The story, for those unfamilar with the first entry, is that I was driving through the neighborhood. Truth be told I had the feeling there was going to be something I was going to find. Highly developed “Free-dar”. I happened upon a yard with the entire length of the sidewalk lined with quartered log sections of a massive maple tree and a sign exhorting me to take all I wanted. I was frustrated because most of the sections were massive. And when I went to toss one in the bed of the pickup, I about busted a gut. Each of the pieces I tried to lift were in the 80-90 lbs range. The homeowner helped me get a second log quarter in the bed, and told me there was more in the back.
I politely told him that these were for bowl-turning and would likely have more than I needed, but thank you.
If you ever hear something like that come out of your mouth, slap yourself.
I waited a week to have the time to render bowl blanks that would fit my mini-lathe and my 14˝ bandsaw with the 6˝ height stricture. Then I coated the endgrain with some left over blue paint. The next day I decided to try a wet-turned bowl, and turned the piece down to about 1/4˝ walls. I let it air dry for a day, mounted it back up in a four jaw chuck, refined the shape and gave it a preliminary sanding. I had thought to let it dry in paper bags, but I decided to try microwave drying with this small piece. Predictably there was some warping, as the bowl became oval in shape – stretching out in length along the end grain. But the shape remained pleasing, and so I pressed on, mounting the blank back up and in the spirit of investigation I decided to wet sand with some homemade danish oil that I toned with Walnut and Corinthian MC Campbell Microtone wood dye (acetone and alcohol base, non-grain raising).
Predictably the endgrain took more dye than the rest of the bowl. But the science experiment looked okay to me, so I’ll post these shots.
This last shot I took into Photoshop, cut out the background and a huge flash shadow, and made a digital background to match the other shots taken on a couch pillow and added a modest drop shadow.
I didn’t have to add any grain! This haul of logs has tiger-striped figure in the rock maple. I have since recovered every usable scrap of the blank offcuts and trimmings. If only I would have known this, I would have rallied every relative and neighbor within shouting distance and stacked maple behind the garage up to the eaves.
But you know what they say…”If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, it’d be Christmas all year ‘round.”
I’ll have to be thankful for what I’ve gotten.
When I’m sure everything is completely dry, I’ll put on a decent clear coat on this piece and it will sing…
I’ll post the progress, and any other offspring of my lucky logs.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

























25 comments so far
Karson
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25803 posts in 1297 days
posted 744 days ago
Never pass on free wood. I mean you can always give it away, if its no good. But who ever heard of no good wood. Not a LumberJock.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Douglas Bordner
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3424 posts in 960 days
posted 744 days ago
If I’m ever to get a stash on par with your golden horde, Karson, I’ll never turn my nose up again.
I may have to plank some out and try a spalting experiment. After all you don’t need 2”x8”x8’ers for the jewelry box trade. Woo Hoo!
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
Jeff
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996 posts in 990 days
posted 744 days ago
Hooray for Science! I like this, Doug. I don’t know if it’s the shape or the lighting popping the grain or both. Seems like about the right size for a cool coffee cup sans the handle.
-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN
Douglas Bordner
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3424 posts in 960 days
posted 744 days ago
Have to admit the music in my head while turning was…
“Way down South they gave a jubilee
The Georgia folks they had a jamboree
They’re drinkin’ home brew from a wooden cup
The folks dancin’ got all shook up
And started playin’ that that
rock and roll music.”
Lyric credits: Chuck Berry and The Beatles
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
Dadoo
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1723 posts in 887 days
posted 744 days ago
Nice! You’ll have to give one of them to your neighbor!
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
Grumpy
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14930 posts in 747 days
posted 744 days ago
You sure are one for doing it the hard way Doug. Nice bowl, it looks like Aussie silky oak. you could pretend that you turned it oval, that would be a good party conversation.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
Dorje
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1767 posts in 893 days
posted 744 days ago
Looks great Douglas! It shimmers!
Is the wood all gone at this point or can you go back with your saw to make the quarters more manageable??? I know, I know…be happy with what you got, be happy with what you got, be happy with what you got…
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
Douglas Bordner
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3424 posts in 960 days
posted 744 days ago
I tried to go back about a week after I picked up the haul and it was gone. I thought about bringing the saw over to this fellow’s house but to tell you the truth, I’m so new to using a chainsaw and it makes me so nervous, I couldn’t entertain the notion of going over there and accidentally severing an extremity in this gent’s front yard.
I cut these when Pam wasn’t around, and truth be told I got my cellphone out of my bookbag, turned it on and had it on the truck tailgate while I was cutting in case there was trouble. Even had a bungie handy in case a ligature was needed.
So, Debbie if I have ever give you static about how evil routers are to you, I deeply apologize. That’s how I feel about chainsaws. It’s gut-check every time I fire mine up, but there is no other expedient way to get where I want to go with logs, so it’s a necessary evil.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
Dorje
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1767 posts in 893 days
posted 744 days ago
I’m pretty comfortable with my 20” saw…but, I started up and cut some wood with the borrowed 32” this weekend to get a feel for it… Now, that was quite a different experience! I felt like I should have had a helmet on; I kept on imagining the result of a kick back. Quite frightening…it’ll feel safer with the milling attachment bolted securely on it.
And now for your fortune: More wood is sure to come your way!
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
jockmike2
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7328 posts in 1143 days
posted 744 days ago
Very pretty bowl Doug, nice grain pattern. Nice color too, love that gold. mike
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
MsDebbieP
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14160 posts in 1057 days
posted 744 days ago
after all the stories here about “take the wood”, you’d think NO LumberJock would ever pass on free wood..
I think Karson gets ribbed now and again about his stash – but we all know that it is pure jealousy!
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Lee A. Jesberger
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3710 posts in 876 days
posted 744 days ago
Who’s selling the free wood?
Let me know
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Thos. Angle
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4013 posts in 859 days
posted 744 days ago
That’s some really uni-que wood, Douglas. Too bad you didn’t get it all. But …...someone else will cut down a tree. Don’t worry about the chain saw, after you’ve cut yourself once or twice you’ll catch on.
-- Thos. Angle
Betsy
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2386 posts in 792 days
posted 744 days ago
Looks great Doug. I’ve always have been afraid of the chainsaw, I’ve used them, but still don’t like them. I have, however, been known to use a good old fashioned axe with good results. (It’s better exercise also.)
-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.
CharlieM1958
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7661 posts in 1115 days
posted 744 days ago
Yeah, Doug, like old Three-finger Tom says, there’s nothing to using a chain saw. :-)
Good find on the wood, and great job on the bowl!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Zuki
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1229 posts in 974 days
posted 743 days ago
i have an electric chain saw . . . poulan??? Its slime green anyway.
The gas powered ones give me the shivers. My ‘lectric does me just fine.
Nice bowl . . . Im gonna keep an eye out in the old part of town after the next big wind storm.
-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them
relic
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342 posts in 833 days
posted 743 days ago
Free wood, great stuff and your bowl looks great.
-- Andy Stark
Harold
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312 posts in 744 days
posted 743 days ago
I keep my saw in the back of my truck all the time, I think you have to.
-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.
SteveRussell
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95 posts in 857 days
posted 742 days ago
Sweet Douglas!
That’s one of the reasons woodturning is so addictive… You never know what’s inside the log! Sorta like the Forrest Gump movie where FG says “Life (insert woodturning) is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.”
Congrats… You can shoot some dilute lacquer on the piece before you apply your coloured oil (let your lacquer dry first) and this will eliminate the over absorption of the darker oil into the endgrain fibers. You can also utilise a “tone-spray” of lacquer and skip the oil entirely. Note: Lacquer tone sprays are clear lacquer with a colour added to enhance the grain. Take care and turn a piece or two for this red-headed Texan!
Steve Russell
EWW, WVP, EWWFS
The Woodlands, Texas
-- Better Woodturning and Finishing Through Chemistry... http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com
Douglas Bordner
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3424 posts in 960 days
posted 742 days ago
Thanks, Steve. I believe I’ll have no trouble with the turning more pieces from the stash. On this bowl at least staining was truly in the interest of science. The behavior of green wood and the round vs slabbed aspects of grain are just too new to take in easily without a visual aid. Take care, Tex, er, Red, uh, Steve!
Thanks to everyone for the kindness and advice.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
Dick, & Barb Cain
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7041 posts in 1196 days
posted 742 days ago
To bad about you not taking it all, but you might get tired of the wood from the same tree. With your free-eye you’ll get a lot of chances for more wood.
By the way, that’s a pretty nice turning, keep up the good work.
Isn’t it nice how you get long ribbons of shavings from green wood.
You have to make sure you don’t leave them laying on your lathe , or you’ll have a rust problem.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Douglas Bordner
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3424 posts in 960 days
posted 741 days ago
Thanks, Dick (Hi, Barb). I took 10 gallons of shavings out to the composite heap after turning. The stuff is pretty fun as it spins off the turning. I’m pretty careful to keep things off the ways, as I got rust on my bandsaw from leaving dry offcuts on the table overnight in the unheated garage. Can’t imagine what would happen with sopping wet shavings.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
DAN
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6450 posts in 879 days
posted 734 days ago
nice looking turnings ! very clean design. Put a top on it and you have a candy dish
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
Peggy
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25 posts in 871 days
posted 734 days ago
Beautiful!
-- Peggy
Sawdust2
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1186 posts in 984 days
posted 733 days ago
Doug, I don’t know how I missed this before!
The shimmering grain is awesome.
I have a neighbor who turns. In fact, he has some stuff in a nationwide tour right now.
http://www.raifordgallery.com/index.php?cat=Image+Gallery&gallery%5Bview%5D=10
BTW Raiford was a judge at Woodowrkers Guild of Georgia’s display at the last Wood Show. Nekghbor is Norman LaVoie.
He puts his rough turned stuff in brown bags and has taken an aquarium aerator(?) that has about 6 outlets and he runs a plastic tube from the manifold to each of the bags so that he has constantly circulating air going into the bag. Cuts the drying time way down.
It would be a long time before I got tired of looking at that wood.
-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.