Learn To Turn Part 3

Respect your Elders (Acer Negundo) Box Elder Silly!

I had e-mailed Kevin and his Wife Terry at Powder Creek Sawmill, my goal, to take my turning up a notch! Sink my teeth into some of that beautiful Flame Box Elder. My expectation was a bowl between six to eight inches in diameter and two inches in height. Within a few days my little bundle of joy arrived.


Never before have I seen Box Elder up close and in person. I didn’t know what to expect. So down to the shop I go, draw my outline of a circle and band saw out (this step save you time on the lathe rounding your stock). Let me tell you something, put a piece of Flame Box in the lathe, see what happens to your heart rate. You pay attention brotha, you feel like your ready to play a fine musical instrument with thousands of people watching you. I have read how prized Flame Box Elder is to the turning junkies, trust me I’m about to find out why!

After roughing the blank out. I was amazed what I saw. Interesting pattern’s colors, even two insect holes. I wasn't expecting the finest qualities that nature had to offer. Think about it, I have spalt, curl and red flame all in one small block. So for about $30.00 will fetch you a nice piece like this.




Sprayed with a weak dye (a couple drops of Trans Tint Honey Amber to a full coffee cup of lacquer thinner, could use alcohol, however, lacquer thinner will dry quicker).






With the dye completely dry, I oiled the dye in with General Finishes Seal-A-Cell. A light scuff with 320 foam-backed paper to the dry oiled surface then I shoot one coat of a two pound cut of blond de-waxed shellac, locks everything down and readies the surface for the water based topcoat.

Scuff the dry shellac with 320 foam-backed paper, then apply five topcoats by hand using a cotton rag with General Finishes water-based High Performance Satin. Make sure to scuff with 320 between each coat. Once the topcoat has thoroughly cured. I rubbed out the bowl with a 2000 grit Abralon pad and finish off with a coat of wax.

Learn To Turn Part 2

Like a moth to a light, I chucked up the bad boy! Went right for the good stuff. The turtle shell looking burl Maple! I made no plan, didn’t have a clue as to form. I’m a lathe turning artist by golly. Simply going to let things happen.

Safety First, I had asked around about turning “wild” type wood. I’ve heard, especially with the spalted woods, you need to be careful about the dust containing molds. Eye and sinus infections could result. So for me, on with a good respirator and eye protection.

I don’t have the high flautin bowl gouges the “real” turners do. Perhaps if the turning bug bites me hard, some day I’ll join that club. But I do have a set of “Sears Craftsman value pack turner specials” sitting on my bench. And since my chisels look every bit like they were dragged behind a car, (perhaps that is why our previous owner put an eyehook into each chisel handle,) needed sharpening.


Ok with sharp chisels, were ready to go! Things were going great till a few chunks came flying off, harmless though. Cut into a few soft spots. More worm/insect tunnels to cut through, but ultimately, arriving to a nice cylinder shape, smaller than I was hoping for, but doggoned, I had something to work with.




My Weed Vase, sanded smooth and 5 coats of General Finishes SEAL-A-CELL Clear. The Maple burl really drank in the oil, so basically keep coating till it won’t take any more.

Learn To Turn - Part 1

Let me introduce to you, my lathe. It’s a 79-year-old Power King 9” lathe. I paid 150.00 off a Craigslist seller, included with the lathe, a new Rockler brand duplicator (not pictured). My intent was not to turn bowls or vases. Strictly, for cleaning up table legs on refinishing work.




So I sent my friend and fellow woodworker Bob Kloes, ("Bob") that lives in Wisconsin, who by the way sells some of the most beautiful figured woods you will ever see, an e-mail if he knew of someone selling turning blanks. So Bob knows a guy and asked what I was looking for? My comment to Bob “I have no clue!” Bob said not to worry and got working on it. Well look what showed up at my doorstep. I have from left to right 1 Maple blank and 2-burl Maple blanks.

Folks the only thing I have ever turned on my lathe was a pine 2x4 just messing around with coves and beads, that’s it! Oh great…go from the frying pan into the fire. I have three (3) beautiful chunks of wood, and one looks like a turtles shell or a compressed heap of knurled tree, (which I think is the really special one).