Richard Raffan converts pear logs to roughed bowls.

Dumping some green waste, I noticed a clutch of logs that looked like top-quality turning wood. It was and still is. This video shows how the green logs became the turning blanks and roughed bowls I am now seasoning.

[@kcglide]

I saw you flinch at the 1:31 mark but you stayed with it. I've done the same.

[@kevinparker4160]

I see now why Stuart Batty called you a speed demon in one of his videos. Incredible. Every morning I check youtube to see if you’ve put out another video. Thank you

[@MD-en3zm]

He truly is faster than any other woodturner I’ve ever seen. A lot faster. He seems to simply will the wood into the shape he wants, and it just happily complies.

[@craftsmanwoodturner]

Sometimes it is the little things that show what a master RR is. I've been turning for over a quarter of a century, but I still learnt something today about how to prepare blanks on the bandsaw.

[@tomislavtomasicwoodturning]

One of the best videos on the subject.... Awsome 😀

[@dan89592]

Biggest tip I learned here was cutting a small flat on the bark side, which makes it much easier to round the blank on the bandsaw. Previously, I had been drawing a circle with my compass, but eyeballing the roughing since I couldn't put the round bark side face down. Thank you!

[@rooiperd]

Simply brilliant

[@milasiroky3301]

Hello Richard, it's good that you added subtitles to your video. For those of us who don't speak English, it's a big shift in understanding. Thanks.

[@raydriver7300]

Seventeen roughed out bowls in two hours. Impressive. Thank you for sharing 🌞

[@burnleyize]

Great chatting with you recently. Your humor is on equal levels as your craftsmanship! Everything is a demo of eliminating wasteful motions. I’ll keep watching as long as you put them out. It does look like Bradford Pear. Thank you, my friend. And next time, I’ll try not to “ Catch you on the hop!”

[@ShevillMathers]

We are in for many happy sessions from this swag-looking forward to them. Thank you for the links to your books & DVD’s etc. a mine of excellent information contained in every line if they are in the style of your video presentations. Greetings from Tasmania Australia. 😁👍🇦🇺🦘PS Excellent recycling 😇

[@buzzgreen20]

Never tire of watching your magic

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I do love turning green Bradford Pear! I could almost smell it as you were turning the first bowl. Ours seem to have a bit courser bark typically with small holes from woodpeckers that never seem to go past the bark. What a lovely wood.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Hi Mike -Thanks to Mauricio Kolnc I discovered it's more likely loquat. The bark is a good match to the loquat in our garden. But it's very similar to the pear.

[@MarklTucson]

Very instructive; really like how you identify ways to use as much of the wood as possible.

[@RobbieBolog]

So awesome. I snagged a bunch of bransford pear my neighbor had chopped down and have already fumbled my way through milling a few bowl blanks. Watching you walk through the whole process was invaluable and should help with the rest of my wood pile. Thank you!

[@johnmitchell1614]

Is it not 'Bradford Pear' Is it nice stuff? Best regards.

[@RobbieBolog]

@@johnmitchell1614 yes, bradford pear. Typo on my part. It is wonderful to work with.

[@MickyBellRoberts]

Well here I am back again sir. I said I would give you my full support. A very nice video and educational.

[@robertcornelius3514]

That was a nice haul. Can't wait to see those future projects.

[@mikeearl7588]

Another brilliant video from the master ! Thank you.

[@jackthompson5092]

What a lot of bowl blanks Richard. Well done.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I hate waste so like to make the best of what I have.

[@jimgill1105]

Excellent video - well explained and certainly learnt a lot!

[@terryyancy3957]

Thanks for sharing your thought process on processing preparing blanks. As always I enjoy your videos.

[@Mckmake]

liked the way you used the bandsaw to prepare the blanks as always very informative

[@josephpotterf9459]

Thanks Richard good content

[@davidcochran9322]

Another Masterclass

[@jeanlong5965]

Thank you.

[@sethwarner2540]

Wow, such a small base!

[@hfbowerndesigns810]

Nicely done Richard. Beautiful design bowl, I do like the movement of the timber. Thanks for your take on milling blanks and the brief Microwave lesson. Take care Cheers Harold

[@daniel__clark]

I did laugh when you showed the mess.

[@MD-en3zm]

Wow, what a find! I really hope to get so lucky. They won’t let us pick through the green waste at our local transfer station (aka dump).

[@JimmyLee0757]

Thank you for a very informative video. I have a load of Birch that I need to cut and get into shop to dry. I was leaving some outside to, hopefully, spalt a little.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Try spalting small green blanks and roughed bowls by putting them in a plastic bag for a few weeks with a few wet shavings.

[@johnmitchell1614]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning That's one way. Wrap your wood in paper and bury it in the damp ground for six weeks to start with. Exhume it and check for any spalting. Watch out for rot. Stuff it back down until if any spalting is to your satisfaction. Best regards from spalty Scotland, Home of the wild haggis.

[@JimmyLee0757]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning I hadn't thought about that. Thanks.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@johnmitchell1614 i wouldn't mind a bit of wild haggis... Burying: I got some very interesting dark spalting smearing a couple of finished bowls with yogurt and putting them in my compost heap for two months. With the muck cleaned off and some polishing they looked like ancient bowls in an antique shop.

[@johnmitchell1614]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning Ooh yoghurt eh? I'll give that a try. Feed the bacteria. Best regards.

[@emgiwoodworks]

So you also get wood from the Recycling Center? Over here it isn't allowed to take anything from there but when you make sure no one is watching all is fine. Actually a shame when you think about it. There's a lot of wood that deserves better than just being tossed away. Thnx for sharing Richard! 😎

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Scavanging isn't allowed here either, but on this occasion I did ask the couple of bored-looking guys directing traffic who said go for it.

[@ronreynolds8207]

oh those bandsaw police are going to have a field day with the way you're cutting that round log with nary a support (not sure how much that little bit of 2x4-ish offcut is going to do to prevent the log from spinning away from you). :)

[@tagi3d]

Perfect timing a giant pear just came down in my mothers backyard. How long do you dry the rough blanks for?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

The rule-of-thumb to season timber is: one year per inch of thickness plus a year - which is one year per 25mm of thickness plus a year. However rough-turned bowls often stabilise faster because a lot of tension in the wood is released when the bowl is hollowed. Some box elder bowls I roughed only a few weeks ago is already dry as you'll see in an upcoming video.

[@mauriciokolencwoodturning2112]

Hello Richard, the bark and wood looks like Loquat, just harder than pear.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I hadn't though of loquat but that's a distinct possibility as there are a lot growing in Canberra.

[@mauriciokolencwoodturning2112]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning Wood and bark match, It is a lovely compact wood, a favourite for boxes and chess men.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@mauriciokolencwoodturning2112 You're right! The bark matched a small loquat we have in the garden. Many thanks.

[@burnleyize]

Oh by the way, your bandsaw is a BEAST! What is its capacity under the guards, HP and manufacturer?

[@yakbranson]

It's a Laguna 14- 12 2hp with an actual 13in resaw capacity

[@brianhawes3115]

Thanks for the video, do you put any tree saver on wood to keep it from cracking after you’ve turned the ruff bowls?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I never found sealing endgrain made much difference on roughed bowls. I do seal the endgrain on fresh-sawn boards.

[@ScottKershawRX]

Fantastic video! I do love pear wood! Sadly, here in southwest USA they don’t get to the size of that trunk. Was that 2 hour from the start of processing on the bandsaw through the roughing out session with coring? Good gravy!!!

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

It would probably normally take just over three hours all up. I suspect videoing added about another hour.

[@AaronFriendStudio]

Bradford pear grows very big in the USA. Some of the prettiest wood I have turned, it is worth looking for

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@AaronFriendStudio Sure is. I first turned it at Woodcraft demo in Nashville.

[@ScottKershawRX]

@@AaronFriendStudio agreed! I deeply love pear. Unfortunately, here in New Mexico, specifically, it’s growth is stunted compared a majority of the country.

[@cliveevans5237]

Hi Richard i follow your very interesting videos. Where can i the long jawed chucks you use please.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I'm using Vicmarc chucks with Shark Jaws replacing standard jaws. The Vicmarc website should list where their chucks are available. Some other manufacturers make similar jaws.

[@tricolorturners]

Score!

[@kenseng4937]

Awesome video! Very informative. Do you have a video on how you chuck up and make the spatulas?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@kenseng4937 There are two in the spindlework playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnS4mKSJnraSnrs and kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYPNiYOBl9Z4mrc

[@TheCoupe06]

What becomes of the swept-up shavings, Richard? How do you dispose of them, if there's no further/ secondary use?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

The shavings and dust all end up in gardens as mulch and paths. There are no lawns to mow or grass to cut as a result.

[@TheCoupe06]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning My apologies for the late reply, but thank you for that Richard. I'm much obliged.

[@timbudd4183]

Hi Richard, what size is that bandsaw?! I'm having 'fun' trying to process my own wood. It seems like Chainsaw is the best way for the moment. I saw you have a bandsaw, but it seems like its quite monstrously large?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

This is a small bandsaw. It's a Laguna14/12 (14” throat, 12” depth of cut). Newer models have a foot break. This is Laguna’s smallest saw and as a turner I certainly don’t want one any smaller.

[@timbudd4183]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning Thanks for the reply Richard, your responses to questions are always much appreciated. Yes- it seems that bigger is always better in this case. I was just wondering about getting a bandsaw, but can see that just getting a small one would simply be a waste of space and money.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

​@@timbudd4183 A deep depth of cut is useful for breaking down short logs safely by standing them on end, and for, say, cutting a 300x100mm square into two 300x50 mm boards, that's 12x4" bowl blank into two 12x2" dishes. You can do it all with a chainsaw but lose a lot more material.

[@milasiroky3301]

Hello Mr. Richard, How long and at what power did you put the bowl in the microwave? Are there any rules for drying in the microwave? Thank you.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I always cook on full power, 1000 watts on that microwave oven. Small bowls get 60-90 seconds. You need to watch the initial cooking in case you smell burning or see smoke or steam. If you do switch off the microwave instantly. The idea is to heat the wood so it is too hot to hold as you remove it from the oven. I'll put larger bowls with a 10mm wall thickness in for 3-4 minutes. Then once the wood has cooled I'll re-cook them for a similar time. I've never formulated hard and fast rules for microwaving as each bowl is different in density, moisture content and size (the volume of wood in the bowl).

[@jpncompany6275]

I watch all your videos and enjoy them. However you could use a better mic, I have to turn the volume way up on my computer to hear you clearly.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I've just purchased a new $80 mic but can't justify $300 or more.

[@kevinburrows735]

Hi Richard, you mentioned your age. How old are you if you don’t mind me asking? I’m 73 and I hope that I’ll go on for a bit longer.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Born June 1943.

[@robhoward9504]

What degree angle is that scraper?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

My bevels are usually about 45 degrees on all tools, gouges and scrapers. The edge of the shear scraper is skewed about 10-15 degreees.