turning LVL?

[Jesse Tutterrow]

Working on adding a beam to my workshop. Today I cut it to length and had a 12 x 12 inch piece left over. Has anyone tried turning LVL? I was thinking of a platter blank which would give me concentric rings. (LVL = laminated veneer lumber sort of like plywood but each layer has the grain going the same direction)

 

[Jon Minerich]

Jesse,
A guy from our woodturning club brings in cutoffs regularly. Most of us have turned them. They turn pretty well and occasionally we can get a very attractive piece. That said, they are no substitute for a nice hardwood log. Consider them for practice pieces, with an occasional surprise “hidden inside”.
Jon

 

[robo hippy]

The glue in the beams/glue lams/ OSB (oriented strand board) pieces is harder than the woods, and will dull the tools very quickly. There tend to be a lot of voids in them, but it does work.

robo hippy

 

[Bob Sheppard]

Working on adding a beam to my workshop. Today I cut it to length and had a 12 x 12 inch piece left over. Has anyone tried turning LVL? I was thinking of a platter blank which would give me concentric rings. (LVL = laminated veneer lumber sort of like plywood but each layer has the grain going the same direction)

What Robo said. Expect to sharpen A LOT!

 

[Mike Johnson]

You can get some interesting grain patterns with laminated lumber, it is slower turning and knocks the cutting edge down pretty quick.