PSI Strata Blank Impulse Buy

On impulse I added a couple of Strata Bowl blanks to my last pen order from PSI. This entry is part project and part review. I included before/after pictures for comparison.

Looking at the blanks when I got them I was a little wary of putting them on the lathe. There seemed to be a lot of dry joints. I picked a blank out today and used the bandsaw to rough out a circle. After cutting off the rough outside edges the integrity of the blank looked better and I decided to give a go at turning a small bowl.

The turning went pretty quickly. I’m not sure of the woods used in the blank. They were colorful and dry but not all were very dense. As I got further into the blank I had an interesting mix of multicolored shavings, chips, and dust flying all over the place.

I was using a 5”x5”x2” blank and turned a 4” bowl. As I got further into the blank I had a few joints that still looked dry. Originally I thought it was tear out but even after a fresh sharpening of the bowl gouge and taking very light cuts the voids were still there. I proceeded with caution and produced a shape I was happy with. The 3/16” tenon I created for chucking the blank held securely.

So at this point I am giving it a 3/5. A Strata blank is a nice diversion from normal turning but didn’t really produce a result I would consider giving as a gift or selling at a show. Considering my experience with some dry joints I wouldn’t try to do anything larger than the 5”x5”x2” size I bought. Also, finishing the piece with the voids could take some time and a bit of extra CA.

There is a positive side to all this though, my interest in segmented turning has been increased so I am looking forward to looking through my scrap bin and producing some of my own segmented blanks.

-- David / Durham, NC