Thread: Turning Ironbark

Would be interesting! Probably split like forty barstewards as it dries.

It'd split like mad

Gary - depends on how much you get - for turning blanks cut the length 1 1/2 or 2 times the diameter of the log. Then split down the middle - better still cut a 2" slab out of the middle ( so your blanks have no pith/centre/heart in them) .- paint the ends and pray they dont split. - buy leaving them long you have the option of cutting cracks off when you go to use it.

If you get enough turn a peice green but you need to finish it the same or next day before it goes out of shape too bad.

Option 3 - think that it will be too hard and drop it off at my place.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Calm

Gary - depends on how much you get - for turning blanks cut the length 1 1/2 or 2 times the diameter of the log. Then split down the middle - better still cut a 2" slab out of the middle ( so your blanks have no pith/centre/heart in them) .- paint the ends and pray they dont split.

If you get enough turn a peice green but you need to finish it the same or next day before it goes out of shape too bad.

Option 3 - think that it will be too hard and drop it off at my place.

Cheers

It is a sad day. I agree with him.

Would it be worth cutting a suitable blank and trying the microwave drying trick?
Never tried it myself, but others have reported good results.

Originally Posted by Farnk

Would it be worth cutting a suitable blank and trying the microwave drying trick?
Never tried it myself, but others have reported good results.

Iron ain't too good for microwaves

I have turned a couple of dry bits as I was given a few bits of fence post. It is very hard so the grinder gets a good run keeping things sharp. On the good side it is quite a good looking timber and takes a good shine. For applications like mallet heads or where a hard wood is required it is great. I have set a couple of bits aside for future plane bodies.
What is the hardest wood you have turned - Woodwork Forums

Regards
John

Gary - had another thought - if it is going to be hard it may pay to rough out the bowls green so you have less to remove as they set to concrete stage.

You can come around and borrow my electric fry-pan & wax to seal ends if you like. - would cost you a couple of pieces though.

cheers

I'm not sure of which ironbark this conversation centres on - but if Euc. sideroxylon AKA Red Ironbark - I would not turn wet.

It turns extremely well when dry IMO.

It may well be hard if scavenged from 50 year old fence posts - but what wood isn't if left out in the sun for that long?

Originally Posted by jefferson

I'm not sure of which ironbark this conversation centres on - but if Euc. sideroxylon AKA Red Ironbark - I would not turn wet.

It turns extremely well when dry IMO.

It may well be hard if scavenged from 50 year old fence posts - but what wood isn't if left out in the sun for that long?

Agreed.
Jim

Funny how coincidences work.

I just acquired a log of red ironbark and this thread turns up.

It was about 12'' diametre 24'' long waxed both ends, no idea how long it had been around. I split it down the middle and got 4 round blanks about 10'' wide and 3'' thick.
Rough turned one to about 1" thick, the other 3 are still intact and uncoated.

This was 3 weeks ago and so far I see no signs of cracking or warping. It was not very hard to cut but did not seem to be very green either.

While it was definitely some sort of ironbark, the bark was unmistakeable, the scribble on it said red and it definitely looked like it, it bears absolutely no resemblance to the 'red ironbark' sleepers I bought about 20 years ago. Those cracked a bit but with time the cracks tended to close up again. Dry, it was the hardest thing I ever turned. It polished beautifully.

Edited to add:
on second thought, one reason I found the old one much harder than the recent one is because this time I am using TC inserts. On this basis, the mallee burl I am turning now is much harder, even the TC scrapes it off veeery slowly.

I think it depends what type of ironbark.

If it's red ironbark I'd give it a go if it's heaps dense, and from what I've seen it wont do anything too crazy when it dries (hopefully

Grey ironbark I don't like to turn at all, I must admit I only turned one bit that was heaps dry for a handle, but it became all rough after a week even after I finished it to 600 on the lathe with oil, so I sanded it back down and did it again- same thing. Anyway that was just once, so probably not a good indicator- Just saying.

I ripped some short 900mm "fence posts" 250mm wide and about 150mm deap from a pipey butt piece of narrow leaf red ironbark. After twelve months under the house with the end grain sealed there is no cracking or checking atall. I've turned a few mallets and fish "dongers" and again no cracks. The only drawback is the dongers don't float.

Eucalyptus sideroxylon or red ironbark grows in landscape plantings here in Southern California too. I found a massive tree that had been cut near where I live. As soon as I got it home I saturated it with a product called pentacryl and sealed the endgrain with wax.
It sat for two years inside the garage. I think the treatment reduced checking considerably. I got a few large pieces without cracks.
quartersawn blanks have as much flecking as lacewood or London Plane aka sycamore.
It is hard and dense but in my opinion worth the trouble.
pentacryl information http://www.preservation-solutions.com/pentacryl.php