I hear those Jimmy Clewes mate hollowers are pretty sweet. (buy one so I won't) lol
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November Turning Challenge: Puahala Calabash! (click here for details) -
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What’s on your lathe?
- Thread starter Rusty Nesmith
- Start date
Nice job Michael. I look forward to seeing it when finished... especially the textured interior.
It's now past 2am, and I'm just now coming in from the shop. Didn't go out there until 7pm, though. This is Red River Gum burl, and it's a first for me. If anyone has experience with RRG, and would like to comment, or give advice.....let me know. This example has gone through my roughing and seasoning process, and a waste block has been attached. Here, I've done nothing more than bring it to round.....it's ready for final shaping and finish turning.....probably will do that tomorrow.
Good night, all.
-----odie-----
Common Name(s): River Red Gum
Scientific Name: Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Distribution: Australia
Tree Size: 100-150 ft (30-46 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 54 lbs/ft3 (870 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .67, .87
Janka Hardness: 2,160 lbf (9,600 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 17,940 lbf/in2 (123.8 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 1,711,000 lbf/in2 (11.80 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 8,370 lbf/in2 (57.8 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 5.3%, Tangential: 8.8%, Volumetric: 14.1%, T/R Ratio: 1.7
Good night, all.
-----odie-----
Common Name(s): River Red Gum
Scientific Name: Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Distribution: Australia
Tree Size: 100-150 ft (30-46 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 54 lbs/ft3 (870 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .67, .87
Janka Hardness: 2,160 lbf (9,600 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 17,940 lbf/in2 (123.8 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 1,711,000 lbf/in2 (11.80 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 8,370 lbf/in2 (57.8 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 5.3%, Tangential: 8.8%, Volumetric: 14.1%, T/R Ratio: 1.7
Hard to take all the same would have looked good. In reply to Michael Anderson.
I turned a small 1/4 sawn sample (5x3) of RRG a while back. It was pretty easy turning wood and dried with little movement. Most memorable was the smell. It reminded me of Elmer's paste that we used in grade school.It's now past 2am, and I'm just now coming in from the shop. Didn't go out there until 7pm, though. This is Red River Gum burl, and it's a first for me. If anyone has experience with RRG, and would like to comment, or give advice.....let me know. This example has gone through my roughing and seasoning process, and a waste block has been attached. Here, I've done nothing more than bring it to round.....it's ready for final shaping and finish turning.....probably will do that tomorrow.
Good night, all.
-----odie-----
View attachment 51792 View attachment 51793
Common Name(s): River Red Gum
Scientific Name: Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Distribution: Australia
Tree Size: 100-150 ft (30-46 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 54 lbs/ft3 (870 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .67, .87
Janka Hardness: 2,160 lbf (9,600 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 17,940 lbf/in2 (123.8 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 1,711,000 lbf/in2 (11.80 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 8,370 lbf/in2 (57.8 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 5.3%, Tangential: 8.8%, Volumetric: 14.1%, T/R Ratio: 1.7
Attachments
Hi Odie- Is that Watco Danish oil, which you mentioned you use? If you could tell me a bit about your application process I would appreciate it. I want to give Watco a try.
Roughing out some calabashes. Here is a Black Walnut one that should be really nice whenever I get back to finish turning it:
Neighbor gave me a box of 10 year old birch that was sitting in his fireplace for show. I made some of these for him.
Hi Will......
Here is an explanation of my method here in the comment section of this bowl:
2109 Maple Burl.
Completed 9/9/2022, original block was 16% MC, and after roughing without anchorseal, it took a total of 4 months to stabilize. 7 1/2" x 2 3/8", 8.3 oz, sanded to 600gt, Danish oil natural, Beall 3-step buffed. -----odie-----
I've found that I'm being asked this question often.....good luck to you, Will...... It is a matter of wood prep for the buffing that matters in getting a good finish with Danish oil.
If you run searches for my application methods of Danish oil, you'll fine that over the years, my methods have evolved......but, the link I gave you is my latest response to this question.
-----odie-----
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Outstanding!
My first lidded box. Birdseye maple with a walnut finial. I think the finial could have been a bit more delicate. I like the way the overall shape turned out - a bit different I think than the normal ovoid shapes. The body of the box was glued up from three pieces of stock as I didn't have any really thick birdseye maple, so the glue lines are somewhat apparent. Next time I'll try to hide or disguise them in the shape. On to the next project.
Attachments
Great! Thanks Odie!Hi Will......
Here is an explanation of my method here in the comment section of this bowl:
2109 Maple Burl.
Completed 9/9/2022, original block was 16% MC, and after roughing without anchorseal, it took a total of 4 months to stabilize. 7 1/2" x 2 3/8", 8.3 oz, sanded to 600gt, Danish oil natural, Beall 3-step buffed. -----odie-----www.aawforum.org
I've found that I'm being asked this question often.....good luck to you, Will...... It is a matter of wood prep for the buffing that matters in getting a good finish with Danish oil.
If you run searches for my application methods of Danish oil, you'll fine that over the years, my methods have evolved......but, the link I gave you is my latest response to this question.
-----odie-----
Another piece of black walnut with some nice grain. Calabash meets bag of sand form. Don’t you wish the greens and purples stuck around?
The purple does stay as a darker rich color but thankfully the slime green disappears.
I hope you are going to do the inside before it starts drying.
I kind of wished the slime green stuck around. Well, for certain pieces! And yes, definitely hogged out the interior right after this photo.
"Bag of sand form"..... Cracked me up! It does work though...
robo hippy
robo hippy
Once I heard someone call it that, I can't think of anything else haha
Coming in late again this evening. Here is a follow-up to the Red River Gum bowl I posted a couple days ago. I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so there was no time spent in the shop.....feeling better today, though. Didn't go out there until 9pm, but still was good for a 5-hour shop session tonight!It's now past 2am, and I'm just now coming in from the shop. Didn't go out there until 7pm, though. This is Red River Gum burl, and it's a first for me. If anyone has experience with RRG, and would like to comment, or give advice.....let me know. This example has gone through my roughing and seasoning process, and a waste block has been attached. Here, I've done nothing more than bring it to round.....it's ready for final shaping and finish turning.....probably will do that tomorrow.
Good night, all.
-----odie-----
View attachment 51792 View attachment 51793
Howdy Monty......not sure if our examples of RRG are comparable, but I found this piece to be very hard and dense. In spite of that, I also found it to be fairly easy to turn, with little movement in the seasoning process. I didn't detect any distinct smell to my piece, but I wasn't paying much attention to that anyway.
-----odie-----
Note: That black dot above the inventory number on the waste block, originally lined up with the hole in the screw center chuck. If I have a catch, the bowl will tighten on the screw, and I check to see if there is a resulting alignment issue with the bowl to chuck. There were no catches with this bowl, so the only other thing that can account for the bowl tightening on the screw, is if I hog off too much wood at a time.....that would sometimes, but not always result in the bowl tightening on the screw. Regardless, I try not to do anything that would make the bowl tighten on the screw, and I didn't encounter any issues resulting from that.....so, all is good!
-o-
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We tend to call it River Red Gum down this way to distinguish it from Forest Red Gum.
I've turned a considerable amount of it over the years from my stockpile that was put aside almost 50 years ago, some of which was from cattleyard fenceposts that had stood for a 100 years before that. The wood that has been seasoning that long becomes darker. The older the living tree was the more likely it will have cranky and interesting wood grain. Mature specimens live for 500 to 1,000yrs...
A few RRG pieces, the older wood on the right...
As you can see, my preference is to leave the RRG pieces as simple as possible to allow the wood to talk for itself.
I can't think of anything in particular to say about how it turns. The old cattle yard fenceposts are usually full of abrasive grit, but that is unlikely to be an issue with your piece Odie.
We tend to call it River Red Gum down this way to distinguish it from Forest Red Gum.
I've turned a considerable amount of it over the years from my stockpile that was put aside almost 50 years ago, some of which was from cattleyard fenceposts that had stood for a 100 years before that. The wood that has been seasoning that long becomes darker. The older the living tree was the more likely it will have cranky and interesting wood grain. Mature specimens live for 500 to 1,000yrs...
A few RRG pieces, the older wood on the right...
As you can see, my preference is to leave the RRG pieces as simple as possible to allow the wood to talk for itself.
I can't think of anything in particular to say about how it turns. The old cattle yard fenceposts are usually full of abrasive grit, but that is unlikely to be an issue with your piece Odie.
Thank you for your response, Neil......
BTW: That's a fabulous watercolor painting with a difficult subject......yours? I've always been intrigued, and a great admirer of good watercolor, and it's related great brushwork. The artist doesn't get any second chances if he(she) screws up!
I enjoyed that as much as seeing your excellent examples of RRG bowls.
BTWx2: Even though I have never visited the land down under, I have a special regard for you Aussies. I served side by side with pilots and men of the Royal Australian Navy during the Vietnam war 1968-69. Matter of fact, my own aircraft commander (AC) was a lieutenant (same as captain in the army) and my flight platoon leader.....and a man, to this day, I have the highest respect for. I served on his flight crew as Crew Chief and right door gunner.....and, I might not be here at all, if it weren't for this man! This experience gave me a special appreciation for the mettle, common to the men who represent your country in battle.
-----odie-----
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Do you use the faceplate ring with your axminster or the wood screw puck when you initially mount the blank? I was wondering what screws you use if faceplate ring.
One pecan calabash in the kiln.
Red River Gum is quite common and readily turned, with great age comes brittleness and hardness and its one of those ' its what it is' situations By Australian standards its not very hard, but rather stiff. Stiff as in it leave a good finish if you have a good edge, bearing mind it often has grit, dirt, rock and sand in and on it due to its age. But at the end of the day I like it and enjoy turning it even when it argues some as it will give you a great finish for those who persevere.Thank you for your response, Neil......
BTW: That's a fabulous watercolor painting with a difficult subject......yours? I've always been intrigued, and a great admirer of good watercolor, and it's related great brushwork. The artist doesn't get any second chances if he(she) screws up!
I enjoyed that as much as seeing your excellent examples of RRG bowls.
BTWx2: Even though I have never visited the land down under, I have a special regard for you Aussies. I served side by side with pilots and men of the Royal Australian Navy during the Vietnam war 1968-69. Matter of fact, my own aircraft commander (AC) was a lieutenant (same as captain in the army) and my flight platoon leader.....and a man, to this day, I have the highest respect for. I served on his flight crew as Crew Chief and right door gunner.....and, I might not be here at all, if it weren't for this man! This experience gave me a special appreciation for the mettle, common to the men who represent your country in battle.
-----odie-----
I would say Odie your forms are well suited to the RRG and RG as thin cross-sections and fine edges are readily damaged due to hardness it's brittle nature.
Thank you for your response, Neil......
BTW: That's a fabulous watercolor painting with a difficult subject......yours? I've always been intrigued, and a great admirer of good watercolor, and it's related great brushwork. The artist doesn't get any second chances if he(she) screws up!
No Odie, not my watercolour painting, unfortunately! Watercolour was probably my least successful subject at art school.
That painting was done by Sir Hans Heysen who is probably one of Australia's best landscape painters who is best known for his paintings of gum tree scenes like that. He lived and had his studio near to me at Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills among the red gums where many of his paintings were done. I sell my work through a gallery in Hahndorf and it is no surprise that my redgum pieces always sell well there!
Ash from neighbor’s tree
Looks like the woodpeckers are alive and well in your neighborhood.
We do have a healthy population of woodpeckers but those holes are bugs of various sorts. The tree was an Arizona Ash about 60 years old and declining when we had hard freezes (for central TX) the last couple of years so it was essentially standing dead when it was taken down.
Black and White Ebony shaving brush. 600-grit,Triple E friction polish, and starting to burnish in light coats of thinned TruOil on the lathe at speed. It might take 3 or 4. I started turning so that I could turn shaving brushes to match my straight razors. I've got 6 more in different woods to do for a group of teacher friends, the finest men I know. Held in my Beall Collet Chuck with the 3/4" collet and about a 3/4"-inch long tenon.
I also finished the Bradford Pear "trophy bowl," fancy dog bowl, candy bowl-whatever it is. I filled the punky bark inclusion inside with copper mica/epoxy and brown ca.
Hey Sam. I’ve only used the faceplate ring once. I use #10 sheet metal screws. They run a little bit proud of the faceplate ring holes, and sort of interfere with how it sits in the Chuck. Smaller screws would work perfectly. I prefer to just use regular faceplates for that anyway, as they vibrate less. I have used the screw Chuck insert many times though. The only problem with that is the screw has a tendency to come loose during roughing. Not a huge deal though, as it’s fast to tighten.
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I run across a brand that the heads all snapped off trying to remove them even before turning with green wood.
#10 stainless flat head sheet metal is what I use too. I thought the #12 stuck up too far.
Grip fast brand I believe is what I have the best luck with but I only find them with phillips head at the local store and I'd like to find a good brand with a square drive.
That screw loosened in my insert too but it must have enough dust built up or something because it hasn't come loose the last couple of times.
Look for some Hillman 12x1 1/4. I get them at Ace Hardware locally. I've never had one of these break or strip the head as long as I used the right size bit.
Yet another pecan calabash to the kiln.
Here is the finished Redbud burl piece that I posted about earlier in this thread. It’s sort of a proof of concept for a project that is still swimming in my head. That said, I think it’s a better fit here than the actual Gallery (even though it’s no longer on my lathe lol). The base is a piece of Mesquite with the bottom section left natural.
Makes me wonder how a bent wire (as opposed to straight) would look on this piece. It might add some greater flow to the piece! Perhaps this piece could use some ED (or Peyronie‘s Disease), lol!!