ideas for banksia nuts ?

[tonysa]

i have a couple of banksia nuts (hmm, i can see where this is going ...) anyway apart from some slices as coasters what else are these things good for ? i'm looking for some inspirations.
cheers
tony

[barryr]

small round containers , coaster slice as a lid !

[Simon-UK]

Fire wood - terrible blo*dy things!

[rodm]

I turned a few and bored the centres and inserted a glass test tube. Made a nice bud vase.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

If you drill the centre and glue in a bit of tube (ala pens) before turning, you can mount them as handles on items like decorative buckets & coal scuttles. Wouldn't use 'em on anything more hard-working.

I've turned a few as stems for goblets and the like too. They're really just a novelty item, but are fun to add to your repertoire.

BTW, you want to make sure they're the type of nut with a lot of small "eyes" c'os the needles between 'em tend to fall out and you really want something to show for your efforts. :D

If you have the ones with a few odd big "eyes" you end up turning 'em into nothing when trying to get some sort of shape to 'em. Good spindle turning practice I guess, but that's about it.

[Ozartisan]

Made lotsa bud vases (bloody roses die in em tho - hard to keep the water up to 'em), lidded boxes, pot-pourri containers etc
Only use the BIG WA ones tho.
Use good dust protection while turning them as the fine red hairs are not good for your lungs. (Can get you scratching a bit too)
I always get good reaction to items made from them.

[ptc]

Potpouri pots

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Potpouri pots

Nice! I don't spose you know off-hand which type of banksia they are?

Also, did you seal or soak the nuts in anything before thollowing, to prevent 'em from just falling apart? Whenever I've tried hollowing, it has been a disaster...

[tonysa]

Potpouri pots

gotta agree with skew, nice idea !
look good too.
my banksia look the same with lots of "holes"

lots of great ideas, thanks fellas

And Simon UK, fancy using our wonderful flora as firewood. Shame on you - did they burn well ? LOL

Thanks for the heads up on the hairs and potential irritant. Last thing I need is a case of cowboys and itchy bums..

Cheers

TonySA

[Ozartisan]

Tony
Forgot to mention - I turn them pretty fast (2500 revs) with very sharp tools and reasonably light cuts. This minimises chipping of the eyes. Have made a small hook tool to rake out any remaining seeds or tenacious insect remains from the eyes.
I also have a Triton dust helmet - suggest you have good face protection as well as dust mask.
I tend to hollow them with sawtooth forstner bit (at much slower speed - around 500 to 800 revs)
Happy turning - they can be fun to do.
Peter
Happyinsydney

[ptc]

Forstner bit to bore holes,slow speed,
i finish the nuts with shellac 50/50 metho, two to three coates allowing each coat to dry first.
if buying the banksia's always buy the HEAVY ones.
mine come from W.A.

[Little Festo]

How about some of these?

http://www.cindydrozda.com/html/Miniatures_Banksia_Pods.htm


Peter

[jshaw]

Our Christmas tree is a banksia nut (turned into a sort of triangular cone, em, like a Christmas tree). Can't remember where we picked it up from...

[aju]

Use good dust protection while turning them as the fine red hairs are not good for your lungs. (Can get you scratching a bit too)
I always get good reaction to items made from them.

Make sure you have very good personal dust protection - I had a shocking headache after trying to turn one after only 1 hour. I was writhing on the lounge room floor in pain for 1 hour until the panadols kicked in. Apparently the dust is very toxic.

[barnsey]

I'm with Pommie Simon,

They make the best bbq fire ever - I call 'em nature's heat beads.

Never thought about turning them - rather just turn the steaks :D

[Little Festo]

My wife turned these some time ago. They were mdae from the giant (big?) banksia nuts from WA.


Peter