# Cutting Blanks From Caragana Wood (Safely)



## VE5MDH

Does anyone have ideas on how to Square off Caragana Wood into a Pen Blank?

I guess this question also deals with making blanks from any type of small tree limbs out there under 4" in diameter, right?


Step #1 Cut The Limb To 6" Lengths

I have found the safest way (so far) to cut Rounds is by using my 12" Compound Sliding Mitre Saw into rough 6" lengths. May be a safer way too, share away.


Step #2 Square It Off (This is where I need assistance the most)

Now to figure how to Square off the wood (or should I say to make it a rectangular block) & keep all my fingers intact (away from the saw blade).

Is there a Jig out there one needs?

Do you use the 12" Compound Sliding Mitre Saw? Table Saw? Band Saw? (My Band Saw is the 9" el Cheepo from HF - Thin blades like to dance around and not keep straight on a long path).

Ideas - Pictures - Videos, etc.


Step #3 Wax The Ends

Once I can get the wood square, I will dip the ends in Paraffin wax to avoid checking on the ends. Stack and forget about them in the attic until next year!


- Everyone's assistance is greatly appreciated. Thanks for viewing my plea.


Michael


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## BSea

I think most blanks come from larger sized blocks.  4" is pretty small to get blanks in quantity.  

But if I were to cut blanks from something that small, I'd use my band saw.  Have you tried a thicker blade on your bandsaw?  I'd think a 1/4" blade would work well enough.


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## Ed McDonnell

I use a bandsaw to cut down round material (logs, branches).  I feel a sled with a jig to secure the round material gives the best (and safest) results.   

I have cut down large logs freehand without a sled or jig.  I cut them right down the middle (so there won't be any rotational force) to get a flat surface and then work from there to get the slabs I need.   If you screw up and start cutting off center, things can go bad real fast.  I would not recommend this approach to anyone.  A sled and some sort of jig to secure the material is a much better approach.

You can find some examples on youtube by searching for "bandsaw log resawing jig".  You can have crosscut sleds, ripping sleds or combos.  Re-useable (more time to make but you only make one) or sacrificial (quick to make, but you make it each time).

I would not use my compound slider for this.  If the round material ever slipped while cutting, it would be a lot more excitement than I'm looking for in the shop. 

Ed


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## VE5MDH

Bob, I'm not too sure if you have experienced Caragana. Caragana is a shrub, and rarely is thicker than 2"-3". In the heart of a clump, at the base, yes there are 3-5 shoots that are near 4" in diameter at the base, but this stuff is far from Oak, Maple, Ash, Poplar or anything else that we consider a Tree, per say.

I know that Les in Red Deer works with Caragana, and I have reached out to him for his honoured advice, but I am also looking for the view points from others, like yourself who may or may not have worked with Caragana, but who also would like to share their advice on common sense. As it is common sense when it comes to slicing thin pieces of wood in a safe manor.

Bob, I'm not too sure how a 1/4" saw blade would be beneficial in slicing my thinner pieces of wood (6" in length, 2"-3" in diameter). Could you explain this idea further as to how it would assist my situation here?

Thanks for your time taken.

Michael


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## 1080Wayne

I use more caragana than any thing else . Please pardon me for suggesting it , but I think your thinking may be in a bit of a box . Small tree limbs by their nature are already almost round . Is there any point to sawing them square so that you can turn them round again on the lathe ? 

Seal the ends of the stems , and store them as logs to dry . Even well sealed caragana will check , particularly as you go over 2 inch diameter . Cutting that size into 6 inch lengths and sealing the ends will probably only leave you with 4 inch of good wood .


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## Skie_M

If you have really big pieces that you want to mill down into blanks, a table saw might be your best choice.

You will need a "runner sled".  This is just a flat piece of wood with a few nails driven through it ... it will be secured against the stock you are working with those nails.

You just need to keep the round wood from spinning as you feed it through the blade, and you'll only need it for 2 passes.  It needs to be wide enough that the stock you are cutting will not make contact with the fence and throw your runner board out of alignment.

With the runner board flat and up against the fence, secure your stock on the board so that it doesn't touch the fence and part of your stock will be in the path of your table saw blade ...

Make your first cut to get a straight edge to work with.

Tip the board up and run the FLAT of the board against the fence, after adjusting for your second cut, so that you get a square corner.  Make your second cut, and you have 2 straight edges on adjacent sides.  The runner board can now be removed and set aside.

Make your subsequent cuts using your new flat sides against the fence and table to get square stock.

I suggest you make your stock oversize to limit the issue of checks and cracks during the drying process ... kiln drying such small pieces would probably be the most economical choice, with a toaster oven or some similar device.  1" x 1" x 7 - 8" long would be my choice for appropriate size. Remember that wood will shrink as it dries.


ALWAYS REMEMBER SHOP SAFETY.

I didn't mention it in here because it should be common sense to anybody working with a table saw, but your fingers are a wee bit difficult to re-attach if they happen to come off.  You should be wearing eye and ear protection, you should be using featherboards, and you should be using push sticks.  If you don't have this type of equipment, make it ... it's pretty easy to do so.  If you don't feel like making it, then don't blame me if your fingers seem to be difficult to find.


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## VE5MDH

Ed McDonnell said:


> I use a bandsaw to cut down round material (logs, branches).  I feel a sled with a jig to secure the round material gives the best (and safest) results.
> 
> I have cut down large logs freehand without a sled or jig.  I cut them right down the middle (so there won't be any rotational force) to get a flat surface and then work from there to get the slabs I need.   If you screw up and start cutting off center, things can go bad real fast.  I would not recommend this approach to anyone.  A sled and some sort of jig to secure the material is a much better approach.
> 
> You can find some examples on youtube by searching for "bandsaw log resawing jig".  You can have crosscut sleds, ripping sleds or combos.  Re-useable (more time to make but you only make one) or sacrificial (quick to make, but you make it each time).
> 
> I would not use my compound slider for this.  If the round material ever slipped while cutting, it would be a lot more excitement than I'm looking for in the shop.
> 
> Ed



First off Thanks Ed for your time taken!

I will start out with your summary. I totally agree! I don't need any excitement around my shop, this is why I'd rather take my time to ask others, like yourself first. Thanks for sharing the eye-opener.

Compound Sliding Mitre is OUT.

I think I should go with the Table Saw or Band Saw (but I'm not too confident if the 9" saw is up to the task - blade is too thin - may wander about on me) and figure how to construct a re-usable sled. I would like to think of some sort of a clamping idea on the sled to hold the small pieces in place, to ensure there is no excitement down the road.

"A sled and some sort of jig to secure the material is a much better approach." This is what I'm aiming for. Any ideas for where to see some pictures? I've watched a couple of the YouTube videos, and like the on sled, but it sure is much larger than I need, and I'll need a better idea as to hold the wood on the sled, since my pieces are small to start off with.

Michael


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## Curly

It would be helpful if you can tell us what woodworking machines you have at your disposal and your experience with them. It makes it easier for us to give you an answer that better fits your situation. 

The Caragana I've cut was left 2 feet long and run over the jointer to put a flat on one side to keep the round from rolling. Then the flat placed on the jointer fence and a few more passes to make the second flat surface. The resulting edges don't come to a full corner but are enough to keep it from rolling when held with push sticks. I then ripped the wood with the table saw into little boards and then those into blanks. I cut them fat at about an inch square and leave them full length to sticker and dry. The extra thickness gives you enough to get a pen out of them even if they warp and twist a little. I cut them to length when needed. 

If you have a bandsaw then use it over the table saw. Mine was down at the time. Shorter lengths can be done but not less than a foot long on the jointer. Don't follow my methods unless you're fully conversant and experienced with the machines. If you get the hebyjebies then don't. 

You aren't too far away but I'm a year or so out from having a shop again or I would show you.


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## VE5MDH

Skie_M said:


> If you have really big pieces that you want to mill down into blanks, a table saw might be your best choice.
> 
> You will need a "runner sled".  This is just a flat piece of wood with a few nails driven through it ... it will be secured against the stock you are working with those nails.
> 
> You just need to keep the round wood from spinning as you feed it through the blade, and you'll only need it for 2 passes.  It needs to be wide enough that the stock you are cutting will not make contact with the fence and throw your runner board out of alignment.
> 
> With the runner board flat and up against the fence, secure your stock on the board so that it doesn't touch the fence and part of your stock will be in the path of your table saw blade ...
> 
> Make your first cut to get a straight edge to work with.
> 
> Tip the board up and run the FLAT of the board against the fence, after adjusting for your second cut, so that you get a square corner.  Make your second cut, and you have 2 straight edges on adjacent sides.  The runner board can now be removed and set aside.
> 
> Make your subsequent cuts using your new flat sides against the fence and table to get square stock.
> 
> I suggest you make your stock oversize to limit the issue of checks and cracks during the drying process ... kiln drying such small pieces would probably be the most economical choice, with a toaster oven or some similar device.  1" x 1" x 7 - 8" long would be my choice for appropriate size. Remember that wood will shrink as it dries.
> 
> 
> ALWAYS REMEMBER SHOP SAFETY.
> 
> I didn't mention it in here because it should be common sense to anybody working with a table saw, but your fingers are a wee bit difficult to re-attach if they happen to come off.  You should be wearing eye and ear protection, you should be using featherboards, and you should be using push sticks.  If you don't have this type of equipment, make it ... it's pretty easy to do so.  If you don't feel like making it, then don't blame me if your fingers seem to be difficult to find.



Great safety tips!

Skie_M, thanks for taking your time sharing a lot of information.

Caragana Wood does not come in big bites! Think of Caragana as brush or a bush, because that is what it is! Base diameters are up to 4" rarely 5" thick. Most are 2" or 3" thick at the base.

Caragana is a wind break on the Canadian Prairies. Not only that, Farmers are destroying hundreds of miles each year in order to make up for additional crop growth as the price of grain crops increase or maybe because of the farm expenditures are increasing. For whatever reason, the fact is Caragana will become more scarce as time goes by.

Now, the information you have shared duplicated a video I watched on YouTube, almost to the 'T'. Who knows - it may have been your own video that I watched? It was very informative and useful, but this information is for limbs larger than 6" wide, where my stock is 2" - 3" wide, and 6" long.

Tiny Pieces! I am searching for a safe way to cut up these tiny pieces.

A Sled seems the safe way to go, be it for the Table or Band saw.

Maybe I should post some pictures of what I'm dealing with.

Caragana is a very beautiful wood - Sapwood is Yellow and the Heartwood is a Purple-Brown. And when it is turned, the blending is just so sweet!

Please visit this URL:

caragana

Here is a great page I just Googled for all to get a better idea just what I'm up against. Very beautiful stuff here. The 3rd picture down submitted by Dan Johnson clearly is a great indication of the size I'm dealing with. The piece is cut down the Pith, and is on a keyboard (about 6" in length).

Michael


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## VE5MDH

Curly said:


> It would be helpful if you can tell us what woodworking machines you have at your disposal and your experience with them. It makes it easier for us to give you an answer that better fits your situation.
> 
> The Caragana I've cut was left 2 feet long and run over the jointer to put a flat on one side to keep the round from rolling. Then the flat placed on the jointer fence and a few more passes to make the second flat surface. The resulting edges don't come to a full corner but are enough to keep it from rolling when held with push sticks. I then ripped the wood with the table saw into little boards and then those into blanks. I cut them fat at about an inch square and leave them full length to sticker and dry. The extra thickness gives you enough to get a pen out of them even if they warp and twist a little. I cut them to length when needed.
> 
> If you have a bandsaw then use it over the table saw. Mine was down at the time. Shorter lengths can be done but not less than a foot long on the jointer. Don't follow my methods unless you're fully conversant and experienced with the machines. If you get the hebyjebies then don't.
> 
> You aren't too far away but I'm a year or so out from having a shop again or I would show you.



Pete FANTASTIC IDEA!!!

The Jointer! I never would have thought of that! Of course my 6" pieces are too short, but I have access to more in the future! I think 18" segments will be safe to run through the jointer. I might even see if I can make a delicate pass (1/64" per pass to start off with) in the Planner first.

I have in my inventory at my disposal:

- 6" Jointer (Delta)
- 12" Planer (Delta)
- 9" Band Saw - Harbour Freight
- 8" Table Saw
- a variety of Manual Hand Saws

Oh, how I appreciate you reading my post! You've opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking this out!

I just have one question for you. you mention:

"I cut them fat at about an inch square and leave them full length to sticker and dry."

Just what is sticker & dry? I can figure the dry is stacking the pieces to cure for the year, but the sticker thing, well you got me there!

Thanks once again for reading and contributing to make this a safe and pleasing experience for me!

I'll wait till the rain stops here and give it a test run, with great anticipation of posting some completed photos!


Michael


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## Curly

Micheal
Stickering is where you stack wood to dry with sticks across each layer of stacked wood a couple feet apart to let air pass through the stack. On the top of the pile weight is sometimes put on or straps cinched tight periodically to help keep the wood from warping.  On the big piles for lumber you use dry wood to prevent staining. So for the scale of wood you are drying you could just alternate the layers but dry wood 1/2" to 3/4" thick cut from some dry 1x or 2x material is still better. Put a couple bricks on top or something other dead weight you have around like a kid and you are all set to go. Depending on where the wood is a few months is probably enough time in this climate. If you want to dry some faster put it on a foil lined cookie sheet in the oven at the lowest / warm temperature and once in turn the oven off but leave the oven light on. That will keep it warm enough to dry the blank in a day or two. Well that applies to the old incandescent bulbs, I have no idea what is in a new style oven.  Drilling a 3/16 hole for slimline or 1/4 for bigger tubes will speed up the drying. You can then open the hole to size before glueing in the tubes.


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## GaryMGg

Michael 

You do not want to try the planer before the jointer on a limb.
Create a flat on the jointer. 
Then,  put that face against the fence and joint the adjacent quadrant.
Now, you can use the TS.


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## VE5MDH

Job done!

Thanks to everyone (including Les) who has shared their ideas with me today.

I duplicated Pete's process, I even worked the 4 sides, brought it to the band saw, set up my buckshee fence, set it to 1" and cut one side, then rotated it 90 deg, cut the other side and finished with an almost perfect 1" x 6" blank, I made myself from a piece of Caragana that was slated to be burnt to the ground in November!

I'd love to post a picture of my finished project, but as I took it to my wife to review, Lucky decided to take it to chew it. Oh well... I have more to work on now.

Thanks Pete for your suggestions! Spot On!

I now have a project to keep me busy during the winter months! FANTASTIC I say!

Michael


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## VE5MDH

GaryMGg said:


> Michael
> 
> You do not want to try the planer before the jointer on a limb.
> Create a flat on the jointer.
> Then,  put that face against the fence and joint the adjacent quadrant.
> Now, you can use the TS.



Thanks Gary! I've just dusted off the jointer, and it does a marvellous job! Took many more passes than I thought, but it was set at 1/32", nice tiny nibbles.

Love how it turned out!


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## VE5MDH

Curly said:


> Micheal
> Stickering is where you stack wood to dry with sticks across each layer of stacked wood a couple feet apart to let air pass through the stack. On the top of the pile weight is sometimes put on or straps cinched tight periodically to help keep the wood from warping.  On the big piles for lumber you use dry wood to prevent staining. So for the scale of wood you are drying you could just alternate the layers but dry wood 1/2" to 3/4" thick cut from some dry 1x or 2x material is still better. Put a couple bricks on top or something other dead weight you have around like a kid and you are all set to go. Depending on where the wood is a few months is probably enough time in this climate. If you want to dry some faster put it on a foil lined cookie sheet in the oven at the lowest / warm temperature and once in turn the oven off but leave the oven light on. That will keep it warm enough to dry the blank in a day or two. Well that applies to the old incandescent bulbs, I have no idea what is in a new style oven.  Drilling a 3/16 hole for slimline or 1/4 for bigger tubes will speed up the drying. You can then open the hole to size before glueing in the tubes.



This is turning out to be a highly informative session! Thanks for sharing, most of this info will be utilized!

BTW, the Jointer took care of my 6" pieces with no safety issues! (Though I was on high alert until I made a few passes to get it to start to flatten out - Can be hard to lay the second pass over the first one if your not fully tuned in and focused in on the show.

Thanks once again for saving the day (and the winter I'm not looking forward to!). I'll be busy cutting & stickering (thanks also for expanding today's vocabulary too).


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## Curly

Don't get too comfortable jointing 6" long pieces. They can "dive" into the cutter head at either end especially if the cut is aggressive or blades are getting dull. Most manuals that come with jointers warn against cutting stock less than 9" or 12" because it puts the fingers too close to the blades. If you must, clamp the short piece to a longer board and do both together. Jointing even 2" or 3" long pieces are safe that way. The Jorgensen parallel wood clamps are ideal for this because if they contact the cutter no harm comes to the machine. You also have the option of dusting off your hand plane or hand held power plane and flattening that way.


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## VE5MDH

Curly said:


> Don't get too comfortable jointing 6" long pieces. They can "dive" into the cutter head at either end especially if the cut is aggressive or blades are getting dull. Most manuals that come with jointers warn against cutting stock less than 9" or 12" because it puts the fingers too close to the blades. If you must, clamp the short piece to a longer board and do both together. Jointing even 2" or 3" long pieces are safe that way. The Jorgensen parallel wood clamps are ideal for this because if they contact the cutter no harm comes to the machine. You also have the option of dusting off your hand plane or hand held power plane and flattening that way.



Once again very true to your words!

Yes Pete, I did encounter multiple "Dives", though I am aware of this and ready for it. Normally happens on the starting cuts. I cut one down the pith on the band saw, and when I went to the jointer to get it flatter, it dove on me for the first 3 cuts.

Pete, you write:

"If you must, clamp the short piece to a longer board and do both together."

I'm only assuming that you mean to

A) Clamp the 6" stock to something like an 18" 2x4 up against the fence.

B) Or maybe something like a 1x4 and glue on a small block to hold the Jorgenson clamp?

C) Or do you have the jaws of the clamp ride along the fence?

I'm just trying to picture this concept in my head.

I hope I'm on the right track with your idea. Do you have a picture that you could share with us. You know... a picture is worth a 1,000 words.

Michael


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## TurtleTom

I make pen blanks from crepe myrtle the same size as what you are using.  I'm not comfortable cutting something this small on the table saw because there are no flats. It tends to bind the blade, but this is all I had for a long time till I got the band saw.   I cut it on the band saw using a flat sliding jig with 1 runner in the slot and a 2x4 across the back.  
   Cut them down the middle, assuming you have enough on either side to get at least one pen.   Once cut down the middle it will be easy to manage.  Then I go to the table saw because now I have 2 flat sides.  I cut it to 3/4" or as close as I can get considering the small size.  
   These small billets can be prone to grabbing and kickback on the table saw so watch carefully and be careful.


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## GaryMGg

I should add: *longer pieces.*
6" is dangerously short to joint. I expect 9-12" is minimum.




VE5MDH said:


> GaryMGg said:
> 
> 
> 
> Michael
> 
> You do not want to try the planer before the jointer on a limb.
> Create a flat on the jointer.
> Then,  put that face against the fence and joint the adjacent quadrant.
> Now, you can use the TS.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks Gary! I've just dusted off the jointer, and it does a marvellous job! Took many more passes than I thought, but it was set at 1/32", nice tiny nibbles.
> 
> Love how it turned out!
Click to expand...


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## VE5MDH

1080Wayne said:


> I use more caragana than any thing else . Please pardon me for suggesting it , but I think your thinking may be in a bit of a box . Small tree limbs by their nature are already almost round . Is there any point to sawing them square so that you can turn them round again on the lathe ?
> 
> Seal the ends of the stems , and store them as logs to dry . Even well sealed caragana will check , particularly as you go over 2 inch diameter . Cutting that size into 6 inch lengths and sealing the ends will probably only leave you with 4 inch of good wood .



At present, this is what I do. Totally agree, they come ready to turn! And I've turned a few, made one pen to date, then I read online about turning green wood, and how it will crack after a few weeks on the tube.

Well more than a few weeks have passed, and to date still not a single hairline fracture to be noticed. I have also rough turned more from the branch, and are just sitting on the sideline to see if they will crack. Once again, not a single crack.

I should note that my wood comes from a wind break that was ripped out of the ground to be burnt to the ground this November. The land owner has allowed me to salvage what I can from the pile.

To date, after work, as I pass by the pile I have my bowsaw at the ready and slice a few 4' lengths from the piles.

I bring them home and chop them up in 6" pieces then I dip them in Paraffin wax, place them in the attic of my shed.

This wood has been sitting in the field since early this spring. It is weathering real nice in the field.

I'm just very pleased with each and every 4' section I am able to score!

With your observation, I'll consider to cut the wood into 2' lengths, but as I have mentioned above, the wood has sat in the open since March this year, and anything that I have turned to date shows no problems, same goes with the wood that has been cut and stored away.

Good advice that I will use in my next batch, and those going forward.


Michael


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## Curly

It doesn't really matter how you hold the wood alongside the 2x as long as it is secured so it won't move and will pass over the cutter and between the guard and the fence. Hot glue, screws or a clamp will all work. The 2x can be against the fence or just ride on the on the table. I joint it first to make sure it is straight and then clamp/fasten it to the shorty sitting beside it, both touching the bench when I'm doing it. Both will then sit on the jointer table without rocking. The 2x is obviously sacrificed in the process of flattening the shorty. In the future leave the Caragana at least a foot or longer unless there is a curve, bend etc., to make life easier and safer. I wouldn't cut them to length until you need to because you get more from each piece. Each blank cut to fit the pen without tossing the little bits from each standard sized blank yields more. Less waste from cracking ends too.

I'll add that I can't give you any pictures because I just moved to Saskatoon and all my machines and most of the household is in 2 Big Steel Box containers until next year.


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## VE5MDH

Welcome to the neighbourhood, Pete! We travel to S'Toon for all of our needs. Would be nice to meet up down the road. Thanks for sharing all of your tips with us.

Michael


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## Curly

We're in S'toon in an apartment  but are in the process of buying 10 acres along highway 41 just before Aberdeen. House and shop to go up in spring and hopefully be in during the summer. We'll meet up sometime before then. When I get a chance I'll look to see what turning and woodworking clubs there are around here. Have fun with the Caragana.


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## Skie_M

No, I have no videos online.  But I do watch a good bit of online videos about woodworking and many other subjects.  I never did see the video you are describing, it just seemed like the proper steps to take to achieve the goal...  You see, I've been in the process of trying to figure out how to make these mesquite logs I brought home this summer into manageable pen blanks.  

I don't have a band saw, so that idea is out ... don't have a planer, so that won't work. I have a power miter saw, a table saw, a 1x30 belt sander, a drill press, and a lathe .... all from Harbor Freight Tools.  My chainsaw is a battery powered Black and Decker 20V Max, with a 10 inch bar ... the wood I have is roughly 7 inches diameter max, but MANY of the branches are quite a bit smaller and most have a good bit of the heart wood that I was looking for.

So you see, I simply laid out for you the process that I planned out for myself, once I'm out of smaller branches that I can just turn directly on the lathe.


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## BSea

VE5MDH said:


> Bob, I'm not too sure if you have experienced Caragana. Caragana is a shrub, and rarely is thicker than 2"-3". In the heart of a clump, at the base, yes there are 3-5 shoots that are near 4" in diameter at the base, but this stuff is far from Oak, Maple, Ash, Poplar or anything else that we consider a Tree, per say.
> 
> I know that Les in Red Deer works with Caragana, and I have reached out to him for his honoured advice, but I am also looking for the view points from others, like yourself who may or may not have worked with Caragana, but who also would like to share their advice on common sense. As it is common sense when it comes to slicing thin pieces of wood in a safe manor.
> 
> Bob, I'm not too sure how a 1/4" saw blade would be beneficial in slicing my thinner pieces of wood (6" in length, 2"-3" in diameter). Could you explain this idea further as to how it would assist my situation here?
> 
> Thanks for your time taken.
> 
> Michael


You're right, I didn't know what Caragana was.  Sorry, I thought you were saying that a 4" limb was as big as you wanted, not as big as you could expect to find.

And as far as the blade size, the wider the blade, the better for cutting straight.  I use a 1/2" blades my 14" bandsaw for resawing.  I'm not sure what the largest your saw recommends, but that's what I'd use to help keep the blade from wandering.  I buy Timberwolf blades.  They're much better than the blade that came with my saw.  

Hope this helps some.


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## sbwertz

My husband made me this sled for my bandsaw.







The log attaches to the pegboard with short screws and it has a tang that travels in the slot on the bandsaw table.






The jig slides in t-slots and there is a measuring tape inlaid into the base.


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## VE5MDH

BSea said:


> VE5MDH said:
> 
> 
> 
> Bob, I'm not too sure if you have experienced Caragana. Caragana is a shrub, and rarely is thicker than 2"-3". In the heart of a clump, at the base, yes there are 3-5 shoots that are near 4" in diameter at the base, but this stuff is far from Oak, Maple, Ash, Poplar or anything else that we consider a Tree, per say.
> 
> I know that Les in Red Deer works with Caragana, and I have reached out to him for his honoured advice, but I am also looking for the view points from others, like yourself who may or may not have worked with Caragana, but who also would like to share their advice on common sense. As it is common sense when it comes to slicing thin pieces of wood in a safe manor.
> 
> Bob, I'm not too sure how a 1/4" saw blade would be beneficial in slicing my thinner pieces of wood (6" in length, 2"-3" in diameter). Could you explain this idea further as to how it would assist my situation here?
> 
> Thanks for your time taken.
> 
> Michael
> 
> 
> 
> You're right, I didn't know what Caragana was.  Sorry, I thought you were saying that a 4" limb was as big as you wanted, not as big as you could expect to find.
> 
> And as far as the blade size, the wider the blade, the better for cutting straight.  I use a 1/2" blades my 14" bandsaw for resawing.  I'm not sure what the largest your saw recommends, but that's what I'd use to help keep the blade from wandering.  I buy Timberwolf blades.  They're much better than the blade that came with my saw.
> 
> Hope this helps some.
Click to expand...


Thanks Bob! Everything is working just well now. I'm using my Jointer to get two sides flat, then I move on to the band saw and make the other two cuts.

I have to work on the band saw a little more to get the right blank I'm looking for. Right now what I am ending up with is either 2 or 3 sides looking real nice, but the remainder is slightly off, leaving a bit of the bark on the blank.

Experience in this field will straighten up my minor present issue. It is good enough for me to work from to make a pen from, but they sure are an eye sore if they were to go to market!

Also, in some of the heartwood, it seems to experience some sort of wood rot, I could be totally wrong with my assessment, but that is just what it looks like to me. I'm doing a few test samples by soaking them in Wood Petrifier liquid, which is designed to harden rotted wood (mainly for wood decks). I've experimented with this product on some pine cones, and it sure stiffens them right up! Should turn out real nice on the Caragana wood. Not too sure if I'll ever purchase a vacuum for wood stabilization pending how this process turns out for me.

But overall, I'm pleased at how things are turning out. Great bunch of people who have offered me such wonderful ideas on how to do this as safe as we can expect!

Michael


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## Skie_M

Many trees and small shrubs have "heart wood" that is more of a pith in appearance and texture ... it's not very strong and when dried it shrivels up into nothing.  You may want to either use this as a "feature" and drill down the pith of the wood (for the smaller branches), or you can cut round it as you quarter the slightly larger 3 - 4 inch branches.

The wood doesn't have to look exactly PERFECT as long as it's useable.  Unfortunately, many people are set up to start from perfectly square blanks or perfectly round blanks, rather than somewhat out of round or off-square products.

It's actually fairly simple to do, though, if you think about it.  Just turn it round between centers and THEN chuck it in your jaws for further milling operations and drilling.


Also, when prepping them for market .... if you want them to look pretty, just turn them round yourself.


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## VE5MDH

Great looking sled, Sharon! Thanks for sharing.

Mind you, the slab in the photo seems to be about 4" to 6" round. I could fit 4 to 8 Caragana's in that area. So, I'll bee looking to make a similar sled, but downsized somewhat. I've watched a few YouTube's on making sleds for the band saw, very close to your's.

For the time being, I'm making strides. I've cut about 15 blanks now, with about half that amount as real nice cut blanks. The others, as Skie_M has mentioned above, are not as nice, though they should all finish to be real nice pens in the end. Curvature of the wood, so there is a streak of bark on the blank, which will be turned down once on the lathe, or even the Disc / Belt Sander.

I'm truly tickled pink with the great ideas here!


Michael


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## VE5MDH

Skie_M said:


> Many trees and small shrubs have "heart wood" that is more of a pith in appearance and texture ... it's not very strong and when dried it shrivels up into nothing.  You may want to either use this as a "feature" and drill down the pith of the wood (for the smaller branches), or you can cut round it as you quarter the slightly larger 3 - 4 inch branches.
> 
> The wood doesn't have to look exactly PERFECT as long as it's useable.  Unfortunately, many people are set up to start from perfectly square blanks or perfectly round blanks, rather than somewhat out of round or off-square products.
> 
> It's actually fairly simple to do, though, if you think about it.  Just turn it round between centers and THEN chuck it in your jaws for further milling operations and drilling.
> 
> 
> Also, when prepping them for market .... if you want them to look pretty, just turn them round yourself.



Just wondering with the Pith powder stuff, is it best to just avoid it altogether, or can it be successfully used if it were stabilized? For now, I have selected to set a few aside to see if stabilizing the wood in Wood Petrifier will do the job, as well with the remainder of the lot, I just cut around the powder pith (when I can drive my fingernail into the wood, I tend to classify the wood as powdered pith, even though most is not at that stage yet - as you say, as it dries up, it will shrivel up to nothing (powder)).

I sure agree with you on your second paragraph! When I go to Lee Valley Tools, and look at the blanks, you don't expect to see flaws in the wood that your paying that price for! I totally agree. But nothing says that I can't take an odd piece and turn a pen from it! It just needs a little love from my lathe!

As for para 3, I have a beautiful Barracuda chuck set that I have yet to use on the lathe! Now if that's not ABUSE, I don't know what is! Some day I'll get around to seeing the power of what that set can do for me! But, realistically, I'm thinking more so towards next summer before I investigate the Barracuda system out. It's starting to get real cold out here in Saskatchewan, and when your working from an unheated shed, well...

I have turned a couple into dowels, and they sure do look interesting indeed!

Great advice all round!


Michael


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## TurtleTom

*My sled*

I have a much simpler sled on my 18" band saw.  No screws required, pressure from the blade prevents the bolt of wood from moving.  Anyway I hold it secure as I push the sled.
I'm not making veneer, just blocks of wood to take to the table saw.


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## VE5MDH

Here is an update on how things are turning out...





Sorry for the blurred image, I think I was just too close to the blanks.

2nd from the left shows a bit of the bark, as I mentioned above. The one on the right has a minor imperfection.

So now that they have been laying in the field since March ready to be burnt to the ground, I think I did a good job to rescue these blanks from the doom of the flame! Now I will wax the ends and store them in the attic of my workshop shed.

I'm pleased with the outcome. BTW these were cut just slightly larger than 3/4" on the BS.

If I'm lucky enough to score more wood in the future, I shall heed the advice of others here, and cut 1" squares. I also like the idea of drying the wood in longer lengths, and cut as required down the road.

Sure they are not perfect specimens, but I'm also sure that these will turn out to be fine pens in time!

Your thoughts?...


Michael


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## TurtleTom

I have a toaster oven I stack those in and warm at 150 degrees till dry.  90 min ought to do it.  I prop the door open 3/8" to let humidity out.  It works very well for me.


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## 1080Wayne

Look like perfectly acceptable plain caragana blanks to me . Even better ones would look a lot worse . 

Don`t worry about the wood hardness and powdery pith . If it will stay together for sawing , it can always be hardened with thin CA , or stabilized . I just use thin CA . It only has to be stabilized if it cannot be sawn without it falling apart .


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## mark james

I have not commented as I had no "hidden" knowledge, but I have been following this thread - THANK YOU to all who contributed!  Very informative.

Michael...  The blanks look great!  I especially like the color variations between the heartwood and sapwood.  Yes, these should make very nice turnings.


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## Skie_M

Also keep in mind, if you plan to use those blanks as is with the two-tone coloration ... Sometimes the heartwood and the sapwood will have different hardnesses.

This is certainly the case with mesquite wood.  The central heart (dark reddish coloring) is extremely hard, like purpleheart, while the sapwood close to the bark (yellowish wood) is much softer, like pine.  The thinner branches have more sapwood than heartwood, while the trunk has a huge amount of heartwood and almost no sapwood round the sides anymore.


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## VE5MDH

Oh, they turn like butter! This past summer I experimented with a few turns on the Caragana. Since this wood has been out in the elements since the springtime, most of the moisture has left the wood. It was a nice brutal hot summer! Out of the rough turns I did (I have not finished turning to the bushings yet) I just wanted to see how they turned. Of the ones I turned, 1 exploded while I was turning on centers. Since I don't have a 60 deg dead center, I think that I just used the stock one with the lathe (sharp point in the centre, 4 bites on the outside). As I say, I was just experimenting around. The ones I drilled and put on the mandrel turned out real nice, though not completed.

It's the pith that I have to watch out for. That is what I think happened on the one that exploded on me. I think the carbide caught a small section of what I would call rotted pith, bit in and wouldn't let go - Instant Explosion of fibres!

It's all a learning game, and I'm making great strides. I'm in no rush to finish a pen right now. At present I just want to learn the envelope of what I can get away with with this wood, and try to ensure to the best of my ability to ensure I stay at least one notch away from danger! It sure is fun.

Oh, and I used the Toaster Oven to see how much moisture was still around, and so I used the simple formula of 150F for 90 Minutes, and on the ones I weighed, the max loss was just 1g! The largest blanks (1"x1"x6") weighed in at 74g. Came out at 73g. So they are quite dry.

Michael


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