tagua nuts ???

[soundman]

I've been looking at bags of tagua nuts in at carbatec every time I walk thru there for ages..... well I walked out with a bag last trip.

So.... has anybody played with these things?
Any body know any background?

Tagua nuts are suposed to be an ivory substitute.

I cut one in half with the bnad saw & pared a bit off with a chisel.

these things are hard and dense... almost plastic consistency.....creamy in colour.

I know at least one other member who has a bag..... have you done anything with yours neil?

cheers

[DJ’s Timber]

Never heard of em, got any pics, sizes?

[soundman]

They are look like a big brown seed.
I'm googling tagua nuts at the moment... there is quite a bit there.

cheers

[BernieP]

G'Day Soundman

Might find this site interesting!http://home.att.net/~rspragg/index.html

Cheers
Bernie

[ubeaut]

Have used them on many occasions over the years Soundman. The good ones are almost a pure white but they can vary in colour from a bluish white right through cream to almost fawn colour. Don't know what they're like now but Australia always used to get the crappier ones for sale in the shops. Many of them are or at least were split in the centre. Getting a pure white one that isn't split is a real find.

They are great for turning small finials and for inlaying into dark timbers. I once used 4 tagua nuts to made a set of 6 miniature goblets 2mm high, on a 15mm tray, with a 5mm high champagne bottle, all sitting atop a 15mm high turned and carved wine table.

They are great fun to work with and can be made into some very very fine pieces. Like I said above ideal for miniatures. Fantastic for Netsuke carving, and can be coloured pretty easily. It was also used for making buttons for many years prior to plastics, don't know if it still is.

They come from South America somewhere Ecuador I think. I believe they are very sweet and juicy to eat before they are dried. They are commonly known as vegetable ivory and are hailed as the savior of the elephant and the rain forest.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil :)

PS I got my lot about 25 years ago a 5 kg box of them. Still have a half a dozen or so left.

[dai sensei]

I haven't touched mine yet Soundman. I was going to use them as a finial or minature as Neil suggested. I always wanted to make a minature chess set, perhaps one day when I don't have to spray the mango to get the mould off :U (the first coat of borax didn't stop the mould, or the borers :(( )

[mick61]

G`day something to take note of with tagua nuts is there will always be a void in the nut. To turn a bowl out of them i think you have to do it backwards .ie. I glue a nut to some timber turn the inside and part of the outside then jam chuck to finish base,have fun
mick:D

[zenwood]

The last batch I got were all milk-chocolate colour. I do prefer the creamy white ones. They are indeed quite hard, but finish beautifully. I've used them for mitre keys, for example in this macassar ebony box (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=18021). They'd also make lovely feature inlays.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=9384