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Joined
Apr 9, 2005
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Location
bryan texas
new to wood turning would like to know what kind of wood is best to start out with please reply if there is a club in central texas that i can join if any one knows of please let me know thank u
 
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The Best

[In MY Op . .] must be plain-jane poplar. Start turning wet/green wood and there's no better to learn on. Hook up with a tree service that's taking down trees and you'll have free turning wood forever.

😀 😀
 
Once again I don't think anyone could have said it better than Mark did. Wet poplar is probably the greatest thing to turn for a learning experience. Forgiving and fun, and usually free. Dry poplar, thats another story.
 
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Local Club

Rick,

Welcome to the wonderful world of woodturning. To find a club in central Texas:
Go to the AAW home page (click on the logo at the top of this page).
Click on ""AAW Local Chapters" in the left column.
Click on "Local Chapter List" then scroll down to Texas.

Anytime you are in the Dallas area feel free to visit our club ( http://www.dallaswoodturners.com/ ).

As for "starter" wood, free and green is the best. Take a look at your neighbor's firewood pile.
 
Hi Rick - I'm in Austin. Ash is a very common neighborhood tree and quite stable. Other good woods - China Berry, Sycamore, Elm, Pecan, and most of the hardwoods. Hackberry spalts a lot and can work out well. Oak is pretty much discarded by the Austin turners - it warps a lot, and worse...it is a cracking machine. There's nothing worse than spending 30-60 minutes on a bowl blank and having it crack while it's drying.

Tip - rough turn your pieces from green wood to 1" thick for 12" diameter pieces. Then coat them with Anchorseal. Then you can finish turn them a year later. There are other drying techniques...that one works for me.
 
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