Has anyone come up with a practical use for lathe shavings? What?
Seems like such a waste. Kitty litter? appreciate some feedback.

Mulch -- lots of it. Luckily my wife is a gardener. We also use it to fill an area in our
yard which is heavily wooded, hilly and washes out some with every major rain storm.

Bill

In article . com,
says...
Has anyone come up with a practical use for lathe shavings? What?
Seems like such a waste. Kitty litter? appreciate some feedback.

jamesleroy wrote:
Has anyone come up with a practical use for lathe shavings? What?
Seems like such a waste. Kitty litter? appreciate some feedback.


I wrote about this in my blog just a few days ago:
http://chipshop.blogspot.com/2004/12...-want-not.html

--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
Wedding Favors ~ Artisan Crafted Gifts ~ One-of-a-Kind Woodturning

Thanks Derek, Thats what I call service. I enjoyed your site and will
visit it frequently. thanks again

Somewhat puzzled at Derek saying that his shavings don't burn that well.
Mine incorporate lots of air because of the way I turn, allowing me to use
them as fire starters. I roll them lightly in newspaper, twist (no, I don't
lick 'em) the ends so they look like big Doobies, and use them to relight on
those few days when the fire is allowed to burn itself out. They can also
be fuel in their own right when there are simply more than I can dispose of
by other means, including the loan to friends who raise chickens or rabbits.
I say loan, because I request they return them after the livestock are
through, after which they hit the garden.

Other than that, their love of nitrogen when decaying, plus the acidity of
some shavings makes them good mulch under the fence wires, where they help
keep the weeds from shorting the electric charge that defends the garden.
They also fill in holes where the groundhogs dig around my paths, though I
have to tamp them in on several occasions, as well as provide suitable
nesting areas for my garden guardian snakes. I've got a seven-foot female
who lives on the main compost heap, and she and her annual progeny keep the
critters from my peas.

"jamesleroy" wrote in message
ups.com...
Has anyone come up with a practical use for lathe shavings? What?
Seems like such a waste. Kitty litter? appreciate some feedback.

jamesleroy wrote:
Has anyone come up with a practical use for lathe shavings? What?
Seems like such a waste. Kitty litter? appreciate some feedback.

================================================== ==
I haven't had to buy MULCH since I started turning!

The Other Bruce

George wrote:
Somewhat puzzled at Derek saying that his shavings don't burn that well.
Mine incorporate lots of air because of the way I turn, allowing me to use
them as fire starters.

The shavings burn fine. Its the smaller chips that are more of a
problem. I tend to seperate and save the long shavings for fire
lighting, and shovel the chips on in small doses so as not to dampen the
flames too much.

--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
Wedding Favors ~ Artisan Crafted Gifts ~ One-of-a-Kind Woodturning

On 2 Jan 2005 08:06:25 -0800, "jamesleroy"
wrote:

Has anyone come up with a practical use for lathe shavings? What?
Seems like such a waste. Kitty litter? appreciate some feedback.

the dust and small chips go into the DC, which gets checked for
sandpaper, etc. and put in the green waste..
The larger chips and smaller shavings are used for mulching... usually
neighbors, since if it isn't in the shop.. I don't do gardens.. lol

I keep a big cardboard box against the wall near the lather for those
long or fluffy shavings... good fire starting stuff and fun (along
with stubs, failed turnings, etc.) to add to the fire once in a while
for a blast of heat & light..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"Derek Andrews" wrote in message
...
George wrote:
Somewhat puzzled at Derek saying that his shavings don't burn that well.
Mine incorporate lots of air because of the way I turn, allowing me to
use
them as fire starters.

The shavings burn fine. Its the smaller chips that are more of a
problem. I tend to seperate and save the long shavings for fire
lighting, and shovel the chips on in small doses so as not to dampen the
flames too much.

As I said, difference in turning style. If I get "chips" I alter my tool
presentation. I want to cut the wood, and with curved shapes, that's
twisted shavings with lots of incorporated air.

Or are you hollowing endgrain a lot?

The local animal shelter.

Jack

George wrote:
As I said, difference in turning style. If I get "chips" I alter my tool
presentation.

More likely a difference in what we turn. I'd guess I do 80%+ spindle
turning, and when roughing down its impossible to get a shaving long
enough to be worthy of the name, no matter what the tool presentation
is, unless I were to stop the lathe and take a hand plane to it But
whatever I am turning I am more interested in getting the job done as
efficiently as possible. Whether I get a nice bird's nest of fine
shavings from a finishing cut on a bowl, or a handfull of chips from
roughing out a cove with a parting tool, really doesn't matter.

--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
Wedding Favors ~ Artisan Crafted Gifts ~ One-of-a-Kind Woodturning

Try hooking up with potters. People working in the Raku style incorporate
shavings into their firings. It is also good to hook up with other crafts
people