So even though its below freezing outside and currently snowing I decided to go out for a short while and actually see if I could stomach some turning and did it anyway.  It didn't last long because of the cold how ever a good start to the egg.  I still need to finish off rounding the log and then shaping it.  I'm thinking that I should possibly swap out screws in the faceplate for longer screws but that will have to wait.  Not quite fully sure how I'm going to round this one since I purposely off centered the log on the lathe to get the grain going in an off set direction rather than length wise....  Any thoughts on this?  I am considering doing a tenon on this piece just to make it a bit easier.

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 20215 yr by AndrewB

Looks like you are getting a good start.

Now you can see why I don't like turning fir.  Too many chips and tear outs.  

11 hours ago, FlGatorwood said:

Now you can see why I don't like turning fir.  Too many chips and tear outs.  

That is my experience also.

Its been tearing out yes but that's an easy fix.

I turn fir but it is old growth fir.

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 20215 yr by HandyDan

The fir I have was from a set of tree cutters cutting down fir trees over by the management office.

Dan, those are absolutely beautiful.  Those must have been dried for a very long time. 

 

Andrew, I turned some newels for ballisters a year ago from kiln dried fir.  There were many small rings, and the tear out was terrible.  After shaping them, I spent a lot of time stuffing the chipped areas with wood putty, allowing it to dry and then sand with paper wrapped around some tool to get the shape right again.  I didn't post them but they were a real challenge.  

I haven't had too many problems with the pieces of fir that I have so far....