What’s on your lathe?

[Kent Reisdorph]

The Wood Database has a page on fluorescence: https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/fluorescence-a-secret-weapon-in-wood-identification/

Black locust and honey locust are the most fluorescent in terms of domestic hardwoods. Sassafras, coffetree, mesquite, olive, pistachio, and eastern redbud, are a few more.

 

[Michael Anderson]

The Wood Database has a page on fluorescence: https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/fluorescence-a-secret-weapon-in-wood-identification/

Black locust and honey locust are the most fluorescent in terms of domestic hardwoods. Sassafras, coffetree, mesquite, olive, pistachio, and eastern redbud, are a few more.

Here's an old forum thread on the topic:

Black Light on Wood Grain

Ever tried holding a black light to piece of wood to see if it affects the grain? I was told that Honey Locust shines like gold. Haven't tried it yet since I don't have Honey Locust. But I did find something interesting when I held it up to some Red Bud wood...

www.aawforum.org

 

[Rick Moreton]

I have even seen some small fluorescent streaks in soft maple when using UV curing resin to fill a hole. Not enough to be impressive, but noticable up close.

 

[Phil Hamel]

Had just enough left over maple to make a gold fish urn and the bottom of a mini box. Will make a lid later. They measure about 1 1/2 x 1 1/2.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

Took this off the lathe yesterday. First time w koa. Wenge pewa and copper epoxy. Beautiful wood.

 

[DON FRANK]

Piece of rock maple left over from the clock project.

I received this beautiful slightly spalted Mango blank from a friend a while ago. Finally got it on the lathe. It's only a couple of inches thick, so mounted via a glue block preserve as much wood as possible. It's one of those"saving it for the right project" blanks. I'm excited for what it hopefully will become.

View attachment 65652

Mike, you ought to glue a waste block on that piece to get a little more out of it. I have a piece of mango I brought back from hawaii last year but haven't done anything with it yet.

 

[Michael Anderson]

Mike, you ought to glue a waste block on that piece to get a little more out of it. I have a piece of mango I brought back from hawaii last year but haven't done anything with it yet.

Oh I definitely did, and then it was just barely enough. It’s on the headstock side in the photo. I’ve worked with mango a few times. For how porous it is, it turns and finishes really nicely. A lot of wild colors show through.

 

[Gary Beasley]

I’ve also seen flame box elder fluoresce, the red flame doing all the glowing.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I’ve also seen flame box elder fluoresce, the red flame doing all the glowing.

Well, I'll be damned. It sure enough does. Orange and pink.

 

[John Ames]

Interesting stuff on fluorescence…

Does the fluorescence diminish/fade over time like how purpleheart turns brown over time?

Or is it permanent feature of these species?

 

[Sam Fleisher]

And just in case anyone is wondering what sparkling green unicorn spit looks like on spalted maple...... Here you go!

You'll have to excuse the poor picture. I only took a video and this is a picture of a paused video. (too lazy to go back to the shop and take a real pic)

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Well, I'll be damned. It sure enough does. Orange and pink.

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Man.... I have some big blanks of this that I've been dragging my feet on. Now I'm going to have to do something with one just to see.. Or not. They're in the garage behind stuff hard to get to etc..

 

[Michael Anderson]

Does the fluorescence diminish/fade over time like how purpleheart turns brown over time?

From what I read, it fades over time just like color.

 

[Gary Beasley]

Grabbed a small cedar log and started in on a banana bowl. Needs sanding and a finish yet.

 

[Gary Beasley]

From what I read, it fades over time just like color.

I have some maybe ten year old tasmanian blackwood pen blanks that still glow. And this box elder is at least five.
Also see that mulberry has a weak glow too.

 

[Michael Anderson]

@Gary Beasley nice! I guess I meant if they were in sunlight the fluorescence would fade. Or at least fade from original glow. That boxelder still has its red so I’m assuming it’s been protected from the sunlight?

 

[Norm Marentette]

Driving by a house down the road and a ton of sycamore! Owner said take as much as you like. Well I just can't pass up free wood, got to learn to say no. But I didn't as you can see. Ended up with 21 nuggets. Started turning first 2 today. Base of tree is about 5 feet in diameter. Just worked on pieces at road. Had to cut them in half and remove pith they were so large to start with.

 

[Norm Marentette]

Todays project ended up around 12 inch dia. by 9 inches in height. No finish yet. Nugget was heavy! 10 inches thick by 15" dia.

 

[Norm Marentette]

Second was a roughed out bowl. Haven't done one for awhile.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

Todays project ended up around 12 inch dia. by 9 inches in height. No finish yet. Nugget was heavy! 10 inches thick by 15" dia.

That little faceplate was enough? How long were the screws?

 

[Gary Beasley]

@Gary Beasley nice! I guess I meant if they were in sunlight the fluorescence would fade. Or at least fade from original glow. That boxelder still has its red so I’m assuming it’s been protected from the sunlight?

Its been inside. If anyone has some sunbrowned FBE maybe they can check this out..

 

[Norm Marentette]

That little faceplate was enough? How long were the screws?

1/4" long stainless steel screws. Use all 6 holes in 3 inch faceplate. Screw was a. no. 12 I think, fits hole snug in faceplate and holds tight when applied. Haven't had a problem in 3 years using this method for large heavy blanks. Also use tailstock at same time to limit any vibration and for safety. Don't use this for all roughing blanks depends on what type of wood and mostly wet freshly cut wood.

 

[robo hippy]

Norm, sycamore is one wood where the 10% rule for twice turning does not work. The weight is because it holds so much water. If you quarter saw it, the medullary ray flecking can be spectacular, so bowl bottom towards the pith rather than to the outside. Makes for great platters.

robo hippy

 

[Gary Beasley]

Interesting fact here. Ambrosia lines and spalting also glows under blacklight. I have a feeling as more people use the uv cured resins we’re going to find more examples.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Of course black (and honey) locust is the gold standard. Sorry for the crappy photo.

 

[Tom Gall]

That little faceplate was enough? How long were the screws?

My thought as well. Looking at the photo, if that is a 12"Ø blank that faceplate looks like a 2 incher (or less). If a 3" faceplate that blank is larger than 12" - either way - same problem!

 

[Norm Marentette]

Norm, sycamore is one wood where the 10% rule for twice turning does not work. The weight is because it holds so much water. If you quarter saw it, the medullary ray flecking can be spectacular, so bowl bottom towards the pith rather than to the outside. Makes for great platters.

robo hippy

Thanks for the tip! How thick would you cut a rough platter, for twice turning? For bowls should I increase the 10% rule?

 

[John Parker]

5 nails and a 6” x 9” walnut hollow form on the lathe😁. As soon as I heard the click I knew what it was, stopped and dug out 5 nails. Going to put the metal detector on the other half 😁.
View attachment 64987

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Once found 48 nails in a burly Box Elder tree I salvaged.

 

[Ted Pelfrey]

17.5” ambrosia maple. Very wide rim platter that’s going to be carved.

 

[Robert Lindstadt]

well here the piece getting finished up from the demo I did for our club!

 

[Pat Wisniewski]

Another wedding platter…

 

[Leo Van Der Loo]

1/4" long stainless steel screws. Use all 6 holes in 3 inch faceplate. Screw was a. no. 12 I think, fits hole snug in faceplate and holds tight when applied. Haven't had a problem in 3 years using this method for large heavy blanks. Also use tailstock at same time to limit any vibration and for safety. Don't use this for all roughing blanks depends on what type of wood and mostly wet freshly cut wood.

Norm, well done, I have used a 4 inch faceplate for much larger blanks with 1 inch screws many times and for many years, as long as you are working with sound wood that is plenty.
Sycamore is a rather stable wood, I liken it to Silver Maple, as being much like that.

Here are a couple pictures of a Sycamore bowl I turned, 20 inch and rough turned to a 2 inch thick wall.
This shows the 4 inch faceplate and the 1 inch screws I have used numerous times.

This shows the rough turned shape that I turned a recess in to hold it in my Oneway chuck.



This picture shows the new turned bowl and then the fully dry one without any finish on it, you can see the 2 inch wall I used, it shows that I could have gone with a much thinner wall, there is no warping and nearly no shape change.


.

 

[robo hippy]

Thanks for the tip! How thick would you cut a rough platter, for twice turning? For bowls should I increase the 10% rule?

Well, I turn to final thickness and let them dry and warp. Not sure how to do a twice turned piece with sycamore. I know you can boil it, which generally is 1 hour for each inch of thickness, then let it come back to room temps in the water before removing, then seal and store till dry. Do make sure to round over all edges. The thing I don't like about boiling is that it seems to muddle the colors together. I turn mostly green madrone which warps insanely and it has a lot of color. The sycamore is usually kind of bland, other than the flecking. A quarter sawn piece might be more stable, but I don't really know.

robo hippy

 

[Phil Hamel]

Picked up a bunch more maple. This stuff is all dried and planed!! Started making something right away!

 

[Phil Hamel]

Neighbor dropped off a piece of branch that fell in his yard. Free wood day![not sure what it is?]
Can't believe the grain and chatoyance in this! He likes light houses so that's what he will get. Can't wait to try making a box or dish with the leftovers.

 

[Kevin Jesequel]

View attachment 65729Interesting fact here. Ambrosia lines and spalting also glows under blacklight. I have a feeling as more people use the uv cured resins we’re going to find more examples.

View attachment 65730

I have noticed this as well. I’ve even had some spalted birch that fluoresced orange along the zone lines.

 

[Kevin Weir]

I can never seem to make enough of these little coffee scoops. A good way to use up small pieces. I like turning this chaktekok (Honduras redwood), turns like butter. I know the vivid red tones will darken, but it sure looks great when fresh turned.

 

[John Ames]

I can never seem to make enough of these little coffee scoops. A good way to use up small pieces. I like turning this chaktekok (Honduras redwood), turns like butter. I know the vivid red tones will darken, but it sure looks great when fresh turned. View attachment 65819View attachment 65820

Those are neat! Are the handles just press fit? or are they glued? Im sure they sell great at shows/shops!

 

[Norm Marentette]

Busy day. Roughed out 3 more sycamore bowls. Thanks for the tip Leo really appreciate it. Always like to see what you started with and what you end up with. Still trying to find the right grain pattern in pieces. Rob thanks for the advice on the platter info, I will have to give that a try also.

 

[Kevin Weir]

Those are neat! Are the handles just press fit? or are they glued? Im sure they sell great at shows/shops!

Hi John. I glue them. The trick is not to use very much glue, otherwise the handle will push it all out into the scoop.