Osage-Orange work
#11
Anyone worked with Osage-Orange?  I am trying, but it is so hard I might give up.   I have a log about 4 feet long. I cut off about 15 inches to turn a bowl.  While trying to rough it I managed to wreck the ¾ re-saw blade.  Trying to square up ends it rolled on me and put a twist/kink in it.  I then used my ¼ inch blade to split it.  I then attempted to square up the end on the half log.  It jammed half way and kinked that.  I ended up using sawzall to trim enough to fit on my 1236 jet.  There’s more!  I spent several hours over a few daze trying to get it balanced.  I finally cut enough to bring the speed up to the next step from the slowest speed.  I still don’t understand what happened.  I was doing light cuts taking my time, BANG!  The tool rest holder snapped in two pieces.   
No
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#12
I've worked with osage orange. I had a much smaller piece though. Yes, it was hard but it didn't snap a tool rest and I had no problems with cutting it on a bandsaw. I would think with a catch bad enough to snap a tool rest you'd take chunk out of the end of the tool before the tool rest snapped.
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#13
(01-07-2018, 09:50 AM)crokett™ Wrote: I've worked with osage orange.  I had a much smaller piece though.  Yes, it was hard but it didn't snap a tool rest and I had no problems with cutting it on a bandsaw.  I would think with a catch bad enough to snap a tool rest you'd take  chunk out of the end of the tool before the tool rest snapped.

I’ve heard lots of people snapping tool rests. Usually cheap cast ones. Like the ones that come with harbor freight lathes etc.  obviously he got a bad catch. 

Osage is hard. Especially dry Osage. So is dry pecan.   What were you doing to it with a 3/4” resale blade?

However even dry and hard proper with proper tool technique and sharp tools it’s never been a problem.  Not fun but not a problem like you had
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#14
You don't want to cut something that will roll on a bandsaw. You have to attach it to something that will stabilize it.
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#15
(01-07-2018, 09:47 AM)peter-m Wrote: Anyone worked with Osage-Orange?  I am trying, but it is so hard I might give up.   I have a log about 4 feet long. I cut off about 15 inches to turn a bowl.  While trying to rough it I managed to wreck the ¾ re-saw blade.  Trying to square up ends it rolled on me and put a twist/kink in it.  I then used my ¼ inch blade to split it.  I then attempted to square up the end on the half log.  It jammed half way and kinked that.  I ended up using sawzall to trim enough to fit on my 1236 jet.  There’s more!  I spent several hours over a few daze trying to get it balanced.  I finally cut enough to bring the speed up to the next step from the slowest speed.  I still don’t understand what happened.  I was doing light cuts taking my time, BANG!  The tool rest holder snapped in two pieces.   
No

You have a chainsaw for the initial cuts?  Make your parallel face and bottom cuts with it before you take the piece to the lathe.  Also a good idea to undercut the long grain ends for better balance, too, though you can do it on the bandsaw, later.  

Keep your toolrest as tight to the piece as you can - ALWAYS.  Move it in as you reduce irregularities.  Remember to cut downhill.  If you do that, you don't need to add rpm, which only increases energy available to break the rest or feed you the tool handle on a catch.
Better to follow the leader than the pack. Less to step in.
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#16
I have done a ton of Osage Orange/Bois D' Arc/Hedge Apple/Horse Apple...
It IS hard, but i've never had any real problems with it. I also use a jig-built sled for cutting round items on a band saw. Prevents them from rolling on you.

GM
The only tool I have is a lathe.  Everything else is an accessory.
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#17
I am sort of new to wood turning and band saw stuff.  In the past summer I picked up a used Jet 1236 lath for $500 with cheap hand tools.  I am happy with the lathe.  I have bought a few new Sorby tools.  It was not the tool rest, it was the tool rest holder.  I’ve order a new one.  I was using a heavy roudnose scraper at the time level at center.  I was working it for about 10-15 minutes before it happened.

As for the band saw I bought a new 14dx Laguna about a year ago.  Until you asked the ¾ question, I realize what I did. I should             NOT have used the re-saw blade cutting across end grain to square up the ends.  I believe it is only a 3H blade.  I guess I got lazy.  All so I only shaved about a 3 inch flat on the jointer.  I need to make a sled to hold something like that. 
The cherry bowl was my first attempt at bowl turning (poor quality pic).  Thanks for your time, Pete


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#18
Where do you live? There may be a turner nearby that can help you out.

GM
The only tool I have is a lathe.  Everything else is an accessory.
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#19
I’ve made some big pieces with it (20” +). It is very hard, but not that bad to turn. The thing that disappointed me is the bright yellow turns brown.
VH07V  
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#20
I remembered that the jet 1236 is a Reeve's drive, but I had never noticed that cantilever widgit that goes between the toolrest and the banjo before.

First, be sure that you do the lubrication and other maintenance items on the Reeve's drive.

Second, I would guess that the thing that holds the toolrest had a fatigue failure. It would have been having a lot of flexure while roughing a half-log with a scraper.

Once you have a half-log, put it flat side down on the bandsaw table. Cut a circle out of cardboard about the width of the log or a bit smaller. Center that cardboard circle on the half-log and pin it in place through its center with a scratch awl (or a nail). Use the cardboard as a guide to cut out the circular rough for the lathe.

If you are going to rough between centers, remember to remove the bark down to solid wood where the center is going to be on that side.

Will you be using a chuck or a faceplate to turn the bowl once you get it roughed?

I will also echo the "where are you?" question. Lots of us would be willing to give you a hand getting over the initial learning curve safely.
"the most important safety feature on any tool is the one between your ears." - Ken Vick

A wish for you all:  May you keep buying green bananas.
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