Any woodworkers in here?

[Cervid]

Besides the wood I’ve found for free, I’ve had good luck visiting small scale hardwood mills and getting off cuts fairly cheaply. Any place that will sell you a bowl blank will probably charge an arm and a leg, though this can be the easiest way to get exotic woods or types that don’t grow in your area.

 

[MTlan66]

Apple is another great wood that can be found fairly easily sometimes

 

[IdahoElk]

I started out making simple bird houses with inexpensive 1X pine at your sons age with my grandpa, Learning the basics first will give your son a solid foundation to try harder projects, Bowls are not for beginners in my opinion, Good luck and have fun.

 

[offthebeatenpath]

I run a custom cabinet shop here in Montana, and I've been in the wood business one way or another for twenty some years. It's fun and addicting for sure. It's been awhile since I've had access to a lathe, but I have grown pretty fond of doing some spoon carving. So far, I've replaced just about every large cooking utensil that was plastic or steel with something I made, including a few steel spoons with wood handles that I just cold-forged (beat with a hammer) until I liked the shape.
What I've been doing is roughing out a bunch of spoons on the bandsaw and throwing them in our camping box for during the summer. It's a pretty great camp activity to be sitting around with something to do with my hands.

 

[Chris in TN]

Well this is addicting….




ETA: and I found a huge cherry log downed in a ditch today. May have to go cut a hunk of it.

Everything in that picture is cedar or maple except the larger bowl which is elm.

 

[AZDC]

I run a custom cabinet shop here in Montana, and I've been in the wood business one way or another for twenty some years. It's fun and addicting for sure. It's been awhile since I've had access to a lathe, but I have grown pretty fond of doing some spoon carving. So far, I've replaced just about every large cooking utensil that was plastic or steel with something I made, including a few steel spoons with wood handles that I just cold-forged (beat with a hammer) until I liked the shape.
What I've been doing is roughing out a bunch of spoons on the bandsaw and throwing them in our camping box for during the summer. It's a pretty great camp activity to be sitting around with something to do with my hands.

I also enjoy whittling and carving just got into it. Have done a bird and a red chili pepper so far. Actually one of my goals this year is to do one carving a month.

 

[AZDC]

I have some other projects planned for this year. I’ve done a bit of turning on a regular lathe and I bet I’d enjoy wood turning too.

 

[MTlan66]

Well this is addicting….


View attachment 1000920

ETA: and I found a huge cherry log downed in a ditch today. May have to go cut a hunk of it.

Everything in that picture is cedar or maple except the larger bowl which is elm.

Well done! Looks like your woodworking budget might end up in competition with your gun budget…

 

[Son657]

Awesome starter setup for you and your 9 year old HF 1/2hp lathe with that custom table and tools is a great low pressure way to learn together. Eastern red cedar from your firewood pile is perfect for first projects: it's soft, aromatic, turns easily, smells great, and makes nice bowls or candlesticks just seal well since it's a softwood and can dent.
Your first question blanks for simple bowls: Grab kiln dried ones to skip waiting drying drama start with forgiving hardwoods like soft maple easy to turn, pretty grain, beginner favorite or poplar cheap, forgiving, but plain. For a bit more wow, go cherry or walnut smooth, beautiful finish. Reliable spots:
Woodcraft.com or Rockler.com solid selection, good prices on domestic bowl blanks.
Buy a 6x6x3" or similar cheap "practice" blank $20-40to destroy learning, then one nicer for the real bowl attempt.

Your second question prioritize species for future drying: From your list, top picks for turning bowls easy, durable, nice results:
Red maple soft maple-ish, turns well, good grain.
Persimmon super hard domestic ebony feel, cuts smooth, premium for grips bowls worth the effort despite hardness.
Honey locust hard, clean cuts, nice color figure.
American elm gorgeous when figured, underrated for bowls.
Hickory tough, turns well with sharp tools great for durable pieces
Peach pretty, but fruitwoods can crack dry slow.

 

[Beendare]

My dad had a lathe and we used to glue up a bunch of hardwood scraps from pallets and such to make blanks for the lathe.