Want to turn this pine root ball

[David A Morris]

I'm new to turning and I found a root ball that had been run over many times by snowmobiles. It grabbed my attention and I'd like to turn it in to something. Looking for ideas. Please don't say to burn it.

 

[Richard Coers]

depends on how big of a lathe you have.

 

[David A Morris]

It's a small Craftsman 103 and the root is about 8-10 inches long. I've thought about resin but never used it and don't have any anyway.

 

[Phil Hamel]

Ink pen. Magic wand. Small box. Christmas ornament. Jewelry holder. Hollow form. All kinds of stuff depending on how you cut it!

 

[Donna Banfield]

It’s not just the length of your lathe bed, but how much you can swing, and how heavy your lathe is. That piece will be wildly out of balance for more than a minute. If your lathe starts walking across the room and headed out the door because of vibration, it won’t be a pleasant experience. That’s assuming you intend to turn the entire piece as one object. I agree with @philhamel; cut it into smaller sections to make many objects.

 

[David A Morris]

It’s not just the length of your lathe bed, but how much you can swing, and how heavy your lathe is. That piece will be wildly out of balance for more than a minute. If your lathe starts walking across the room and headed out the door because of vibration, it won’t be a pleasant experience. That’s assuming you intend to turn the entire piece as one object. I agree with @philhamel; cut it into smaller sections to make many objects.

Sounds like a plan. Thank you

 

[Richard Coers]

It's a small Craftsman 103 and the root is about 8-10 inches long. I've thought about resin but never used it and don't have any anyway.

The stock pulley set up on a 103 has a minimum speed of 700 rpm. That is about 7 times the speed that root ball should be spun as a rough blank.

 

[David A Morris]

I don't know how it was set up originally, but my father had put a set of five pulleys to be able to adjust the spindle speed. I'll be sure to set it right before I put power to it and stand out of the way when I do. I think most of it I will cut away anyway to make smaller pieces.

 

[Jon Rista]

I think if you trim down those trunks, to tighten up the center of gravity, it looks big enough to make a nice vase out of. I'd flatten up the bottom so you can put a tenon on it, trim maybe just the top of that central trunk so you have a flat spot for tailstock support for a while, and with those unruly stems trimmed back, it should have a more stable spin until you get it properly rounded.

Each of those stems, as well, I would plan where you cut carefully, as each one mgiht be enough wood for a pen, or perhaps a finial ornament, maybe even a small bud vase.

 

[David A Morris]

Thank you, that's a great idea.

 

[hockenbery]

I'm new to turning and I found a root ball that had been run over many times by snowmobiles. It grabbed my attention and I'd like to turn it in to something.

I would want to use the contours in a hollow form or natural edge bowls. Great rims and opportunities for voids.
These are challenges for experienced turners. May be stretching too much for a newbie unless you a being modest.

As a new turner you might consider a couple of weed pots. You can drill a hole off or on the lathe to hold the dried flowers,
turn the top and bottom and leave a section with the contours contributed by nature.