Tree Trunks on the Lathe

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:35 pm

Wow is all I can say.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Knc0IT4PdFo

mustangpalmer1911 · Post by **mustangpalmer1911** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 4:36 pm

That is amazing!

moose · Post by **moose** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 4:38 pm

As a turner, I really appreciate this link Tom. I now feel rather insignificant and think I should stop turning.

fjimp · Post by **fjimp** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 7:06 pm

Terrific and thank you for sharing.

I am preparing to turn several bowls for gifts. Non each bowl will seem truly insignificant, still somehow bringing the unusual grain patterns out of hardwoods is a thrill. Fjimp

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 7:48 pm

Here's Virgil Leih's web site -- http://virgiltreeart.com/Welcome/tabid/377/Default.aspx -- where there is a slideshow of his turnings. Amazing work and I especially like his turning tools.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:04 pm

pennview wrote:Here's Virgil Leih's web site -- http://virgiltreeart.com/Welcome/tabid/377/Default.aspx -- where there is a slideshow of his turnings. Amazing work and I especially like his turning tools.

Yeah! That long one with a 'bar'!:D

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:31 am

Turners,

I seem to recall from what little bowl turning I've done that the blanks need to be cut perpendicular to the growth rings. Of course Virgil's growth rings start at the very center of his piece and work out. I hope I'm describing this adequately. Is he able to break this basic rule of thumb because of the way he dries his wood in his shop built tree-sized microwave oven?

Tom

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 6:30 am

Tom, yes, he is able to turn them with the pith in the center because of his very slow drying process using the large micro wave. Normally, the wood would split or check while drying.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 11:16 am

tomsalwasser wrote:Turners,

I seem to recall from what little bowl turning I've done that the blanks need to be cut perpendicular to the growth rings. Of course Virgil's growth rings start at the very center of his piece and work out. I hope I'm describing this adequately. Is he able to break this basic rule of thumb because of the way he dries his wood in his shop built tree-sized microwave oven?

Tom

Although much of what he 'turns' could be characterized as 'bowl' turning, what I saw in that video appears to be spindle turning albeit on a very large scale! With that size workpiece, I do not think grain orientation is much of a factor. As has already been pointed out, he does use some unusual 'tools'.

But then, I do recall the one example therein of the pith in the bottom center on a 'vessel'!

Equally amazing to me is his ability to create what appear to me to be very thin walls on very large pieces.

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:28 pm

Totally incredible. Would never have imagined anything like this. Thanks for sharing this. Now I want to learn. But, it won't be on something that size.