I'm new to turning bowls, and I've watched several videos on the subject, including the most excellent one by Bill Grumbine. Bill's video not only tells how to turn and finish the wood, it is also great for explaining how to create your own blank from a tree.
With that knowledge, I've been buying some blanks from several ebay sellers.
First, I'm learning that most of the blanks being sold are apparently photographed under incandescent light using daylight settings on the camera, resulting in pictures that are much more golden and pretty than the actual blank once I receive it.
Second, and the heart of my question, is that one seller has a lot of great looking blanks in quite a variety of wood species. I just received my first order from him, and I am very disappointed in what I got. But I wanted to get some more opinions before I go back to the seller on it.
All his blanks seem to be of 2 types. The first is where the blank is just a slice out of a log - with the pith in the center. This seems contrary to what I learned in Bill Grumbine's video about how to make the cuts for the blank, and avoiding the pith.
The second type seems to me to be even worse. The original log has been cut lengthwise, then the round part of the blank formed by bandsawing perpendicular to the grain. But Bill's video stressed to avoid the pith by making the cut lengthwise through the center, then making 2 blanks, one on each side of the pith. What this guy has sold me is blanks where the 2 flat sides of the blank have been cut equidistant from the pith, with the pith in the center of the round part of the blank.
Not only that, but the "waxed blanks" were apparently waxed long after the blank was cut and started drying, as there are huge cracks radiating out from the pith. This seems to me to render the blank completely useless.
What do you more experienced people think? Are these blanks junk, or are they usable?
With that knowledge, I've been buying some blanks from several ebay sellers.
First, I'm learning that most of the blanks being sold are apparently photographed under incandescent light using daylight settings on the camera, resulting in pictures that are much more golden and pretty than the actual blank once I receive it.
Second, and the heart of my question, is that one seller has a lot of great looking blanks in quite a variety of wood species. I just received my first order from him, and I am very disappointed in what I got. But I wanted to get some more opinions before I go back to the seller on it.
All his blanks seem to be of 2 types. The first is where the blank is just a slice out of a log - with the pith in the center. This seems contrary to what I learned in Bill Grumbine's video about how to make the cuts for the blank, and avoiding the pith.
The second type seems to me to be even worse. The original log has been cut lengthwise, then the round part of the blank formed by bandsawing perpendicular to the grain. But Bill's video stressed to avoid the pith by making the cut lengthwise through the center, then making 2 blanks, one on each side of the pith. What this guy has sold me is blanks where the 2 flat sides of the blank have been cut equidistant from the pith, with the pith in the center of the round part of the blank.
Not only that, but the "waxed blanks" were apparently waxed long after the blank was cut and started drying, as there are huge cracks radiating out from the pith. This seems to me to render the blank completely useless.
What do you more experienced people think? Are these blanks junk, or are they usable?