12/4 blanks... what to do?

[Scott Barton]

Everywhere I go, I come across 4" blanks of all manner of radius.

What I can't figure out, is what people do with these. Obviously, they are too short to do a hollow form like a vase. Once you true it up, you have less than 4" to work with.

So, if you are looking at proportion of width vs height, how does this magic 4" blank work at any radius?

What kind of things do you folks turn? I fell that it is way too thick for a plate or platter, and to shallow for much else other than a simple bowl.

I guess I'm looking for some ideas or examples of what other folks make.

Side note: I always misjudge the scale of turnings. I think they are 8-12" tall, and they end up being 4-6". so maybe some of the examples in the galleries are exactly what I am looking for, I just don't know it.

Any ideas?

 

[odie]

Everywhere I go, I come across 4" blanks of all manner of radius.

What I can't figure out, is what people do with these. Obviously, they are too short to do a hollow form like a vase. Once you true it up, you have less than 4" to work with.

So, if you are looking at proportion of width vs height, how does this magic 4" blank work at any radius?

What kind of things do you folks turn? I fell that it is way too thick for a plate or platter, and to shallow for much else other than a simple bowl.

I guess I'm looking for some ideas or examples of what other folks make.

Side note: I always misjudge the scale of turnings. I think they are 8-12" tall, and they end up being 4-6". so maybe some of the examples in the galleries are exactly what I am looking for, I just don't know it.

Any ideas?

4" thick is really a nice height to work with. I don't get nearly enough bowl blocks that thick, so I have to work with what is available to me.

Take a look at my gallery, Scott..........A large percentage of my works are less than 4".......maybe you'll get some ideas.

good luck.....

ooc

 

[Bill Boehme]

I have made very few bowls that are more than four inches deep. The ones that are deeper than that are very large diameter. For anything less than less than 12 inches diameter, four inches deep is plenty.

 

[odie]

Prior to surfacing, the thickness will be:
4/4 lumber measures 1â€,
6/4 measures 1-1/2â€,
8/4 measures 2â€, and
12/4 measures 3â€.

While all of our lumber is surfaced on two sides, the actual measurement of these is:

4/4 = 13/16"
6/4 = 1-5/16"
8/4 = 1-13/16"
12/4 = 2-13/16"

Scott........

Depending on whether your wood is surfaced, or not.......the maximum thickness for 12/4 lumber would be no more than 2 13/16", or 3".........

Now, I'm confused as to what you are asking.

Can you clarify for us?

ooc

 

[Scott Barton]

Scott........

Depending on whether your wood is surfaced, or not.......the maximum thickness for 12/4 lumber would be no more than 2 13/16", or 3".........

Now, I'm confused as to what you are asking.

Can you clarify for us?

ooc

Yeah, my mistake... 12/4 or 3" or so is what I can find in larger stock that I can cut down, or I find 4" blanks.

I was just caught up in my own head that either way, I rarely find anything that is thicker than 4", and even the 4" stuff gets reduced once trued up. So, I was thinking about what to do with stuff in the 3-4" range.

Sorry for the confusion. I knew what I meant. Why couldn't all of you read my mind?!?!

 

[Scott Barton]

4" thick is really a nice height to work with. I don't get nearly enough bowl blocks that thick, so I have to work with what is available to me.

Take a look at my gallery, Scott..........A large percentage of my works are less than 4".......maybe you'll get some ideas.

good luck.....

ooc

Actually, this is perfect. You have a giant variety of forms at that thickness. I was having trouble visualizing what that size blank would yield.

I was feeling a little like the best I could was a simple utilitarian bowl, but you have quite a variety.

It does confirm that I'm going to be in the range of a fairly open bowl form. But seeing your work reminds me of specific elements I want to experiment with...

Ok, thanks for the sanity check!

 

[robo hippy]

12/4 is just about perfect for rolling pins, not too big, not too little. Also, sour kraut pounders and Irish potato mashers/carving chisel mallets. Fish bonkers. Makes for great boxes, though at 3 inch diameter, you do not want a 'pop' off type lid as it will move too much for that. 3 inch deep is perfect for bowls about 10 to 12 inch diameter. Kind of personal sized 'meal' bowls. Larger diameter they become more of a platter. Smaller sized, 6 inch diameter or smaller is more of a cereal/ice cream/soup/rice bowl, depending on how you want to fill it. It would make for smaller hollow forms and vases. Larger sized spinning tops that require you to spin them between your palms rather than between fingers, and will rotate for 2 to 5 minutes. I am sure there are more uses, but this is a good start.

robo hippy

 

[Scott Barton]

12/4 is just about perfect for rolling pins, not too big, not too little. Also, sour kraut pounders and Irish potato mashers/carving chisel mallets. Fish bonkers. Makes for great boxes, though at 3 inch diameter, you do not want a 'pop' off type lid as it will move too much for that. 3 inch deep is perfect for bowls about 10 to 12 inch diameter. Kind of personal sized 'meal' bowls. Larger diameter they become more of a platter. Smaller sized, 6 inch diameter or smaller is more of a cereal/ice cream/soup/rice bowl, depending on how you want to fill it. It would make for smaller hollow forms and vases. Larger sized spinning tops that require you to spin them between your palms rather than between fingers, and will rotate for 2 to 5 minutes. I am sure there are more uses, but this is a good start.

robo hippy

I like how you broke down the size by an proposed use. This is actually quite helpful.