Bowl from Chinese Tallow
 

My inlaws in central Florida just lost a beloved tree in Hurricane
Charley. I cut it up this weekend and saved a couple of logs.
I would like to turn a bowl out of it to give them as a momento. It's
"Chinese Tallow" about 8-10" in diameter.

My first thought was to turn it as a "bullseye" (grain parallel to the
lathe axis). But I'm told that's almost certain to warp and/or crack.
So I'm ready to slice the log into a "crosswise" blank.

I have several questions:

Should I dry it first, then turn it; or turn it green?
What's the best/fastest way to dry it? As a log or as a sliced blank?

When I slice it, should I use one of the outside slices or the center
cut, for turning? My bandsaw won't accomodate the log, so I'll be
using a chainsaw. I'm guessing I should then lay the slice down and
bandsaw it close to circular before mounting on the lathe to avoid
loosening my teeth while trying to round it up. Any thoughts?

Concerning Ch. Tallow: Any toxicity issues (I can't imagine they'll
ever use the bowl for food, but just in case...)? Once I get a decent
bowl, is the rest worth saving for woodworking...or better firewood?
(I have PLENTY to practice with until I get a good bowl!)

I guess I should say I'm an intermediate woodworker, some lathe
experience (all between centers, no bowls!) and no experience with
green wood...working it or drying it.

Thanks in advance for ANY recommendations!

Should I dry it first, then turn it; or turn it green?
What's the best/fastest way to dry it? As a log or as a sliced blank?

When I slice it, should I use one of the outside slices or the center
cut, for turning? My bandsaw won't accomodate the log, so I'll be
using a chainsaw. I'm guessing I should then lay the slice down and
bandsaw it close to circular before mounting on the lathe to avoid
loosening my teeth while trying to round it up. Any thoughts?

Concerning Ch. Tallow: Any toxicity issues (I can't imagine they'll
ever use the bowl for food, but just in case...)? Once I get a decent
bowl, is the rest worth saving for woodworking...or better firewood?

Hi

I turned a bit of tallow when I lived on the Texas gulf coast. It's not that
great to work with.

I'd slice the pith out of the log and rough turn it green: use wax or your
personal favorite trick to slow the drying. It will warp a fair bit (based on
my experience) so leave the rough out with probably an inch to 1.25 inch wall
thickness.

I have heard it said that tallow sap has some toxicity, but never really
researched it since it wasn't something that I considered good turning stock.
And it is not good firewood either!

Hope this helps, feel free to email if you have more questions

Kip Power
Rogers, AR

WoodButcher wrote:

My inlaws in central Florida just lost a beloved tree in Hurricane
Charley. I cut it up this weekend and saved a couple of logs.
I would like to turn a bowl out of it to give them as a momento. It's
"Chinese Tallow" about 8-10" in diameter.
snip

Thanks in advance for ANY recommendations!
Cut in lengths a few inches longer than the diameter.
Make two lengthwise cuts with chainsaw about an inch apart so that
neither blank will contain the pith or center part of the log.

Rough turn to about 3/4 inch thickness then dry in paper bag for a few
months before finish turning. I boil mine after rough turning. You can
look it up. You will get other ways to do all this, this is my own
preferences.

If you have a router, you can round it off on the lathe with the router.
I did this before I had a large bandsaw. Let me know if you are
interested and I can post pictures of the setup I used. NOT freehanded.

--

Gerald Ross, Cochran, GA
To reply add the numerals "13" before the "at"
............................................
People will occasionally stumble over
the truth, but most of the time they
will pick themselves up and carry on.




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How did you round off a bowl blank mounted on a lathe with a router? Sounds
facinating! Is it relatively quick and easy to do (once a jig is made)?

DD
"Gerald Ross" wrote in message
...
WoodButcher wrote:

My inlaws in central Florida just lost a beloved tree in Hurricane
Charley. I cut it up this weekend and saved a couple of logs.
I would like to turn a bowl out of it to give them as a momento. It's
"Chinese Tallow" about 8-10" in diameter.
snip

Thanks in advance for ANY recommendations!
Cut in lengths a few inches longer than the diameter.
Make two lengthwise cuts with chainsaw about an inch apart so that
neither blank will contain the pith or center part of the log.

Rough turn to about 3/4 inch thickness then dry in paper bag for a few
months before finish turning. I boil mine after rough turning. You can
look it up. You will get other ways to do all this, this is my own
preferences.

If you have a router, you can round it off on the lathe with the router.
I did this before I had a large bandsaw. Let me know if you are
interested and I can post pictures of the setup I used. NOT freehanded.

--

Gerald Ross, Cochran, GA
To reply add the numerals "13" before the "at"
...........................................
People will occasionally stumble over
the truth, but most of the time they
will pick themselves up and carry on.




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Doug Dubowski wrote:

How did you round off a bowl blank mounted on a lathe with a router? Sounds
facinating! Is it relatively quick and easy to do (once a jig is made)?

DD
"Gerald Ross" wrote in message
...
WoodButcher wrote:

My inlaws in central Florida just lost a beloved tree in Hurricane
Charley. I cut it up this weekend and saved a couple of logs.
I would like to turn a bowl out of it to give them as a momento. It's
"Chinese Tallow" about 8-10" in diameter.
snip

Thanks in advance for ANY recommendations!
Cut in lengths a few inches longer than the diameter.
Make two lengthwise cuts with chainsaw about an inch apart so that
neither blank will contain the pith or center part of the log.

Rough turn to about 3/4 inch thickness then dry in paper bag for a few
months before finish turning. I boil mine after rough turning. You can
look it up. You will get other ways to do all this, this is my own
preferences.

If you have a router, you can round it off on the lathe with the router.
I did this before I had a large bandsaw. Let me know if you are
interested and I can post pictures of the setup I used. NOT freehanded.

--

Gerald Ross, Cochran, GA
To reply add the numerals "13" before the "at"
...........................................
People will occasionally stumble over
the truth, but most of the time they
will pick themselves up and carry on.




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----


Email me and I will send you the pictures and explanation.

--

Gerald Ross, Cochran, GA
To reply add the numerals "13" before the "at"
............................................
People will occasionally stumble over
the truth, but most of the time they
will pick themselves up and carry on.




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Man to think of all the Chinese Tallow trees I injected with herbicides
inorder to kill them.

I spent a summer where I supervised a prairie restoration project in
South Texas. I call it the
year I killed 10,000 trees. I started the process of turning 100 acres
back from forest to
tall grass prairie.

I only wish I had been into turning back then

WoodButcher wrote:

My inlaws in central Florida just lost a beloved tree in Hurricane
Charley. I cut it up this weekend and saved a couple of logs.
I would like to turn a bowl out of it to give them as a momento. It's
"Chinese Tallow" about 8-10" in diameter.

My first thought was to turn it as a "bullseye" (grain parallel to the
lathe axis). But I'm told that's almost certain to warp and/or crack.
So I'm ready to slice the log into a "crosswise" blank.

I have several questions:

Should I dry it first, then turn it; or turn it green?
What's the best/fastest way to dry it? As a log or as a sliced blank?

When I slice it, should I use one of the outside slices or the center
cut, for turning? My bandsaw won't accomodate the log, so I'll be
using a chainsaw. I'm guessing I should then lay the slice down and
bandsaw it close to circular before mounting on the lathe to avoid
loosening my teeth while trying to round it up. Any thoughts?

Concerning Ch. Tallow: Any toxicity issues (I can't imagine they'll
ever use the bowl for food, but just in case...)? Once I get a decent
bowl, is the rest worth saving for woodworking...or better firewood?
(I have PLENTY to practice with until I get a good bowl!)

I guess I should say I'm an intermediate woodworker, some lathe
experience (all between centers, no bowls!) and no experience with
green wood...working it or drying it.

Thanks in advance for ANY recommendations!