End Grain ‍♂️

[Michael Lamka]

The wood: 2" X 6", 20+ year old construction lumber cut into circles on bandsaw before turning. 6% moisture content.
Tools are sharp. Combination of HSS and carbide tipped lathe chisels.

Would appreciate any tips, tricks, methods, techniques, etc. to turn the end grain down without laborious and time consuming sanding to get a smooth un-pitted surface?

 

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

Freshly sharpened scraper and light cuts. Resharpen after two passes.

 

[Roger Wiegand]

One of the hardest woods there is to get a clean cut on-- you've set yourself a difficult task. Extremely sharp tools, extremely light shearing cuts, pretty high speed is the best I can offer. Make sure you're cutting such that the grain is as supported as possible, small diameter to large on the outside curve. I would definitely hone my gouge to try to cut that, sharpening off the grinder will not be sharp enough. Similarly, if trying a scraper (shear scraping only) or NRS, polish the flat and raise the burr with a burnisher, the burr off the grinder will be too coarse and uneven. It's very unlikely you'll get a good result with a carbide scraper unless it is freshly sharpened.

By far the easiest solution is to use a piece of maple instead

 

[John Torchick]

Construction lumber? Pine? That is very soft wood. I second Roger's motion. I have turned end grain with cherry and got good results.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

I agree with Roger. I'll add that you could try negative rake inserts for your carbide scrapers, but even a 50% improvement is still going to leave a lot of tear out.

 

[brian horais]

I also agree with Roger. I would use a freshly sharpened gouge and work from the smaller diameter out. When I try to clean up soft wood end grain with a NRS it almost results in small fibers from tearing. If you use the gouge with a cutting action (supporting the bevel), you can get a clean cut and if needed used the gouge for some very 'light touch' shear scraping from the smaller diameter out.

 

[hockenbery]

softer woods are challenging to turn cleanly. Great practice....
you may be interested in a video of a seed jar demo where I turn two pieces of tulip poplar a soft wood.
tulip poplar is challenging but not as soft as the construction lumber.
you can see how I’d do it twice.

sharp tool, light cuts, slow the feed rate of the tool(faster lathe speed), cut mostly toward the headstock.




Video can fast forward to 10 min to see the turning start on the top.
Screen shot showing tearout from the roughing -
I clean this up with finish cuts and shear scraping.

View: https://youtu.be/i-odbgyJvrQ

 

[robo hippy]

You will not get clean cuts in that wood with any scraper you use. Fast growing, weak grain structure makes that impossible. I just attempted to turn some bowls from some Doug Fir that was an off cut from some construction I am having done around the house. Extremely difficult to get clean cuts even with gouges. Best cuts were with 40/40 gouge and using a honed gouge, and by honed, I don't mean the diamond cards, I mean the leather wheel on my Tormek. You need the high shear/slicing angles to get the cleanest cuts. I did have some clean cuts on the inside with a half round flute gouge, 70 degree bevel, and honed. Worked on the inside, but not on the outside. Go figure....

robo hippy

 

[Michael Lamka]

Thanks, everybody, for the advice! (We need more emojis)

My tool selection is minimal so choosing a different tool isn't feasible right now. Picking up the speed and lighter passes helped as did using the carbide tipped tools. Still a lot of sanding, but I'd guess less than half the time doing that compared to changing techniques.

I know construction lumber is not the ideal wood for most non-construction projects, but it is what I have and, as such, makes a wonderful practice wood. A lot less expensive and more readily available than the better-turning woods such as cherry and other darker woods. Who knows - learning on such wood might make me better faster due to the major disadvantages/learning opportunities.

Thanks again.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Try soaking your wood in dish detergent & water solution (clear, non-colored detergent) overnight and then let it drip dry (at least so it isn't throwing soapy water at you as it spins) .. I have also had some success with orange oil for wood (Glo brand name, got it at the dollar store) seems to help smooth out when drier wood is tearing out... I sprayed some on and let it soak in - 15 minutes to half hour.... I'm also experimenting with a glue wash in some very punky hornbeam.. but that's sort of a soak for several days, and then let dry for several days sort of project... But as others said, construction lumber really isn't all that conducive to getting smooth cuts... If you have the chance, look around for fallen tree branches or limbs (or anyone you know that cut a tree down recently?) - free wood...

 

[Michael Nathal]

In addition to soapy water (which I use also but I just squirt it on with a spray bottle and wait a few minutes) you can try other lubricants. I have seen walnut oil recommended by a few people. Also there are a few of ways to stiffen the wood fibers: shellac, lacquer based sanding sealer, CA glue, epoxies thinned with 10% acetone, ....

 

[Roger Wiegand]

Your firewood pile or a neighbor's downed tree will be a source of quite inexpensive, much easier to turn wood.

 

[John Torchick]

A tree service is valuable, lending definition to the word, "free."

 

[Tom Lucas]

I found that soft pine construction lumber was great to practice on. If you can get a clean cut on it, you'll be amazed at the finish on hardwood. If you are good with a skew, it can leave a nice finish on the outside but won't help on the inside. Again: Extremely sharp; sharpen often.

I wouldn't, however, waste a lot of time and sandpaper to make it smooth. It's like lipstick on a pig. Reach out to your local turning club. Join if so interested. Ask about buying some turning blanks. You'll likely get some free offers in the process. Or knock on the door of the nearest person with a stack of firewood and ask for a piece.

I had a bunch of cedar boards (also very soft). I glued them up into 4x4x6 blocks and made birdhouses out of them, acorn shaped. I just left them rough; no sanding; no finish. Birds don't care.

 

[Dean Center]

If you got to that point by using a SPINDLE Roughing Gouge, STOP. The SRG is dangerous with facegrain blanks and should only be used on spindle oriented wood.

 

[odie]

This is a diagram I drew years ago that shows the best direction of cut. The horizontal lines within the bowl will give an idea of why one direction is more favorable for the cleanest cut possible. I believe it was one of John Jordan's early VHS videos that was the inspiration for this drawing, and it still hangs on my shop wall to this day. The principles here are not absolute, but should always be followed, unless it's absolutely necessary to break the rules!

-----odie-----

 

[john lucas]

With sharp.tools bevel.rubbing cuts and cutting downhill.with the grain I can cut construction grade pine so it almost shines. Its all.about not forcing the cut after obeying the other rules. You dont have to speed up the lathe. What speeding up the lathe does is it often makes you take a lighter cut but at the expense of increasing the danger. If you slow down the feed rate of the tool you accomplish the same thing. When you push the tool.faster than the wood wants to be cut you get tear out.?

 

[Michael Lamka]

More excellent advice despite some seeming to contradict other's. Not a criticism!

Other things I had not considered:

• Using a spindle gouge to turn a bowl as dangerous. Yup, my only gouge, so far is a spindle gouge - must be time to buy one. Any suggestions on size/brand?
• That anyone could turn cheap dry construction lumber to a shine with just the tools of the trade no matter what speed. One thing I did not share was that the improved result with higher speed was accomplished with the carbide tipped turning tools, both square and round.
• Maybe my tools aren't as sharp as I thought they were.
• Putting lipstick on pigs.

 

[robo hippy]

The best quality gouges, as far as I am concerned come from D Way and Thompson. The V10 and M42 metals just give a longer lasting edge to work with. I like bigger tools, the 5/8 inch shafts. The 1/2 inch shafts are also very popular. There are also many different flute shapes. I do like the V shaped flutes, and parabolic flutes. Of course, you will need several. Best bet is to find a mentor some where near by and have a play date so you can try before you buy. I think there is a thread about gouge size, and gouge profiles currently getting more posts.

robo hippy

 

[Dean Center]

Michael, let me clarify.

The Spindle Roughing Gouge is a peculiar tool. It has a curved cutting edge, but is not made from a round steel rod. It's the tool that should not be used on facegrain/bowl oriented wood.

Regular spindle gouges which are made from round steel stock are safe to use on facegrain/bowl oriented wood. Bowl gouges have a different flute and cross section from regular spindle gouges which make them perform better on facegrain/bowl oriented wood and bowl-making tasks, but a regular, round stock spindle gouge could be used.