Crepe Myrtle Root Ball, the beginning of ???

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  • dbhost
    Slow and steady
    • Apr 2008
    • 9209
    • League City, Texas
    • Ryobi BT3100

    Crepe Myrtle Root Ball, the beginning of ???

    So the Crepe Myrtle is out of the ground, the root ball is on my patio and I have started trying to hose the mud and fire ants off of it. Definately going to need some Benadryl tonight to keep the itching at bay...

    The hose on full blast just won't get the impacted clay off of there. I need to get the pressure washer out, but it is late and the sun is going down, but here it is so far...

    Click image for larger version

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    Once I get the gack off of it and the root ball is CLEAN, I figure I will store it in the shed to air dry for a couple of years.

    Now I have never done a bowl of any kind, but for some reason this thing is screaming at me to do one of color infused epoxy resin / root ball bowls. That way I have consistent material.

    I know Myrtle can be used for woodworking, not sure if Crepe Myrtle qualifies, but I do remember a gift shop in Philomath Oregon (owned by a friends Dad) that made and sold all kinds of gifty knick knack bric a brac stuff made from Oregon Myrtle. The place closed down I am sure in the 90s because when I was back there in the late 90s it was no longer there. (there is a new one doing the same thing, not the same location or people).

    Anyway, if this thing works as nicely as that Oregon Myrtlewood, I will have a good start, I just have to be patient...

    So what do you think, bowl, vase, or???​
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  • capncarl
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 3564
    • Leesburg Georgia USA
    • SawStop CTS

    #2
    I work with quite a bit of Crepe Myrtle carving trees and mushrooms. It’s not my most favorite wood as it usually lacks character. It’s white/yellow and carves well while green. I’ve noticed cracking after it was dry. Isn’t bowl turning done while it is green?

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    • dbhost

      dbhost
      commented
      Editing a comment
      Haven't done it yet, you are probably right...

    • mpc
      mpc commented
      Editing a comment
      Bowl turning is often started while the material is still green (wet). "Green" does not mean "immediately after the tree was cut down" though; it can be a few weeks between felling and turning. As long as it hasn't dried out completely it is still considered "green" or "wet" wood. Get the rough shape of the bowl made, leaving the walls thicker: about 2x than what you need/want for the final product or 10% of the total bowl diameter, whichever is larger . If part of the final bowl will the thick and part will be thin, for now keep the whole bowl thicker so the whole thing dries at the same rate to minimize cracking/checking. Stick it in a paper bag lined with the shavings you just made while turning the raw blank then cover it with with more shavings. Close the bag, tape it shut, and stick it in a cool dark corner without much airflow. Give it a few days or even weeks to dry; the shavings keep it from drying too quickly and cracking. Check it every few days; remove shavings that have totally dried out. Once nearly dry (or the shavings have all dried) put the bowl into a second paper bag by itself; tape it shut and stick it back in that cool dark corner for a little while longer.

      It WILL change shape as it dries which is why you left the walls thicker... once dry you can stick it back on the lathe and finish it, hopefully it hasn't deformed so much that you can't get it round again if that's what you want.

      That's the procedure for "twice turned bowls" which generally lets you get true round bowls. Some folks turn green/wet material into the final thickness and then let it dry in a controlled manner (the bag again) or just on a shelf and let the bowl take on whatever shape it wants as it dries. If the bowl is immediately turned thin it will do a fair bit of drying on the lathe: spin-dry cycle, heat from the lathe tools, etc. You may want to spritz water on it occasionally to keep it from drying too quickly!

      Some folks suggest microwave ovens for drying: you can get the blank dry in less than one day with this technique. Cook the bowl on microwave HIGH for 20 to 30 seconds (less if your microwave is a high-wattage model), then remove it from the microwave and let it cool for at least 30 minutes. Repeat 8 to 10 times or until the weight of the bowl stops changing. Thicker bowls may need more than 10 cycles.

      Green/wet turning usually creates long streamers of shavings as you turn... that's part of the "green wood turning" magic/fun.

      mpc
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