Best timber for woodturning

[Tiger]

I've only ever turned a limited range of timbers for woodturning but recently had the opportunity to turn some spotted gum. It finished with a waxy and smooth finish straight off the tool and was a lot easier to use than other timbers that I have used. So I got to wondering what others thought. What do you think is the best timber for 1) spindle work 2) boxes and 3) bowls?

[soundman]

There are plenty of things to try.

I'ne very fond of spotted gum too. But if you get a bit of curly stuff..... it will laugh at your skew...... HA ha ha ha, and smirk at your gouge :q the only solution is sand paper, it will chatter and tear out.....

Durian is a joy if you can get your hands on it turns like butter.... a bit open grained.

Camelia...... yep thats wat ai said is fabulous.

there are thousands of woods out there........ start trying a few.


cheers

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Treen. :D

In the past I've always loved River Redgum... it's what I learned on and I could get a fantastic finish off the tool. Pity it's really such a crap wood. :rolleyes: Then, as I branched out to other woods (no pun intended), I found myself changing my techniques as each wood has it's own characteristics and may take a different approach to get a good job. eg. Tas Blackwood seems to give me a lot of tear-out, unless I sheer scrape the finishing cuts.

Once you work out what approach each timber needs (admittedly, that is the hard part :wink:) I really don't think that any timber is easier than any other. Even commercially grown radiata gives good results with the right technique. (Another crap wood in general, although old growth pine can give glorious results.)

Now, if you'd asked what timbers I enjoy turning the most, well... I'd have another "general" answer: green ones. :D Green wood turns really, really easily provided you don't mind the splatter, often giving the magic streamer over the shoulder. But then you have the added complication of drying your new-made work of art. [sigh]

[rsser]

Do a search on 'turning qualities'. There's a table from the Peninsular woodturners.

[ubeaut]

Any timber that doesn't rip the edge off your tools.

It's a bit like the saying "there are no bad beers, just some that are better than others."

If a timber blunts your tool throw it on the fire and go on to the next piece. If it cuts without blunting your tool, turn it and enjoy. As a rule it isn't the timber that's bad to turn but a turner that bad at turning and really doesn't know how to get the best out of the wood.

[Gra]

any wood that is free.....

but im a cheapskate:D:D

[Tiger]

Any timber that doesn't rip the edge off your tools.

It's a bit like the saying "there are no bad beers, just some that are better than others."

If a timber blunts your tool throw it on the fire and go on to the next piece. If it cuts without blunting your tool, turn it and enjoy. As a rule it isn't the timber that's bad to turn but a turner that bad at turning and really doesn't know how to get the best out of the wood.

I've turned a bit of redgum and found that if I persevered I'd get a reasonable finish although after the first few experiences I moved the grinder a lot closer to the lathe because of the need to sharpen frequently. Would there be many timbers harder than redgum or is more their age that renders them unsuitable for turning?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Would there be many timbers harder than redgum or is more their age that renders them unsuitable for turning?

Many? I don't know about that but I reckon RedGum's only the high end of "middle-of-the road" for blunting chisels.

Jarrah really chews up tools, not so much because of hardness but because it often has a high silica content. Think of it as very small grains of sand embedded in the timber. Not quite true, but same effect.

Our Aussie desert woods, such as Brigalow, Doolan, Dead Finish, tend to make Redgum look like butter. I believe that's true of desert woods from any country, but I haven't been privileged to try them all. Yet... but I'm working on it. :wink:

One thing about hard woods: with a bit of perseverance, they tend to take a truly beautiful finish. Well worth the effort in my books. :)

[rsser]

+1 on the finish.

Brushbox is also high in silica. Makes good bridge decks and parquet tiles for that reason. Can also be found in good size salvage chunks/slabs.

[Tiger]

It's funny but I turned a Jarrah plate and it turned a lot easier than some Redgum I've turned and yes it finished nicely.

[rsser]

Yep, Jarrah varies a good deal in my experience, both in the colour and coarseness of the grain.

[graemet]

New Guinea Rosewood is my favourite, it cuts like butter and finishes absolutely magnificently with EEE and Shellawax to a soft almost transparent sheen. (Hows that for WAXING lyrical?)
Cheers
Graeme