Bunya pine cone?

[chuck1]

Hi all has anyone tried turning a bunya pine cone? I was given one today, it's a fair size 200 diameter 250 mm long. It's very green at the moment.

[dai sensei]

I saw a turned piece ages ago in a NZ club newsletter that was amazing. I knew was some sort of pine cone but huge and was later told it was from a Bunya Nut. Who ever it was had turned through the cone and nuts, and I was interested at the time in how it was "held" together, stabilised or resin filled etc but never got an answer.

[Willy Nelson]

I don't mean to be rude, but I think you need some big nuts to turn them :-

Willy
jarrahland

[pommyphil]

They fall to bits very easily, I just eat them. Phil

[artme]

Can't see how turning it green would help as the thing would need to be stabilized.

Stabilizing while green would be problematic due to moisture.

As Phil said, the cones fall apart very easily when ripe = dry. I suppose if you like jigsaw puzzles you could always glue it back together!!:D:q

[dai sensei]

Found it :2tsup:, but my memory is crap :-. It was from the Jan2013 Tauranga Wood Crafters Newsletter, just a slice not a turned item, by Roy Tregilgas

[smiife]

Hi charlie,
Wow! What a coincidence, I saw one today and asked what
it was,, I don, t think i would bother turning one,, as said just
eat it !

[dai sensei]

I'm thinking cut it in 20mm slices and glue them down with PVA on some marine ply arranged to minimise gaps. Lay flat somewhere (where the rats/mice can't get to it) and let it dry/shrink etc. Once dry, pour coloured epoxy casting resin all over it to fill gaps and hold it all together, then level it/sand/finish it as a table top or something like that.

[chuck1]

I had left the nut outside since the first post and I got back from seeing my wife in hospital this arvo and it had self destructed! Wife is getting better, and it contained 34 nuts that are in the fridge!