I now
keep a small multiform waterstone (180 grit) next to the lathe in a
peanut butter jar full of water. Cut for a few minutes, then a few
swipes on the tool, then back at it.

I only hit the grinder when the tool is not easily touched up with the
stone. The edge stays longer when honed (Fred Holder's research?) and
it is just as fast as grinding. But is gives a better edge, for fine
medium to fine cuts. And while I still take the big bowl gougest to
the grinder, I give them a couple of finishing swipes with the stone as
I can feel the tiny burr inside the flute after sharpening, and that
bugs me.

Some of the others in my club snicker at the waterstone, because they
read somewhere they just don't have the extra 5 -7 seconds to use it.
They do however, seem to have plenty of time to sand....

Robert

said:

It can be made into some beautiful pieces though, so stick with it. As
as side note, I don't have near as much tear out or precision cutting
problems since I quit running to the grinder every few minutes. I now
keep a small multiform waterstone (180 grit) next to the lathe in a
peanut butter jar full of water. Cut for a few minutes, then a few
swipes on the tool, then back at it.

Same here - except for the type of container full of water. Made a big
difference in reducing tear-out when cutting kiln dried walnut - which
I was having problems with. Seems to me that nut bearing trees can be
rather difficult.

I only hit the grinder when the tool is not easily touched up with the
stone. The edge stays longer when honed (Fred Holder's research?) and
it is just as fast as grinding. But is gives a better edge, for fine
medium to fine cuts. And while I still take the big bowl gougest to
the grinder, I give them a couple of finishing swipes with the stone as
I can feel the tiny burr inside the flute after sharpening, and that
bugs me.

I strive to produce a burr on my scraper, however...

FWIW,

Greg G.

In a word Pecan is a "bitch" to turn. It's a close relative of hickory and
just as tough. I turned a Pecan bowl last Summer that had 3/8" diameter
insect borings through the blank. As I turned it, the sawdust from the
holes went everywhere. Nasty stuff. But it was a decent bowl when I
finished. Me thinks there are better woods for turning, though.

Barry


"Rick Spivey" wrote in message
. ..
I'm turning a bowl out of pecan wood. I roughed it out while green and
let
it dry. Its tough cutting and I'm getting lots of torn end grain. I've
sanded with 60 grit paper until I was covered with dust and still have a
little torn grain showing. I guess I'll continue to sand, but was
wondering
if there is a better way. I'm using sharp tools (at least I think they
are). I'm using a belt sander to sharpen them. Does anyone else have
this
much problem with this wood? I've tried it before and it seemed to be
just
as big a problem. Any help would be appreciated.
Rick

Thanks guys.

"Barry N. Turner" wrote in message
.. .
In a word Pecan is a "bitch" to turn. It's a close relative of hickory
and
just as tough. I turned a Pecan bowl last Summer that had 3/8" diameter
insect borings through the blank. As I turned it, the sawdust from the
holes went everywhere. Nasty stuff. But it was a decent bowl when I
finished. Me thinks there are better woods for turning, though.

Barry


"Rick Spivey" wrote in message
. ..
I'm turning a bowl out of pecan wood. I roughed it out while green and
let
it dry. Its tough cutting and I'm getting lots of torn end grain. I've
sanded with 60 grit paper until I was covered with dust and still have a
little torn grain showing. I guess I'll continue to sand, but was
wondering
if there is a better way. I'm using sharp tools (at least I think they
are). I'm using a belt sander to sharpen them. Does anyone else have
this
much problem with this wood? I've tried it before and it seemed to be
just
as big a problem. Any help would be appreciated.
Rick

Rick Spivey wrote:
I'm turning a bowl out of pecan wood. I roughed it out while green and let
it dry. Its tough cutting and I'm getting lots of torn end grain. I've
sanded with 60 grit paper until I was covered with dust and still have a
little torn grain showing. I guess I'll continue to sand, but was wondering
if there is a better way. I'm using sharp tools (at least I think they
are). I'm using a belt sander to sharpen them. Does anyone else have this
much problem with this wood? I've tried it before and it seemed to be just
as big a problem. Any help would be appreciated.
Rick

If you rub paste wax into the recalcitrant areas prior to shear
scraping and/or sanding I think that you will find it improves your
results. Depending on how bad your tearout problem is, two or three
waxings may be needed. You do not have to let the wax dry:
supposedly it makes the fibers stand up (and cut off) better.

When I lived it Texas I turned a fair amount of pecan. Not the easiest
stuff to handle but I don't think it is as bad as some of the others
who've responded to your posting

Kip Powers
Rogers, AR

Rick Spivey wrote:
I'm turning a bowl out of pecan wood. I roughed it out while green and let
it dry. Its tough cutting and I'm getting lots of torn end grain. I've
sanded with 60 grit paper until I was covered with dust and still have a
little torn grain showing. I guess I'll continue to sand, but was wondering
if there is a better way. I'm using sharp tools (at least I think they
are). I'm using a belt sander to sharpen them. Does anyone else have this
much problem with this wood? I've tried it before and it seemed to be just
as big a problem. Any help would be appreciated.
Rick

If you rub paste wax into the recalcitrant areas prior to shear
scraping and/or sanding I think that you will find it improves your
results. Depending on how bad your tearout problem is, two or three
waxings may be needed. You do not have to let the wax dry:
supposedly it makes the fibers stand up (and cut off) better.

When I lived it Texas I turned a fair amount of pecan. Not the easiest
stuff to handle but I don't think it is as bad as some of the others
who've responded to your posting

Kip Powers
Rogers, AR