Milling this week a large beech.

[se7enthdevil]

he's cutting a fair bit of it in to 5 1/4" squares for me for my skittle pins and don't mind if they twist and warp as i cut it up in to blanks and the turn it.

not everything has to be flat as a pancake...

 

splits will be a problem but if dried slowly then they should be kept to a minimum and some you can just turn away, other you can fill.

[spiral]

True & Sounds a good use!

 

The combination Short lengths & fat dimensions plus turning all limit the effect of warp,cup & twist.

 

What diameter do they end up at?

 

spiral

[se7enthdevil]

this batch will be for 5" pins and any that i can get 5" from could be turned down to 4 1/2" (another common size) or even 4" if the flaws are that bad.

 

the welsh even use pins that are 3" fat so not much gets wasted in a turners work shop.

 

any off cuts or bits that are not useful for manufacturing anything eventually go on the fire...

[spiral]

this batch will be for 5" pins and any that i can get 5" from could be turned down to 4 1/2" (another common size) or even 4" if the flaws are that bad.

 

the welsh even use pins that are 3" fat so not much gets wasted in a turners work shop.

 

any off cuts or bits that are not useful for manufacturing anything eventually go on the fire...

 

Wow! serious lumps then! Do you find white or red beech best? {Genuinly red not the German pink steamed stuff.}

 

Definite advantage that if necessary turning smaller is possible.

 

Spiral

[se7enthdevil]

the biggest would be the hornbeam ones i turned for the london skittles club which you can see in the http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/woodcraft-forum/60100-all-my-woodwork-so-far-7.html thread.

 

they were a special commission but the most common are the 4 1/2" - 5" sizes.

 

the best wood is wood that is the hardest. colour really doesn't matter as long as it has no major flaws. rot spalting and large splits are a no no. but small bits like bark inclusions, knots and minor splits are fine.

 

as i say in the timber statement on my website i make practical pins not beautiful pins.

 

the wood can be brown, green, black or blue as long as it's sound...

[spiral]

Nice turning! Interesting to see hornbeam in use, I am aware of its properties but never come across any of the timber. Ive only ever turned a few things, posts of old growth reclaimed pitch pine, {Ex ships timbers.} for my bed , One bowl & one platter...& a dozen or baseball bats for the blokes I worked with in the shipyard 20 odd years ago. all self taught so not the best... Bed was fine , still got it & like it,but bowl & platter I just screwed to faceplate rather than turning a mount.

 

Understand what you mean about any colour but wondered if red or white beech more usually had the qualities of hardness you were looking for?

 

Most blue or black beach might be not very hard!

 

Intrigued by the first table, & mortice joint in that thread, but Ill post on that thread rather than further derailing this one.

 

Spiral

[kinderscout]

Three I cut yesterday.

[se7enthdevil]

looks like good quality timber you got there carl.

 

let me know what cubic footage you get with my squares.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Three I cut yesterday.

 

that would make an awesome rustic table

[kinderscout]

That was my thinking to I am pleased so far some nice timber coming off this tree and I am still to cut the best bits off trunk to cut.