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Natural Edge Bowls and Time of Year

T

Ted Mellin

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Apr 4, 2010
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Is there a time of year that is best to cut trees down to make natural edge bowls? Having some difficulty with different types of wood in getting the bark to stay on. So is it best to use trees cut in the summer or winter months or does it make any difference? I do use CA glue on the bark when I finish turning after they are dry. thanks - Ted
 
Wood cut from dormant trees will generally keep the bark better.
But you need to turn the bowls within a few weeks of cutting.
Herein central florida our trees are generally dormant for few weeks in January.

Different species vary a lot in bark holding.
I have cut walnut where the bark pops off of half logs.

I just worked on a piece of camphor where I could not get the bark free.

If you want to turn natural edge bowls. Fresh wood is more important than having dormant cut wood.
I like to use species with a nice sap ring like walnut, cherry, locust, some sweet gums. They look great with Or without bark.

Have fun,
Al
 
[I just got a large piece of Camphor from a friend of mine who lived in Florida for 6 months and brought it back to me. He didn't tell me about the smell I would get from turning it so I chucked it up and started and now my shop smells of medicine. It was so strong that I had to throughly clean the shop after turning for my wife and I could hardly stand to go in the shop. I t will be a pretty piece after finishing but I don't know if I can stand to return it anfter drying. I should have moved my lathe outside to work on it. GaryQUOTE=hockenbery;85460]Wood cut from dormant trees will generally keep the bark better.
But you need to turn the bowls within a few weeks of cutting.
Herein central florida our trees are generally dormant for few weeks in January.

Different species vary a lot in bark holding.
I have cut walnut where the bark pops off of half logs.

I just worked on a piece of camphor where I could not get the bark free.

If you want to turn natural edge bowls. Fresh wood is more important than having dormant cut wood.
I like to use species with a nice sap ring like walnut, cherry, locust, some sweet gums. They look great with Or without bark.

Have fun,
Al[/QUOTE]
 
As stated above fresh wood from trees cut in the late fall are best. Almost as important is the cuts you are making. I cut natural edge bowls from the bark down. ON the outside of a side grain bowl I would typically turn from foot to bark to be turning with the grain. However that can easily chip the bark off. I turn from the bark down just far enough so I clear all the bark and cambium layer. After that I go from bottom up.
When turning a bark edge from an end grain piece of wood it's natural to turn from the bark down on the outside but normally you would hollow an end grain bowl from the center out. So I go from bark down on the inside just far enough to clear the bark, then turn the rest from the center out.
 
Forgot to mention in the thread starter I live in Colorado so we have a wide variation in temperature. - Ted
 
I have noticed that blocks that I do NE from are more apt to loose their bark if they have been laying on the ground. Moisture seems to be the problem. The time of year they are cut doesn't seem to matter to much. Look carefully at the block, it will generally let you know if the bark is loose. If it loose anywhere don't plan on it staying on.
 
Ted Mellin said:
Is there a time of year that is best to cut trees down to make natural edge bowls? Having some difficulty with different types of wood in getting the bark to stay on. So is it best to use trees cut in the summer or winter months or does it make any difference? I do use CA glue on the bark when I finish turning after they are dry. thanks - Ted
Click to expand...

Winter is generally better, because the cambium layer is at its least appealing to bacteria and fungi that seek nourishment. Very little there, very little in the way of bacteria/fungi active at lower temps. If you have cells reproducing and feeding, and favorable conditions for the elements of decay - sugar and warm - you better cut the stuff tout suite.

That said, you can certainly work with less than optimum bark conditions if you run water-thin CA in the cork/cambium area of the bark. Helps it adhere. Do it as you're ready for the final cuts so you won't stain the wood itself if your hand slips. I often do all the way to the outside of the bark if I'm going to use a surface finish. Keeps the bark a bit safer from handlers, and you can't tell CA from varnish anyway.

Conventional wisdom for "bowl" gouge types says cut in from the top to save bark, even on the outside. I use broad sweep gouges, so I have so little lift it makes no difference in bark retention, and I am not risking peck-out from cutting up hill. I cut from bottom to and off the top. It's a real sandpaper saver even on cured wood if you own and use a broad gouge, so you might want to try it.

If all else fails and the bark flings - don't expect to be able to retain it at all on spalted wood - you can color or texture the edge. Or scorch it. All appeal to some folks.

There is one more frustration factor which happens once in a blue moon, and always on the neatest pieces. The bark sometimes doesn't shrink in sync with the bowl, and you can get loop separations. With a razor you can sometimes cut a tiny bit out at the end of the loop and rejoin. More often you crumble the bark as you try.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Bark-up.jpg

OK, maybe sometimes you can get it to work on spalted wood. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Third-Bite-Beech-Upright.jpg
 
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Ted Mellin said:
Forgot to mention in the thread starter I live in Colorado so we have a wide variation in temperature. - Ted
Click to expand...

Humidity is the green wood turner's friend.
You might try misting your bowls with a plant mister to keep,them from drying out as you turn them.
Also keep you blanks in plastic bags so they aren't drying before you want them to.

Like John said cutting rim to base on the outside Pushes the bark against he wood instead if lifting it off.
With most woods I can take light cut base to rim and cut the bark cleanly on bowls to 8-9 inches in diameter
On larger bowls in the 10-12 inch plus I cut rim to base on the outside after I have it on a chuck or faceplate.

I use Thin CA on the bark before my final cut on the Outside and before my final cut on the inside.

Have fun

al
 
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