Norfolk Island Pine

[Oldgreybeard]

363762363763I have recently returned from a holiday on Norfolk Island. There were a couple of woodturners turning the native Norfolk Island Pine producing mainly small items for the tourist trade.

A few days after visiting one of the woodturners (as part of an organised tour) I noticed this slab in one of the island's museum.

When Capt. Cook discovered Norfolk Island in 1774, he thought the native pine tree would be ideal for ship's masts. This was found to be incorrect. The reason being shown in this cross-section. The long dark 'knots' radiating out from the centre are very dense, very hard and are part of the branch structure of the tree. These occur every 1 - 2 metres along the lenght of the trunk causing structural weakness.This section was about 750mm in diameter.

I did not see any items made from these "knots'. although they can be in excess of 500mm in length and up to 80mm or more in diameter. I also wonder about the stability of the pine given the large 'crack' in this section. Unfortunately I did not get time to go back and discuss this with the local turner.

Has anyone turned these 'knots' or had experience with turning Norfolk Island Pine? What was your experience?

Thanks
Bob

[Christos]

..... Unfortunately I did not get time to go back and discuss this with the local turner.

Has anyone turned these 'knots' or had experience with turning Norfolk Island Pine? What was your experience?......


The ideal situation is to have the local turner from Norfolk Island already a member of the forum :rolleyes: and he see this question.

[Paul39]

Somewhere I have seen a photo of a vase made from Norfolk Island Pine with the bulls eyes all around the outside.

I would love to have a chunk about 150mm in diameter. All the NIP around here is in a pot in bank lobbies and not much bigger than my thumb.

I did a google search and did not find quite what I had in mind but did find a variety of spectacular vessels.

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=615&q=norfolk+island+pine+vase&oq=norfolk+island+pine+vase&gs_l=img.12..0i24.351.10040.0.14224.12.12.0.0.0.0.505.1938.0j5j3j5-1.9.0....0...1.1.64.img..11.1.142.XAHx6hL4VLc

[Oldgreybeard]

Thanks Paul,

Some of those examples are what I envisaged, but they would have come from very young trees - I think.
I will contact the tour organiser and see if I can get contact details for the turner we saw.

I will see if there is an importer in Melbourne who might have / get some suitable NIP. Importing green timber from Norfolk is looking to be more difficult than getting an exemption from paying taxes. One person I spoke to in customs on the island suggested that it could take 18 months or more, just to get the paper work done!

Bob

[turnerted]

Bob
I have tried turning NIP with the knots in it , but the knots all developed endgrain checking . I don't think you would need to import it from Norfolk Island .There is heaps of it growing locally . Just have a word with your local tree loppers .
Ted

[artful bodger]

Remember reading an article in a magazine years ago about a bloke in Hawaii who turned NIP, he said it was his favourite timber. Not sure why but he kept his unturned blanks in the freezer, I think he even turned them frozen. Suppose the blanks were green and it stopped em splitting beforehand.

[Oldgreybeard]

Thanks Ted, I hadn't heard of it growing locally. Will check it out.
Bob

[Oldgreybeard]

[QUOTE=Not sure why but he kept his unturned blanks in the freezer, I think he even turned them frozen..[/QUOTE]

Might get in trouble with the boss if I tried that.

[RoyG]

I think that one of the Norfolk Island woodturners that you're referring to is Darren Bates. I'm pretty sure that he's the guy I saw doing a woodturning demo on Norfolk Island about five years ago. He may also be able to advise whether the saw mill on the Island will still export turning blanks etc to the mainland. I had a few dozen blanks boxed up in an old tea chest and shipped by sea back home. I don't remember what the blanks or the shipping cost, but I remember thinking at the time that it was not expensive.

http://www.norfolkisland.com.au/things-to-do/shopping/norfolk-island/wildwood-wood-turning-local-craft

He's got his email address listed on the web page, so you might get lucky.

Hope that info helps.

Regards,

RoyG

[hughie]

[QUOTE=Oldgreybeard;1909777]363762363763I have recently returned from a holiday on Norfolk Island. There were a couple of woodturners turning the native Norfolk Island Pine producing mainly small items for the tourist trade.

A few days after visiting one of the woodturners (as part of an organised tour) I noticed this slab in one of the island's museum.

When Capt. Cook discovered Norfolk Island in 1774, he thought the native pine tree would be ideal for ship's masts. This was found to be incorrect. The reason being shown in this cross-section. The long dark 'knots' radiating out from the centre are very dense, very hard and are part of the branch structure of the tree. These occur every 1 - 2 metres along the lenght of the trunk causing structural weakness.This section was about 750mm in diameter.

I did not see any items made from these "knots'. although they can be in excess of 500mm in length and up to 80mm or more in diameter. I also wonder about the stability of the pine given the large 'crack' in this section. Unfortunately I did not get time to go back and discuss this with the local turner.

Has anyone turned these 'knots' or had experience with turning Norfolk Island Pine? What was your experience?

Thanks

Look up Ron Kent in Hawaii http://www.ronkent.com/
http://www.ronkent.com/techniques.php
and

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=ron+kent&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMI1oGIqfabyQIV4d-mCh22cA4E&biw=1202&bih=552

[Oldgreybeard]

Thanks Roy, That is the guy.
Bob

[Mobyturns]

Look up J Kelly Dunn's translucent NIP work http://www.kellydunnwoodturner.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=110&Itemid=40

I have the good fortune to have swapped a small translucent NIP piece of his, a smaller version of #2 on the link above, for one of my Linear Laminated bowls. Beautifully finished work.

[P.W.H.]

Now you guys have me wondering what that stuff would look like quartersawn. We had a monster of a Norfolk Pine growing at my neighbour's house, some 500m down the road, it would have been somewhere in the area of 3m-4m through at the base. It's been suggested to turn the stump into a dance floor.

She had a sawmiller come in and cut it down in exchange for the logs ... nobody local had a saw big enough ... it all happened when I was away from home so I never got to see or hear it come down, sadly. Used to love the sight of that tree, but apparently she was in a worry about it falling on the house one day. Wouldn't have been much left of the house.

[Paul39]

Bob
I have tried turning NIP with the knots in it , but the knots all developed endgrain checking . Ted

You fill the checks with coffee grounds and CA glue and call them a feature.:D:D:D

[John Saxton]

Had a couple pieces about 45cms across,white ants decided to dine out on it ,I hope they bloody well choked on it .Appears to be atypical where a pine like timber is concerned.
cheers

[chuck1]

Darren did up a couple of blanks for grinders which I brought back from Norfolk when I was there. Declared on paper work customs didn't bat an eye lid as I declared everything.
it come up locally from time to time.

[chambezio]

A mate had a dining room table made out of NIP. (It was a long time ago.....memory not real good) when he told me what it was I seem to recall that it appeared similar to Radiata Pine in colour and size of knots. The table was rectangular, each board may have been around 200 wide. I remember I didn't have that "OH WOW" moment when he told me what it was

[Goggomobile]

Hi all
This ones got me thinking. Working on the GC you here a lot of stories some urban myths some true. On the Gold Coast we have a lot a Norfolks. They are treasured.

Is it true .. This part of the country there are a lot. why I'm told in the olden days, they thought Norfolks would make good masts for ships. So they planted a lot.

nowdays they are still,planted as people love them.

When there are storms and cyclones here there are always one or two which snap and break. Trouble is you have to be quick to get a piece.

Check with the wood turner on Bribie Is. I recollect they they have a big shed full of drying timber and might have some Norfolk. I've got a few bits over they years. you have to be carfeull with it as .. When it dries it cracks fairly fast.

Another timber of of interest is the 'Bribie Pine' or I understand Coastal Cypress ... Again plenty on Bribie Is

Randal

[Stewie D]

Apparently there are a fair few Cook Pines impersonating NI pines too...
Cook pines planted by mistake on northern beaches after confusion ... (http://www.google.com.au/url?q=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/cook-pines-planted-by-mistake-on-northern-beaches-after-confusion-with-norfolk-island-pines/story-fngr8hax-1226735550683&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwiNurWZ3qzJAhUmKqYKHfFgB4EQFghEMAo&usg=AFQjCNFwbyjjCLGy2EFNbND4kYc5H1gPaQ)
Pacific Horticulture Society | The Araucaria Family: Past & Present (http://www.google.com.au/url?q=http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/the-araucaria-family-past-present/&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwiNurWZ3qzJAhUmKqYKHfFgB4EQFghRMAw&usg=AFQjCNHlX3vVGkK5MyXfs1ZOjVVGvOwQuQ)
I cut down a medium sized one for our neighbour about a year ago as it had a good lean on it and kept some of the timber. I've cut a few for cutting boards but also left a couple as raw logs about 600mm long and 300mm diameter.
As Goggomobile says it cracks pretty quickly.
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc455/stewiesno1/N%20I%20Pine%202_zps1r4knsea.jpg (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/stewiesno1/media/N%20I%20Pine%202_zps1r4knsea.jpg.html)
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc455/stewiesno1/N%20I%20Pine1_zpsxaeubnbm.jpg (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/stewiesno1/media/N%20I%20Pine1_zpsxaeubnbm.jpg.html)
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc455/stewiesno1/N%20I%20Pine%20Trunk_zpsvzdjt9rp.jpg (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/stewiesno1/media/N%20I%20Pine%20Trunk_zpsvzdjt9rp.jpg.html)
I also have a couple of pieces drying under the shed. If anyone wants any let me know.

Stewie