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Fat Lighter Wood

G

gran

Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
116
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1
Location
Dothan, Alabama
In the deep south we have a lot of what is refered to as fat lighter wood. It is the old hearts out of very old pines(I think). It is the same stuff that you see packaged as firewood lighter sticks. I have several large sections that were dug out of the bottom of my pond when we redug it several years ago.

My question is, has anyone tried to turn this stuff? Or should I just use it for fireplace use.
 
These are more like stumps. Not sure what the difference is but this is the same stuff as you see for fireplace lighters. It doesn't rot and burns realllllly well. The wood is highly aromatic. I think that it is what is left after heart is cut down. Maybe someone knows more about the difference between the two.
 
It is very difficult to work with. First, be very careful if you decide to put it on your lathe. It comes apart at the rings a fairly low speeds. Sands like wet glue. Go directly to fireplace & save yourself some grief.
 
I'd vote for giving it a shot. Very sharp tools, light cut, see what you get. Worst thing that will happen (if you're going at a slow speed and wearing a face mask) is a scary moment or two. Also, might gum up your tools but you can burn them clean if they're HSS.

I kinda follow the maxim of "I'll turn anything, once." 'cept rock or metal, of course. Turned a potato at a fair last year. Worked surprisingly well.

Dietrich
 
Hi Gran,

Living in Central Alabama I have cut up a fair amount of lighter in my day. Knowing how bad that it will gum up a chain saw, I don't think I would want it in my shop all over my lathe! I would advise caution if you try it because of how easily it splits along the grain. As others have said - very sharp tools and light cuts.

As a point of interest to others that do not know our yellow pine. There is an industry formed here in the south that follows the timber crews after time is allowed for rosin build up in the cut off stumps. They pull these stumps up using hydraulic equipment. The stumps are then sent to a processing plant to have the terpene extracted. They are so full of terpene (rosin) this is actually a profitable enterprise. Put a log size piece of this in your fireplace and you will probably burn the house down!!

Wilford
 
Alpine

Gran,

I'm located in Talladega County about 40 miles east of Birminham and about 10 miles south of the druken Redneck race track (guess you can figure I'm not a NASCAR fan!). As a teenager my dad worked at Troy State University so know your area well - actually this goes so far back he went to work for Troy State College - let's not discuss how many years that was!!!

Wilford
 
I love fat lighter, hard stuff to come by, even here in pine-laden Charleston SC.

Turned a potato at a fair last year. Worked surprisingly well.
Click to expand...

Hey Dietrich, how about turning some fat lighter while it's burning? Now THAT would be something to watch at the fair, all those little flaming meteorites chipping off the blank. 😀

BTW, have you ever turned soapstone or alabaster? I've seen it done, they work suprizingly well and you don't even have to use Anchorseal! I've been told that if you can cut it with a bandsaw, you can turn it.
 
BTW, have you ever turned soapstone or alabaster? I've seen it done, they work suprizingly well and you don't even have to use Anchorseal! I've been told that if you can cut it with a bandsaw, you can turn it.
Click to expand...

From the Upstate to the Low Country, Redfish. The rule about turning alabaster and soapstone is " do it on someone else's lathe". The dust eats bearings alive. :cool2:
 
soapstone

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Redfish said:
I love fat lighter, hard stuff to come by, even here in pine-laden Charleston SC.



Hey Dietrich, how about turning some fat lighter while it's burning? Now THAT would be something to watch at the fair, all those little flaming meteorites chipping off the blank. 😀

BTW, have you ever turned soapstone or alabaster? I've seen it done, they work suprizingly well and you don't even have to use Anchorseal! I've been told that if you can cut it with a bandsaw, you can turn it.
Click to expand...
Hey Redfish Intrested in turning soapstone?
If turned it for about 2yrs. now and still got all of my bearings, Give me a call.
 
soapstone or alabaster

Has anyone else turned rocks?
I have turned lots of soapstone and alabaster and some that I don't even know what they were. If it's fairly soft I'll try it. I've even turned Lava (wonderstone) and love it!
I feel like a kid on Christmas morning turning off my lathe to see what colors and designs have come out when I get through sanding them.
I've never been on a forum and would like to visit with others who enjoy the same passion as myself. 😛
 
I love working with items that are different on the lathe. I've worked with cow bone and hoof, brass washers and attended a demonstration on working with Talc and Alabaster by Lee Carter. We have a talc quarry and processing plant about 3 miles fromt the farm and I am planning on stopping by and trying to obtain some pieces of talc from them for turning. It is a fascinating material and since you don't have to worry about the "grain" my wife has even expressed an interest in trying a piece.

Wilford
 
talc

I have had good luck epoxying soapstone and alabaster to a piece of waste wood. I have gotten pretty rough with it and haven't lost any yet.
I have had it come apart twice so be carefull. 😱
I haven't turned talc yet but I know it is soft, if it's crumbly I won't even try. But if it makes a fine powder with a file it's probably ok.
I start at a low rpm (540) and when it is balanced I crank it up to about 1550 and feel comfortable
I have a lot of fun with it because it's so soft and easy to turn, I get it so thin that you can see colors through it! If there is no obvious (gapping) fault lines it's pretty tough.
Let me know how you like it and maybe we can trade some alabaster and talc. A respirator or dust mask is a must.
Be safe, Uncle "T"
 
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talc

Wilford Bickel said:
I love working with items that are different on the lathe. I've worked with cow bone and hoof, brass washers and attended a demonstration on working with Talc and Alabaster by Lee Carter. We have a talc quarry and processing plant about 3 miles fromt the farm and I am planning on stopping by and trying to obtain some pieces of talc from them for turning. It is a fascinating material and since you don't have to worry about the "grain" my wife has even expressed an interest in trying a piece.

Wilford
Click to expand...
Hi Wilford would you be intrested in selling some talc?
I will be willing to pay 1$ a lb. and shipping.
What kind of color or colors does it have ?
I haven't turned talc yet but I've been turning other minerals and if anyone can turn me on to some new stuff I will pay.
 
My wife had major surgery last month and doing the house work and her chores has kept me from being able to go to talc plant. She is now doing much better and getting out so I may send her by to deal with them. Sometimes she gets much better deals than I do! I'll let you know when we get with them.

Wilford
 
Seen a video on turning Alabaster and imagine this method would work fine for talc. Take the rough turned blank, imerse it in a solution of water and white glue, and apply vacume. This will draw the glue into any hairline cracks or porous sections. Let dry for a week or two and go at it. This is supposed to help reduce the likelyhood of the piece coming apart and should not change the color or transparency.

Good luck,
Dietrich
 
Wilford Bickel said:
I love working with items that are different on the lathe...
Click to expand...

I turned a cute little finial for the end of a flag pole out of UHMW polyethelene. Talk about smooth cutting! Problem was the waste comes off in one continuous string and wraps itself around the spindle, the tool, the toolrest... it's like woodturning while someone shoots a can of silly string at you. 🙂
 
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