any idears on this

[bikerboy]

well it's a Banksia nut,over here in the Uk. they cost about £2. no doubt over in your country they cost naff'orl, but I am looking for idears as to what to do with them, all I can think of is making them into a T.light/night light holders, is there any thing you guys from Ozz do with them.
This one I have cut into 3 cleaned them up,cut the middle out, and put a candle inside:rolleyes: ...would like to drill or long hole bore to use them for lamp stand, as like the one in the back ground, but use the nut for the stem, what do you think??????

[bitingmidge]

well it's a Banksia nut,over here in the Uk. they cost about £2. no doubt over in your country they cost naff'orl,
Actually, they grow on trees over here!

:D :D :D

P

[jaspr]

I've seen them cut into slices cross ways and polished up to make coasters.

[La truciolara]

you can go to Cindi Drozda home page.
She has very orginal and artistic pieces mades from, among other wood, banxia nuts.
http://www.cindydrozda.com/html/Miniatures_Banksia_Pods.htm
http://www.cindydrozda.com/images/Space%20Station%20ogeeWEB.jpg<IMG="HTTP: a Space%20Station%20ogeeWEB.jpg< images www.cindydrozda.com>
(http://www.cindydrozda.com/images/Space%20Station%20ogeeWEB.jpg)

[bikerboy]

wa'hay that is very cool, but I think that I am a long way off turning some thing like this out,would you turn this at a very slow speed???and use smaller turning tools?????

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I'm partway through turning my first one today, too! So far I've simply mounted it in pin-jaws/tailstock and roughed the outside close to the profile I want. I then coated the external surface in CA and... got sidetracked and I'll go back to it tomorrow. :o

If the CA holds the "velvet" well enough for to me to finish the outside, I'll give it another wash of CA before I start hollowing. [fingers Xed]

Somehow I think it'll have a CA finish, too. :rolleyes:

[rsser]

Salt and pepper shakers, for beginners ;-}

[ptc]

Some i have done.

[ozwinner]

Drawer handles.

Al :p

[bikerboy]

hi all and thanks for the hints, like the handles oz, and p.t.c. the salt and pepper things look very good,now I have got a few idears I might well get some more,after all they are only a couple'a quid.not to much to lose if I naff it up:rolleyes:

[barnsey]

All my life I've gathered the baskets for fuel for the barbeque - they are natures heat beads - cook a steak to perfection - got a box full of 'em:o

Turning them:eek: not bloody likely, ruins their heating ability :p

to each his own I guess - but it sure beats buying fuel for the bbq.

Hmmm - now how many did you want to buy?????????? And I'll settle for 1.50 pounds each for a 20' container load:p:rolleyes::p

[Fang's son]

If you intend turning the Banksias be warned, be very careful of the dust.ffice:office" /><O:p></O:p>
I know from my own experiences that the dust can cause breathing problems. <O:p></O:p>
But hey! with a dust mask as a minimum you can create interesting things. Go for it.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>

[John Saxton]

Just a note here guy's,turning these requires a decent dust mask or racal/airlite jace shield.

I have heard of people soaking them and turning them wet.

BECAUSE OF THE DUST PRODUCED in their dry state they can be hazardous to your health like the grass tree root stem.

I have bags of them here in my shed,they grow on my property and I'Ve made coasters outta them but have'nt turned any.

Cheers:)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Also important: use low RPM's, especially at first. Seeds & bits of debris can and probably will fly off in diverse directions... which, BTW, I recently found makes 'em particularly unsuitable for public turning demonstrations. :o

Keep safe.

[bikerboy]

thanks again for the tips, and for sure I do use a mask,not a full face one, just the chuck away type, think I'll stick to normal wood for a while:rolleyes:
barnsey m8, next time you put one on the fire think'a me:D .....