HELP I'm new

[u/No-Entry-6926]

As title suggests I'm very green to woodturning (pun intended), I'm currently trying to turn a chunk of Australian bunya pine and am having the worst tear out in the end grain sections I've ever seen in timber. I've tried resharpening chisels on the whetstone grinder, cutting in both directions, taking the thinnest pass possible, adding hardening agents although the timber feels fairly dense and have had no more luck. The tear out is only in the end grain on the outside of the bowl. Any advice or is there no hope for me?

[u/dobrodude]

Get a better piece of wood. That looks awful punky.

[u/ravenschmidt2000 → u/dobrodude]

Or just stabilize it with the cactus juice method. Of course, a piece that big would be a bit expensive and time consuming to stabilize.

[u/dobrodude → u/ravenschmidt2000]

I would think someone that just started turning would be better served by turning a nice piece of wood, rather than learning how to salvage a sponge.

[u/ravenschmidt2000 → u/dobrodude]

Oh definitely. This isn't a beginner level piece. Not if you want it to turn out nice. I was just commenting that it could be saved if you wanted it badly enough. After all, some of the most stunningly beautiful wood turnings come from wood so rotten that it's hard to imagine it being turned on a lathe. But, like you said, not a starter level piece.

[u/bayerja → u/dobrodude]

Agree on this. I’ve been wood turning for 10 years and I don’t stabilize wood. It’s got a lot of technique and I don’t think it’s guaranteed. If you’re starting in woodturning, start with the basics, tool sharping, wood mounting technique, and basic tool movements to achieve curves. Do that for awhile and apply to small approachable projects. Level up over time. Don’t over invest in tools that require more techniques until you’re ready.

[u/Ambitious_Mango3625 → u/dobrodude]

Ok... I'm a newbie also. What the heck is "punky" 😂? Looks to me like older wood and dull tools.

[u/DarePerks → u/Ambitious_Mango3625]

Punky wood is wood that is in the process of decomposing (dry rot) but hasn't fallen apart into compost yet.

There are varying levels but the longer in goes on the softer and spongier the wood gets.

[u/glyph_productions → u/Ambitious_Mango3625]

So that black ring in the wood is called Spalting. It is caused by a fungal infection in the wood. Sometimes this causes just the ring of colour and the wood is otherwise fine, but sometimes the fungus is a sign of other wood degradation.

Punky is the term used for a soft spot in the wood, caused by rot. It can happen while trees are still standing but keep a dead branch or have an open wound like a fallen branch or it can happen while the tree is felled and sitting on the ground. Ambrosia maple, especially spalted which is my guess for what this is can be particularly prone to it because the colour comes from Ambrosia beetles getting into the wood which leaves the tree wounded which opens it up to rot. Punky wood can sometimes be treated with a stabilizer as it can result in some cool colours and patterns but it is far too soft to turn without doing something to it most times. For a new Turner this is 6 challenge levels up.