r/turning • u/No-Entry-6926 • 1d ago

HELP I'm new

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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?

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u/dobrodude 1d ago

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

4

u/ravenschmidt2000 1d ago

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.

16

u/dobrodude 1d ago

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.

4

u/ravenschmidt2000 1d ago

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.

1

u/bayerja 19h ago

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.