PDA

View Full Version : Turning Ficus hillii



GoGuppy
22nd August 2009, 11:48 PM
Hi all, I scored a load of free fig logs (Hills weeping fig or ficus hillii) last week from a tree being removed a block away and have them now cut to more managable sizes.

In the process of cutting the wood , I noticed that the CS bar, my hands and other tools being covered with sap. Not the white type of sap, just a clear sap that dries up blackish. Being new to turning and not having seen any ficus turnings anywhere, I have a couple of questions that hopefully someone can assist with.

Is the ficus an interesting wood to turn? I suspect turning will be messy, with sap flying round; will it be worth the effort? :? :?

Thanks in advance.
Cheers

hughie
23rd August 2009, 12:02 AM
Its absolute rubbish, I'll come over right away and relieve of your burden :U

Free wood is free wood. I have not turned any of it as yet, if nothing else it will be good to practice on. :2tsup:

Other than that look for crotches as here you will have a the grain meeting and dividing in three directions. This often produces a very good bowl blank, also look for any wrinkling at the base or on the under side of any major branches. This can be evidence of fiddleback and makes an excellent bowl or platter etc. Some times it can occur at the base of old trees from compression.

Frank&Earnest
23rd August 2009, 12:34 AM
Hughie is absolutely right, it is absolute rubbish good only for practicing. (I have used a piece to give my youngest son a taste of woodturning). Have you heard the expression "turns like cheese"?. That's it. It also polishes like cheese. It is spongy and shrinks a lot.

To be precise, I refer to timber from a fruit fig tree, but your description of the fresh wood makes me think that it would be much of the same.

GoGuppy
23rd August 2009, 09:59 AM
Thanks guys,
I thought that may be the case, and yes, using it as practice wood was very much on my mind. :D
But I did notice a few crotch pieces and asked the tree lopper to cut those out for me, which he did. On these I'll practice my platter turning.:2tsup:
Thanks again, cheers.

wheelinround
23rd August 2009, 03:42 PM
Yes Hughie is right total rubbish :D:D

Hey Hughoe make sure you drop some off here won't you :;:D:2tsup:

To see what I did with a bit of it try here (http://www.woodworkforums.com./showthread.php?t=78979&highlight=Ficus) just remember it is root stock but I believe the rest of a tree can and does produce nice stuff to.

Ray

GoGuppy
23rd August 2009, 06:04 PM
Well, I gave it a go and it didn't turn out to be a messy job at all, in fact it was definately more like slicing cheese (as mentioned by F&E)..:D

I produced the below without any plan, next time I should try with something a bit more graceful in mind..:D:D:D.

Anyway, I've got plenty more fig to practice on..:2tsup:
Cheers

wheelinround
23rd August 2009, 06:42 PM
Looks great

If you find that it gets to much for you let us know we maybe able to do a swap.:rolleyes:

Frank&Earnest
23rd August 2009, 09:42 PM
Ok, ok, never assume...:- It's a totally different timber. This is what I was talking about (Ficus carica):