How To Split A Log - Wood Bowl Turning Blank Video

How To Split A Log - Wood Bowl Turning Blank Video
This is a pretty simple process, but it can also be easily done incorrectly. You're going to want to know how to do this step properly and why.
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[@golf2actual375]

Great information. Recommendation: show a turned bowl from each log so novices (like me) can visualize what you're talking about with the circles on the side of the bowl or centered. Thanks.

[@dannyboy9784]

That's a great idea....thx ,visually it's always best to see the turned product and it always sticks into your memory bank better 😀

[@mmfenske1]

Hi Kent, Nice video as usual. Question. I have seen many videos where it's suggested to make cuts on either side of the pith and remove about an inch or wood so to "fully get rid of the "bad boy" pith. In practice it seems very difficult to hit the pith dead center with one cut and even then the pith is still sort of there. I realize you will lose some wood this way but at least the pith is completely gone...I think. I do agree that log "C" makes sense. Please advise your thoughts. Thanks, Myles

[@boooshes]

Nice video, however, after a thousand bowls I would say that I would certainly challenge your claim that there is only one correct way to prepare a log. It simply is not true and is largely situational, although the method you chose is a good one. A couple of comments 1. Depending on the species, you may want to cut more of the pith out to help prevent checking, 2. Many times I find it more effective to rip the whole log prior to cutting it to length, 3. When ripping, pay attention to clearing the chip ejection area on the bottom of the saw - this was completely clogged when you ripped the last two logs 4. If you aren't going to rough turn your blanks right away, I would recommend cutting the half-logs several inches longer than the diameter of the log to help reduce the chance of end splits making it into your bowl area .

[@jerrycarter3963]

Thank you! I am still new to bowl turning and this answered a lot of questions for me, and has helped eliminate issues I was having with bad curing. I have learned a lot from you videos, thank you sir.

[@richardhefty]

Great video! I have never considered the drying balance that you explained here. Thanks!

[@timothyrichiii8967]

Thank you for your instructive videos, they have been a great help in my journey in wood turning.

[@samspade4634]

That chainsaw chain must be the sharpest I've ever seen. Great job on the sharp saw.

[@billrobinson8939]

Thanks again, Kent. Perfect timing as usual. I have a FOG log in my shop that I have been trying to decide how to turn it for 2 months. I don't know what kind of tree it is, so I'm going to a sawmill guy today after I split it to get his opinion. Very wet wood when I turned a end grain bowl in December. Bowl almost split in half when I brought it inside and went away for 3 days. At 83, I have no patience for a long drying process in a light bulb dehydrator. So I might try the microwave approach before turning and twice turning microwave routine. At least, now I have the knowledge for splitting my fog log. You are absolutely the best. Thank you!

[@qapla]

Good info, Kent. Handling a chainsaw is a whole different skill set than turning wood. Glad you covered some of it. I have seen many people who have no idea how to use a chainsaw.

[@jackthompson5092]

Great info Kent.

[@davidbockel5749]

Heck, I'll turn any of them. I spalt my wood so symmetry around pith takes a back seat to the interesting grain patterns from spalting.

[@loucinci3922]

Interesting approach to logs. I feel all three logs will make nice bowls. It would be helpful to show the bowls to illustrate what you mean by bowl grain not centered etc. Thanks for sharing

[@stephendonathan6782]

Great video! Yesterday I made a 12 inch live edge out of oak. Over night it warped and cracked on me. Now I see what I did wrong. Thank you for sharing this it really helped. Take care and GOD BLESS 🙏!

[@schechnera]

Like several other commenters, I also cut several inches on both sides of the pith, leaving me with two nice quartersawn pieces I use for small boxes or inside out turnings. I've never tried turning a bowl leaving the pith because I've been afraid of cracking, but I confess I usually cut mine more like log "A". Next time I'll try leaving the pith and cutting it like log "C" and see how it goes. Thanks, Kent!

[@trurex007lee7]

Great tips, thanks.

[@johnbruhnke6349]

Thanks for this video. I learned a great deal.

[@hwysteve]

i agree with other comments regarding dealing with pith on different species of wood. it takes experience with drying the blanks and remembering how much the pith holds on for each species. I also have a tip for the chainsaw work. Take the end of the log you sacrificed and cut a good size notch in it. Then you have a platform to hold the log blanks for ripping and will be off the ground so you can cut through in one cut without hitting the ground with the chain.

[@NGYT40]

great video ! Thank you!

[@vincentwyble5346]

Very helpful, I thought at first that log B right but that makes total sense that log C was actually the right one, never would have thought of that. Couldn't I just split it with a froe

[@wakelywanderer12]

Even with the pith gone I’ve had bad experiences with wood that was close to it splitting. Now I always cut at least an inch away on both sides of the pith. Less heartache and there’s always good quarter sawn blanks for spoons, spatulas etc.

[@mickhurley7305]

good tip .. maybe a bit of both, Kens method for positioning and then cut an inch both sides.

[@CaptWesC22]

I have the same question as some others. You mentioned removing the pith but you didn't really remove it. You cut thru it. I have seen elsewhere where a cut is made a couple inches each side of the pith to fully remove it. If you just cut thru it and turn a bowl, isn't the pith still in the bowl on sides?

[@woutersmith7616]

Very informative indeed Kent😀👍

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@marcseale]

There is a chainsaw crain made for a rip cut. It is better at clearing the cut. I use this chain type to mill slabs.

[@r.davidhens4056]

Hi Kent, I just watched your video thank you it was very helpful. My question is there ever a time that you would just completely cut out the pith?

[@shaunlindsay6672]

Great video. Very new to the bowl turning relm. I was confused initially why B wasn't quite right and C was best. My thought was, "they both split the center of the pith and relieve the tension". After re-watching the segment I realized you were focusing on the placement of the pith within the log AND splitting it center to the pith. A little more knowledge I'll put in the bowl turning part of my brain 😁

[@HarmonicGrunt]

centre the Pith, Not the trunk.

[@timothyrichiii8967]

How would you approach figured and knotty wood that has pith running in different directions.

[@gerrysmith4493]

How can I get a list of all your videos etc? Thanks for the great help good job

[@pjseiber2774]

Question, when cut like blank "C" how well will it keep before you need to get it rough turned?

[@matthewwright57]

I like making two cuts to take out the pith, and then the sides of that internal plank with the pick gives me two quarter sawn planks I can use for small bowls or plates.

[@mileshh515]

He talks about this is another video, good technique for larger logs

[@Budget33]

Hi Kent I quickly realized why at first this was confusing .. It wasn't pointed out you meant centered vertically, not horizontal

[@allyncross6973]

Hey Kent, Interesting video. I have to respectfully disagree though. Log A will have many issues and I agree that is not the way to do it. However both B and C are in my humble opinion good ways to handle this. I dont always want the rings centered. I dont always want the bowl to look perfectly balanced. I want it to look like what it is, a piece of wood (natural) that has been turned into a bowl. I am still quite new to this and you are far more experienced but I do it differently. This may sound weird but I sort of listen to the wood and make it the way it wants to be. When I start out I know I am going to make a bowl but I have no clue what it will look like until I am done because I listen to the wood. For example I recently made a bowl that turned out to be a bowl inside of a bowl because that was what the wood wanted. My girlfriend loves it. She uses it to put her rings in when she is not wearing them (doing dishes or something) and uses the outer bowl for small items she has collected up but has not yet put away. I had no clue I was going to make that until I reached that point but the wood sort of told me what it wanted to be. I do the same when cutting pieces of wood. I let the wood tell me where to cut it. I know it might sound crazy but it works for me. Yall have a wonderful day.

[@SirBenJamin_]

Hi Kent, @6:02 you make the cut with the nose of the saw free (as you have a long bar, the bar is longer than the length of the log). If you were using a smaller chainsaw, where the bar length is smaller than the length of the log, is there a way to make the cut safely?

[@jimmoorepa]

Great info once again! Thanks. I have to say, chainsaws don't have blades. They have a bar and chain. Not a chainsaw guy, but they might comment on it.

[@DavidARahn]

good timing we had a black walnut tree come down a few weeks ago I have some logs and now will be able to make nice bowl blanks with the pith correctly - thanks

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Enjoy that walnut, David. Please subscribe, and Happy Turning!

[@drakeedwards721]

Another great video Kent. “Safety First” is mega-important when using a chainsaw. As you demonstrated, cutting WITH the grain creates ribbons that must be cleaned away safely. Professionals know those ribbons also get caught up in the drive mechanism under the housing. (That’s why they cross cut whenever possible.) When splitting logs with my mid-size 20 inch Husky, I’m careful to power down the saw (more frequently than I would prefer) to clear trapped material along the chain path. Otherwise the saw can quickly overheat. Is that less of a problem with your big chainsaw?

[@alansmith477]

What about wood that is already dry?

[@jeanlong5965]

Great info Kent, one question, is there a formula for width of log to length to cut for a good bowl blank. Thanks for all your videos.

[@boooshes]

If you are trying to maximize the diameter of the bowl, cut the log sections at least a length equal to the diameter of the log. If the half sections are going to sit a while before being roughed out, cut them longer to reduce the chance of end grain splits running back into your bowl area.

[@florencehargis4068]

Would have liked to see you show what you mean on bowl B with your hands. A little too fast for me to totally grasp the cincept.

[@nemoemanon6679]

Great video. Could have been improved if your description of each problem was accompanied with the actual log in question, rather than your waving arms.

[@larryhurwitz6877]

Kent, I’ve always been told to remove the pith to limit cracking?

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Larry, Yes, that's the best practice.

[@girlsnightout9621]

On this video (how to split a log) you asked which was the proper way a, b, or c. answer was c.... it left me to wonder, was it cut through the centre of the pith all the way through?

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Good question. Yes, you want to check the pith location on both sides of the log and make sure the chainsaw is in-line with the pith. Sometimes there will be a bit of pith remaining on one side, but that's usually not a problem. All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent

[@denisferriere]

👍👍👍😉

[@michaellionart4841]

So do you then seal the ends and store until dry?

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Michael, Yes, you can or you can cut them down to bowl blanks and store them. I cover all that and much more in this course, check it out www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!

[@LindaRider-gg2zp]

what kind of preservative do you use on green wood/

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

For logs, and roughed bowls, I seal the end-grain with AnchorSeal amzn.to/40Okm2V . For turned green bowls I will immediately coat them with Tried and True Danish oil amzn.to/40QXno0 . Happy Turning!

[@mqramr]

Novice/silly question Kent, sorry, but could you split the logs with an axe to make the blanks, if you make the split in the right place ?

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Good question. You could split it by hand, but you will probably waste more material or have a few stray fibers rip down into a clean chunk of wood, making the usable chunk much smaller. Happy Turning!

[@mqramr]

@@TurnAWoodBowl That’s great, thank you for taking the trouble to respond 👍

[@nancysears3590]

Do you have a video on splitting dry logs (rather than green logs)?

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Nancy, We cover that more in the Tree to Bowl - Understanding Green Wood online course www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green Happy Turning! Kent

[@tobykathan8277]

Lol I was about to ask about the chainsaw blade. Thanks so much!

[@joehimes9898]

Make the best bowls, not the most bowls.

[@anttt7993]

Cringey thumbnail. Maybe the exaggerated facial expression trend will die off soon.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

and yet, you watched. 😉

[@That_is_for_me_to_know]

What about cutting the “long logs” you cut from the original trunk into smaller sections? I have a limited headstock height of about 30cms, so I need to limit the lengths of split sections and would think chasing the pith in shorter sections would be better. Any comments?

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Good question…many answers. You might want to check out this course www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!

[@jackthompson5092]

Great info Kent.