Lacewood Woes

[GeorgeH]

LOML visited Woodcraft with me and liked the grain of "Lacewood". So I picked up a piece to see how it turns. I find it easy enough to turn but frustrating. It is terribly rough (I should have expected that based on the number of small splinters I received loading it into the car) and is not finishing well at all. Anyone with experience turning this material that could offer suggestions. I have it rough turned and it would ordinarily be ready to begin sanding at this stage but taking it to 120 grit is so disappointing that I'm wondering it it's worth the time to take it further.

 

[jcooper]

Buying your blanks from Woodcraft? you must be rich!
But all kidding aside, it's fine i've done it too. You have to be careful with lacewood because of its toxicity. The first time i ever pushed some through a jointer i recieved some burning rashes. Nothing hospital serious, but damn uncomfortable. I have turned a hollow vessel lid out of the Lacewood (also known as leapord wood) since then. I ended up not using the lid because i hated the way it looked. It had the appearance of quarter sawn oak once turned; probably because the fabulous grain was meant to be showed off in straight segments (i.e. it the grain isn't as dramatic once turned, and the color isn't light enough or deep enough to add any contrast or pazzaz to my piece.
I don't recall having finishing problems, but hey, i only turned a 2 inch diameter piece. All i can tell you is to protect your lungs. I am such you can handle a little skin irritation; (its the price we sometimes pay for our masterpieces). But i wouldn't jeopordize my lungs with the stuff!. Happy turning and have fun!
-Jon

 

[Brodie Brickey]

Leopardwood and lacewood are two separate species. They look similar and for that reason leopardwood which is less expensive is sometimes used in place of lacewood. If you have a spindle turning, I'd try a cabinet scraper. Otherwise, re-sharpen and ride the bevel.

I've turned leopard and had similar difficulties. The ray flecks sand quite differently from the rest of the wood.

 

[jwitnberg]

I have turned a dozen or so pieces, mostly rice bowls and covered containers, out of lacewood and do not find it particularly difficult to work with. I use a freshly sharpened tool to take a couple final light passes over the surface to clean up any tear out then sand starting at 120 or 150 grit. Sand lightly since the wood is very soft and you can change the shape of your piece if you are not careful. I sand through to 500 grit then finish with a few coats of Watco oil to bring out the shimmer in the "lace" and darken the softer background material. If you are planning to finish the piece in oil you will need to repeatedly flood the surface to saturate the wood. It sucks up an impressive amount of oil. After the piece stops taking oil I wipe it off a few times over several hours then set it aside for a day or two to dry.Once dry I wet sand it with oil and 600 grit then buff it on the lathe. After a few days drying I wax the piece.

I rarely finish lacewood with anything but oil and wax. The grain pattern of the wood telegraphed through the finish on the few lacquered bowls I tried. If I am doing a lacquer finish I start with the oil to bring out the grain, and let it dry for a week or more, then spray two coats of sanding sealer, sand and start building up coats of lacquer letting it dry overnight and sanding between coats. It takes a dozen or so coats to get a really smooth finish. Even at this the texture will reappear eventually as the finish drys and shrinks.

I have only tried leopard wood once and found it unpleasant to work. It is coarser and darker then lacewood and lacks the delicate grain pattern.

Jan

 

[waltben]

Lacewood

I've only done one piece a long time ago, about a 6" diameter enclosed form bowl with a flat top to show the figure. I also didn't have problems with the wood, but didn't try getting a smooth finish either. The texture seemed too much like oak to even try. I remember that sanding went better once I got past about 150 grit. And the piece also came from Woodcraft. I never tried anything else with that spieces since.

Walt

 

[Doc Ron]

lacewood pens

I have turned two pens from lacewood, and had no particular problem with it. I felt I needed, as usual, to keep the tools sharp to prevent tearout of the unevenly hard grain. Haven't tried anything larger.

 

[Gretch Flo]

laceood

Is this the same as London Plane????? I have heard LP also called "lacewood". My daughter's in-laws cut down their diseased LP a couple of years ago. Naturally I was there, and the tree surgeon cut me some nice pieces, and loaded my minivan up. The quarter sawn areas had nice lacing, but the rest was rather boring. I let the logs sit after turning the "in-laws" a 15 inch salad bowl and 6 small individual bowls(kinda boring except in spots). No problem with turning, altho soft. I cut up more this summer and it had spalted quite nicely. I had more tear out tho, requiring more sanding. It is rather blackish and alot more interesting, although I think I was out of the lacewood zone for a large shallow bowl., Gretch

 

[n7bsn]

Is this the same as London Plane????? I have heard LP also called "lacewood"....

Ah no, Lacewood

 

[Aaron G+11]

Pretty wood. Lousy rash. Quite similar to poison ivy. The rash that is.

 

[Barbara Gill]

London Plane and Sycamore are in the same family; in fact, Sycamore is sometimes called American Plane. London plane is a hybrid. It was used as a street tree in Europe where it originated. Sycamore has a beautiful ray fleck pattern when quarter or rift sawn.