# Bowl blanks.



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

I need to acquire some bowl blanks to make Christmas presents for the family. I am not going to be late this year. :wink:

I don't have room to dry wood and my feet and legs won't let me go out and find wood so buying dry bowl blanks is all I have left to do. Ebay has a lot of bowl blanks, some green and some dry. They say the green blanks have the ends coated with wax but I don't know how long it would take them to dry. So if you guys can help me I will appreciate it very much. :smile:


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

If I still had my lathe, and actually liked using it, I'd just glue up some bowl blanks.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

JOAT said:


> If I still had my lathe, and actually liked using it, I'd just glue up some bowl blanks.


Great minds think alike don't they, Joat. :wink: I have thought about doing just that. What I don't like is the glue line which will not be much but you can still see it.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

hawkeye10 said:


> Great minds think alike don't they, Joat. :wink: I have thought about doing just that. What I don't like is the glue line which will not be much but you can still see it.


Depends on how you think about it. Apparently there are some glue that are virtually invisible when they dry, I've never tried any tho, I stick with Titebond II for everything. But the good part is, it doesn't matter if the glue lines would be visible. 'Cause you're going to give them away, so let the new owner worry about that. > Anyway, I'm thinking a dark glue would leave a very visible glue line, and that would look pretty nice.


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

go surfing for "segmented bowl", they are all glued together pieces.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Weldbond dries clear and in my opinion it is superior to the Titebond glues. T3 may be more water resistant but but if I need really good water resistance I use epoxy or polyurethane anyway.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Go to www.woodturner.org and search there. I think you will find several places that sell bowl blanks.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Knothead47 said:


> Go to www.woodturner.org and search there. I think you will find several places that sell bowl blanks.


You need friends like I have, every piece shown has been GIVEN to me. As for glue, I use Canian made WELDBOND, it produces a joint stronger than the wood and it goes off quickly and dries colourless.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

Knothead47 said:


> Go to www.woodturner.org and search there. I think you will find several places that sell bowl blanks.


I didn't find anything on their site, John. I am not a member so that may be why.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Weldbond is a way superior product over Titebond.....


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## mark greenbaum (Sep 26, 2010)

Where are you located? Contact a local woodturning club, and have an inquiry put out to their members. Our club has 180 members and free wood is always available.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

mark greenbaum said:


> Where are you located? Contact a local woodturning club, and have an inquiry put out to their members. Our club has 180 members and free wood is always available.


Thanks, Mark, I am east of Nashville about 30 miles in Murfreesboro. I don't belong because I don't drive at night and the bugger bears might get me. >


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Been using Titebond II for many years. It's stronger than the wood, I often use it thinned as a finish, I like the color, so far haven't needed a clear drying glue but if I do I will get some, and I'm quite satisfied with Titebond so will keep using it. Water resistance is not an issue, I carry my cane in the bed of my pickup, it gets trained on, it gets dry, it holds up well. If I want something water proof, I'll get water proof glue.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Don try searching for "kiln dried bowl blanks". There are listings on both Ebay and Amazon and Google search will find a few places that carry kiln dried bowl blanks. Just make sure the listing is for "kiln dried" because they are kind of intermixed.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Go to the AAW website and locate their clubs for TN. I know there is one in Cookeville but meets at night.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Go to the AAW website and look for Tennessee chapters.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Go to the AAW website and click on Chapters and fill in some of the info. There are several chapters in TN. This is public information. If you are looking for wood and can have time to let it dry, check with tree services.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Look up something like, DRYING WOOD IN MICROWAVE FOR BOWL TURNING.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Stick486 said:


> Weldbond is a way superior product over Titebond.....


The puff on their web site leads one to think that Weldbond is food safe. Your thoughts on that Stick. I know Titebond III is so that is what I’ve been using for boards and bowls. 

Thanks.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

hawkeye10 said:


> Great minds think alike don't they, Joat. :wink: I have thought about doing just that. What I don't like is the glue line which will not be much but you can still see it.


The one advantage to glueing up your own bowl blanks is the ability to mix the grains as to achieve the best pattern. To that end I offer up my post of 5-06-2018, First Routed Bowl.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

They say Weldbond is non-toxic but they also recommend not eating it.

I would be willing to bet Titebond has the same recommendation not to eat their glue.

Titebond III is waterproof and Weldbond is not waterproof so it would probably not be good for use if the item will be used around liquids.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

JFPNCM said:


> The puff on their web site leads one to think that Weldbond is food safe. Your thoughts on that Stick. I know Titebond III is so that is what I’ve been using for boards and bowls.
> 
> Thanks.


I can go w/ their word...
I've been using it for decades and like the longer extended assembly time and versatility...
it is water proof..
and the thing that shines about WB is that it doesn't plasticize when warmed up like TB does and separate...
dried TB is heat soluble...


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Mike, Stick: Appreciate the feedback,thanks. I will give it a go.


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## gdonham1 (Oct 31, 2011)

I have researched about glue and use the TiteBond III for most wood working in general. For segmented turning I use the original (Red) Titebond. The reason is the original Titebond is more flexible when dried than TItebond III. Titebond III is more brittle than I and during turning that is important. The shock of the turning process what counts. Later if the project is dropped the Titebond I is less likely to fail because it is more flexible. The WB brand is also a good choice but my experience with segmented turning is use Titebond Original. 

The Titebond III is water proof but not for below the waterline. The Titebond I and II are water resistant but not water proof. So for outdoor projects use Titebond III, indoor use any. The Titebond III has about double open time over I and II. As with all PVA glues you better get your ducks in a row before starting gluing. Clamps ready, adjusted and sized properly. A dry run is always best because (from experience) if the part is too big to fit and you have glue all over it you are SOL.

I have bought blanks from EBAY and are usually about 20% moisture when I have gotten them. Turn your project but wait a week or two before finishing. You can also put a bowl blank in the microwave to dry but you run the risk of cracking it. If you use the microwave method do it slowly, several sessions in a day and DO NOT microwave the bowl for a long time in one go. That will almost surely crack a bowl as well as possibly burn it.

You have to use a moisture meter if you short cut the drying process, otherwise let nature take its course over months of sitting in conditioned environment.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Interesting. Looking for something else, and found this tidbit on Titebond.com.
Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue is the first one-part, water cleanup wood glue ever offered that is proven waterproof. The waterproof formula passes the ANSI/HPVA Type I water-resistance specification and offers superior bond strength, longer open assembly time and lower application temperature. Titebond III is non-toxic, solvent free and cleans up with water - safer to use than traditional waterproof wood glues. It provides strong initial tack, sands easily without softening and is FDA approved for indirect food contact (cutting boards). The ultimate in wood glues - ideal for both interior and exterior applications.

So, apparently indirect food contact means cutting boards.


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

What ever glue you use here is a good tip on getting it ready to turn.

https://www.wwgoa.com/video/using-p...rce=newsletter&utm_campaign=A6134&vsoid=A6134


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## grbmds (Mar 14, 2019)

I've been turning for only about 2 years so my experience acquiring bowl blanks is all over the place. I have gotten bowl blanks . . . 

-Purchasing them from a Woodcraft Store - some are drier than others but mostly dry enough to do final turning without further drying.
-Buying bowl blanks online-again dried enough to just turn without further drying
-Purchased some partially dried blanks from another turner who acquires and buys logs which he saws up into blanks
-Free wood from a Woodworking Club fellow member which isn't dried and must be coated so that it doesn't just split apart.
-Glued up blanks from scrap hardwood in my shop-Glued in various configurations. You can get some interesting designs by gluing up blanks orienting the grain in various directions in each layer. You still see glue lines but it becomes part of the design.

As for drying...

-Any wood that is still green or not dry enough I coat with AnchorSeal (a water based sealer that just gets brushed on); at least all end grain but safer if the whole blank is coated. That keeps the moisture in till you're ready to turn the bowl.
-I purchased a Dry Fast kit from Rockler awhile back. It includes a pail with a sealed cover and silica beads which absorb moisture and can be regenerated in the oven after they have absorbed moisture (turn pink). It works well with green wood - rough turning a bowl, then submersion in the beads for a couple of days, then final turning. However, the pail will only work for bowls about 9" or less in diameter. The concept will work for larger bowls but you will need your own container and more beads. Anyway, so far, I've had excellent success with it. However, if you're looking for a system which will handle a large volume of bowls, this isn't it.

There are a number of online stores that sell both green and kiln dried blanks. However, you are, more or less, stuck with whatever they send you in the wood and size you ordered. One of them, turningblanks.net seems to be fairly reasonable and the blank quality isn't bad.


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