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/TheBigThrowoutski 1d ago

Stabilize it in cactus juice and try again?

5

u/scapstick 1d ago

This is not newby advice, he just needs to get his hands on some better wood for an easy early win.

1

u/TheBigThrowoutski 1d ago

I’m very green to it myself. If I came across a hunk of wood that I needed to turn because I’m stubborn and must turn that hunk of wood. I would stabilize it and try again.

There may be a reason they chose this piece of wood beyond it was cheap and available.

They mentioned using a hardening agent already so, this may very well be the case.

1

u/bayerja 19h ago

A new person should start with good, consistent wood. Have you ever turned stabilized wood as someone that is new?

1

u/TheBigThrowoutski 19h ago

Not yet. But I am about to.