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Any ideas on which way to cut this walnut log?

Norm Marentette

Norm Marentette

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Jun 2, 2021
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Kingsville, ON
Just received some black walnut logs, 11 of them from a neighbour who wanted them removed from his property. The arborist asked me if I wanted them and even delivered them to my log pile at no charge. This one is 28 inches in diameter and 6 feet long. Any rec. on cutting it up for bowls? The pith is off centre and I am looking at making as large a diameter a bowl as possible approx. 14 - 16 inches. I don't have a coring jig, thought about whether it would be worth it? Have cut 2 walnut bowls from the base of this tree and they are amazing to turn compared to the hardwoods I have been cutting like hickory and maple. I did seal all ends with latex paint 3 coats by the way after taking this pick.
 

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What a terrific problem! You will get plenty of good responses, but at 28", you've got more than 2 blanks from every 18" of length there. Robo Hippy has a couple of chain saw videos, and Glenn Lucas has a real nice one, as well. These will give you an idea of how to either slab out 3-5" thick bowl blanks, or cut the center portion into slabs for platters/bowls and have the outer portions in typical bowl shapes. One thing I can recommend is that you make the cut orientation such that it goes through/next to the pith, in such a way that you have the grain balanced. I can't explain it nearly as well as Al Hockenbery will diagram for you when he gets around to responding. In your picture, it would be a nearly vertical cut.
 
If you don't have a coring jig now would be a very good time to buy one. It saves a lot of wood from going into shavings. From the dimensions of the log and the number of logs you have, on the side to the left of the pith you could easily get 3 blanks, more depending on how thick you make them and 2 from the right side. I core them down to the smallest size of about 4 or 5 inches. The small ones can be used as lids for small bowls or boxes. So if you do some math you have a lot of bowls there if that's what you want to make. I'm sure others will have good suggestions.
 
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Norm Marentette said:
Any rec. on cutting it up for bowls? The pith is off centre and I am looking at making as large a diameter a bowl as possible approx. 14 - 16 inches
Click to expand...
To keep that great white sap ring turn them yesterday.

That log section with its asymmetrical bark contour is not my first choice for traditional bowls.
Here are 3 diagrams of my thought process.
My first choice would be a natural edge hollow form without the bark IMG_0752.jpeg
The pointy rim contour will make a nice bird mouth opening.

My second choice is to use that asymmetrical contour as a natural bowl rim. Two terrific bowl options for the big one.
Shallow or deep. I’d remove the bark and you have a functional bowl.
IMG_0746.jpeg
Here I my thought process for getting two bowls the center section has one or two nice platter blanks
I look tor balanced grain. Balanced grain bowls keep symmetry when drying, have nice hyperola grain patterns, show eaqual sap ring on each side.
Perpendicular lines through the pith. I want near equal sap ring on each side near equal distance on each side. I want A to be close to B in length. Sap rings can change thickness where the rim will be. You can see this when you rip the log section and see the face of the blank.
Bowl 1 will be pretty nice. Bowl 2 the sap rings are way out of balance if they are that out of balance on the blank I would turn the sap ring off making to my mind a smaller but better looking bowl
IMG_0746.jpeg

@Dean Center has some good advice too.
A coring system? Easy choice when I made 2 cores paid for it.
 
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For me, I would cut it up like Al's second diagram. Natural edge bowls never sold well for me, and if I left the bark on, some one would always pick it up by the bark edge and break it off. I make utilitarian pieces almost exclusively. You can get 2 bowl blanks on the left side, and/or platter blanks, though those are usually better if they are quarter sawn.

robo hippy
 
I like either being right on with the symmetry, or way off. You have some length to work with, so cut it off to length about the widest diameter (plus an inch or 2. Then cut the log thru the pith along that widest diameter. (red line in diagram above) The lower half would make a large conventional bowl and the upper half could go either way; could be quite the knarly natural edge bowl.
 
If the OP's original size statement applies to this piece, the line A-B would be about 24". Anyone want to revise their recommendation?
 
And for the contrary view; I would make two bowls as has been suggested, but would orient them with the pith at the bottom of each. This is a perfect log for that as it’s a bit too wide to turn the whole thing in the way everyone does it. Pith down, facing up will be fantastic. No need to include any of the sapwood on the large bowl. I would include it on the smaller.

IMG_0746.jpegIMG_1446.jpeg
 
Like your suggestion Marc. I think I will give it a try. I am going to try everyones suggestions since I have enough to go around. Thanks for the input. Beautiful bowl you have pictured. Wow.
 
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