Square Red Oak Plate

[Dusty Sawyer]

Thought I would try out a non-round project for a chance. It came out good, and I believe that the next one may be bigger. The wood is Red OaK which I milled from a tree myself and dried. The biggest challenge was getting the corners sanded properly while it was spinning on the lathe.

 

[nelsone]

Looks good! I want to try some bowls again sometime. I've only done one! Do you use a scraper or bowl gouge on that piece?

 

[MikeH]

That's pretty cool. How did you end up sanding the corners?

 

[Dusty Sawyer]

The outside of the bowl was done with a roughing gouge and scrapers. On the inside I like to add using a spindle gouge. It requires a very shallow cut and resting the left bottom side of the grind on the workpiece as it turns. I like to use an old cheapo flat scraper that I reshaped into a bowl scraper.

There are so many turning tools I would like to have, but am trying not to just spend money and time on stuff I before learning to use what I have very well. I'm actually quite new to turning. I took a short class on spindle turning to get my bearings, but everything about bowls either came from woodworking programs or trial and error. Many of my final products are much smaller than I had intended due to mistakes. I've had a few split and fly into pieces.

 

[DaveO]

Very cool, I not seen a lot of R. Oak turned, but the ray fleck in that piece is really awesome, I wonder why I haven't seen it used much, it make a spectacular bowl/plate.
Dave

 

[Dusty Sawyer]

That's pretty cool. How did you end up sanding the corners?

I had rounded over the top of the blank on a router table before starting to turn the piece...guess that would be an important step to mention. To sand, I like to use one of those spinning round sanding pads on a stick. Sorby makes one, but there are cheaper ones out there. To do all the final details and sanding I did put a piece of black material against the ways of the lathe so I could look straight down on the workpiece. This is because you really cant see the corners of the piece as it is spins. Having that view really makes a huge difference.

 

[b4man]

That's a beautiful plate and the pix really show it off. That is the first piece I've seen yet that almost makes me want to turn!

 

[cskipper]

Very very cool :icon_thum

 

[jeff...]

Awesome David, a tree-cycling kinda guy :icon_thum. The bowl looks awesome man, DaveO brings up a good point. RO is my favorite , once you get past the smell of puke, it's awesome wood to work with

 

[Dusty Sawyer]

LOL, I've heard alot of people say that about it. It is a very distinctive smell, but I'm not really bothered by it at all. Of course, this is the only tree I ever milled and it was already very dead and pretty dry. Maybe I can turn a bedpan out of it.

 

[Eaglesc]

Now that is very cool!
If I WERE to try a "non pen" turning,glue up, that is what I would try.

 

[walnutjerry]

Very cool, I not seen a lot of R. Oak turned, but the ray fleck in that piece is really awesome, I wonder why I haven't seen it used much, it make a spectacular bowl/plate.
Dave

Probably the reason is that red oak turned green will have more movement(shrinkage) than a tighter grain wood resulting in more distortion and splits. Just my opinion.

Jerry

 

[stoneskippers]

Great looking plate.

 

[4yanks]

Very nice!

 

[Dusty Sawyer]

I'm trying to figure out the size of your bowl. I could assume that the deck rail is a 2x6 and so the bowl would be about 5 1/2 - 6 inches across, but you know what happen when we assume? I guess it could just as well be 3 1/2?

Hi Mike, I gave it to the guy who's yard I milled the lumber from so I can't give you the exact measure,,but the deck rails are 2x6's as you had surmised. That leaves it somewhere just over 5 1/2 inches side to side. It's a pretty small piece, but nice. Now I want to turn something bigger.

The wood was dry when I turned it and should not distort. I think someone earlier had mentioned that. It also comes from a part of the milling that was Q.S., so the ray and fleck really stand out. I'm not sure how it would appear if it were a true bowl, but I sure am going to try!

 

[clowman]

Beautiful work. I could see me sanding those corners while it was still on the lathe...

carefully **ouch** put the sandpaper up close **ouch** careful now ***ouch** don't *ouch* ding yourself...

 

[edspec]

:eusa_clap Beautiful. That is just what that piece of wood wanted to be.

steve