Turning Jarrah?

[tea lady]

So I've got these Jarrah off cuts (from Mathews Timber off cut bin.:D). I know you are prolly going to say that it is hard to turn and maybe not a biginner timber, and I have had a go and put it in the "to hard "basket, for now:rolleyes:. But just for future referance, what the hell do you turn it with? The shavings were coming off hot, which I guess means its hard wood. And chisel needed sharpening every 5 seconds or so. Would a TC tip be the go?

How about posting some pics of what you have turned from it.:cool: and a bit of a run down of what tools you used.:2tsup:

[orraloon]

I have only turned one jarrah dish and while it is hard there are harder timbers around. Just keep the tool sharp and perhaps use a smaller tool. On ironbark I did the whole thing with the 12mm gouge as the 19mm roughing one would not look at it. If it is very hot try a slower speed. The good thing about the hard timbers is they dress up soooo good. When you jet jarrah down to 800 or 1200 grit it looks good even without a finish on it.

[orraloon]

So as not to mislead I also used a parting tool and scraper I was just pointing out that due to the hardness of the wood you take smaller cuts.

[rsser]

Jarrah is in my experience coarse-grained and dusty when you turn it. It doesn't IMO take a finish very well, but that's experience with just a few lumps doing pencil jars and the like.

[DJ’s Timber]

IMHO Jarrah is not particularly hard, it's mainly the silica content that blunts your tools, depending on what you're doing I would go for a 10mm or 12mm gouge using lightish cuts and frequent sharpening.

[BobL]

I don't know what you are used too turning but jarrah is not that hard.

This display case (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=74855) is mainly jarrah.

I used all cheap chinese HSS tools; a 25 mm roughing, 19 mm round nose, a 12 mm skew and a 3 mm parting tool. Sure there is a bit more sharpening than usual but not that much.

180, 240 400 and 800 grits. Site sponsors Ultrashine and Shellawax Cream

[rsser]

Yes, Jarrah seems to vary a lot.

I've got a lump for box making that is close grained and has purplish streaks through it.

Redgum also varies a lot: from beige with a touch of pink to dark chocolate colour, and variation in grain to match. Then again, what's redgum? There are multiple species.

I've not read before that Jarrah was high in silica but DJ is a pro and I defer to his greater knowledge.

After posting above I wondered TL whether it was actually Jarrah you'd been given. Of course, Mathews must know their stuff. But maybe it was brushbox or even a hard lump of redgum. Post some pics.

[petersemple]

I've only turned pens in Jarrah. Matter of fact I was using one just a few minutes ago. I haven't ever had trouble turning it with a 1" roughing gouge on high speed inpen blank size
Peter

[derekcohen]

Jarrah can vary a great deal. Some is terribly coarse grained and just tears out no matter what you do. Some is incredibly hard - I turned some end grain. It was like hitting concrete. Another piece may work smoothly and easily.

Mostly it is hell on edges - high silica content blunts everything rapidly. Sharpen frequently!

On my marking knives I like to finish with sandpaper to 600 and then use Shellawax.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Chipman]

Hi Tea Lady,

Hang in there, you can do it! My first lidded bowl/box was turned into endgrain Jarrah... sure it is hard and the shavings will come off hot... so slow the lathe down and use lighter cuts. Mine had the purple streaks in it.. see this picture if you like..

http://www.woodworkforums.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=71175&d=1208086827

At the moment, I have a mortar and pestle turned out of another piece of endgrain Jarrah and it has a beautiful low sheen on it and it doesn't even have any finish on it yet! Maybe I have been lucky....

By the way if anyone out there knows what to finish a mortar and pestle with (oil, wax etc) I would like to know.

Regards ,

Chipman:)

PS your smile must be nicer than mine!... last year, I went to Matthews Timber looking for offcuts.. got a very "cool" reaction... effectively go away or pay full price and I was asking very nicely and prepared to pay at least something... I suppose I got the wrong person on one of his bad days...Normally I find them very friendly and helpful.

[tea lady]

My smile must be nicer!!:rolleyes: I started off looking at their little shelf of turning blanks (which seem quite high priced when you've only bought from Rowie so far.:rolleyes:), then asking about their differant timber and talking about what I was going to do. Learning turning Blah blah.:D and they pointer ME to the off cut bin. They even then told me what all the differant woods were.:cool: I noticed there is a sign saying no rumaging in the off cut bin during business hours. Maybe the boss wasn't there at the time. I wonder if they wheel it outside the gate at closing. Will have to drive past at night.

The bits o' Jarrah I got seem quite coarse grained. Mathews are not specialist turning timber merchants. Floors and joinery aren't they? So maybe meant for some other use.:? :shrug

[Harry72]

The few bits I've turned have been very good to turn, makes for a beautiful finish right up to 2000grit for a do yer hair in it shine!

I did find on spindle turning your skew needs to be super sharp and take very fine cuts otherwise it will tearout.

Here's a lazy susan (http://www.woodworkforums.com/showpost.php?p=650752&postcount=1) made of jarrah I did a while back.
Or a 16mm bowl gouge handle its only finished to 320grit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/ST170ish/16mmbowlgouge.jpg

[tea lady]

Well gee! They look pretty good don't they. And you did that after only a few months turning, like about what I'm up to now? Well, (&$@%^*, I'll have to have another go at it next week.:determined::D

[Burnsy]

I did find on spindle turning your skew needs to be super sharp and take very fine cuts otherwise it will tearout.



I must have been lucky as I had no problems and check out the dull dodgy tools! I really do need to learn how to sharpen my skew properly, haven't tried yet and it is daull as a box of hammers.

[ticklingmedusa]

Here in the states jarrah burl from oz is highly prized and expensive.
I have turned one or two pieces and think the end result was worth the pilgrimages
to the grinder.
below is a link with some info on jarrah.
tm


http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/jarrah.htm


"By the way if anyone out there knows what to finish a mortar and pestle with (oil, wax etc) I would like to know.

Regards ,

Chipman"

I've seen mortar & pestle sets for sale with a vegetable oil finish (maybe edible flaxseed oil) and made a few myself and burnished with a very light coat of beeswax. Due to the nature of the job they are intended for I would only use a finish that was positively safe or maybe no finish at all and simply burnish the piece.
tm

[hughie]

Hmmm, Jarrah. Its been awhile since I had some. But I seem to recall it was very similar to red concrete. :)

Very Hard and the grain was fairly close so it eventually came up very well. Persistance seems to be the order of the day if you have hard Jarrah. The good thing about real hard timber is it will generally take a darn good finish, might need a slurry type sanding job to get it very smooth and fill all the grain voids. But in the end its worth it.

[bookend]

Jarrah is a lovely but very dirty timber to turn. You will need a good wash afterwards though as the dust is black.

As has been said before, take it slowly. Be prepared to sharpen your tools often. If you have to push your tool because it isn't cutting like a knife through butter, then it's time to sharpen. It took me a while to learn this. If you're pushing, then you are probably going to make a mistake.This is why people spend small fortunes on harder and harder tool steel.

You may well have to sharpen every few minutes working with one tool, depending on the quality of your steel and there is no exaggeration there.

[tea lady]

You may well have to sharpen every few minutes working with one tool, depending on the quality of your steel and there is no exaggeration there.

Since I'm doing this at a Community workshop, I could sharpen ALL the bowl gouges and just change tools when they are blunt. Then sharpen them all again.:D (Maybe on a day when I'm the only one in the turning room.:rolleyes:)

[Sawdust Maker]

The few bits I've turned have been very good to turn, makes for a beautiful finish right up to 2000grit for a do yer hair in it shine!

I did find on spindle turning your skew needs to be super sharp and take very fine cuts otherwise it will tearout.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/ST170ish/16mmbowlgouge.jpg

Harry
Nice handle
what's the metal bit on the end?

[Harry72]

At the end of the handle, its just a http://elraco.com.au/product_thumb.php?img=images/WSFH70.jpg&w=90&h=150 with a washer.

[madcraft]

By the way if anyone out there knows what to finish a mortar and pestle with (oil, wax etc) I would like to know.



Chipman

Try EEE and then Shellawax or Glow { Depending on the wood } this is what I use on all my boards and Wok cooking stuff and my Mortar and pestle's

the only trouble is I have more customers that don't use them {Displayed} than I have that use them

{ too good to dirty is the comment I get the most }

Cheers
Glenn

[Chipman]

Thanks for the info Madcraft...

Any chance of posting some pictures of yours... as soon as I get myself organised, I will post a pic of my unfinished one!


Regards,

Chipman:)

[madcraft]

Any chance of posting some pictures of yours...
:)

Hi Chipman

Unfortunately Camera took a hit by a piece of UBI { unguided ballistic Ironbark } and is no more

Haven't got around to getting a new camera yet

Cheers
Glenn

[derekcohen]

I've done a few of these :)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Markingknifeset2.jpg

Finished in Shellawax.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Buzz]

By the way if anyone out there knows what to finish a mortar and pestle with (oil, wax etc) I would like to know.





Given that its for food preparation, I'd be inclined to use an edible oil or something like Orange Oil.

[ticklingmedusa]

By the way if anyone out there knows what to finish a mortar and pestle with (oil, wax etc) I would like to know.






Given that its for food preparation, I'd be inclined to use an edible oil or something like Orange Oil.

I've seen mortar & pestle sets for sale with a vegetable oil finish (maybe edible flaxseed oil) and made a few myself and burnished with a very light coat of beeswax. Due to the nature of the job they are intended for I would only use a finish that was positively safe or maybe no finish at all and simply burnish the piece.
tm<!-- / message -->

[Chipman]

I've seen mortar & pestle sets for sale with a vegetable oil finish (maybe edible flaxseed oil) and made a few myself and burnished with a very light coat of beeswax. Due to the nature of the job they are intended for I would only use a finish that was positively safe or maybe no finish at all and simply burnish the piece.
tm<!-- / message -->


Thanks for the info TM:2tsup:

Chipman:)

[DJ’s Timber]

This comes under the old argument about what is best for chopping boards regularly and like chopping boards, it's best left al naturale or Paraffin Oil. Most vegetable oils can go rancid.

[ticklingmedusa]

With respect,
no contest on the use of vegetable oils...
I had a feeling this was opening a can of worms.
I've been reading about the use of edible flaxseed oil as a finish for food utensils.
Soak for 3 days, dry for a few months, and it becomes polymerized inside the wood, making it nearly impervious to food stains and normal hot soapy water of dishwashing. Of course don't ever put one in a dishwasher...the heat and steam will drive water into them. With regular washings I don't think rancidity would be a problem.
Beeswax however, never turns rancid.

[Sawdust Maker]

At the end of the handle, its just a http://elraco.com.au/product_thumb.php?img=images/WSFH70.jpg&w=90&h=150 with a washer.

Why?

[Harry72]

It hides where the revolving centre left its mark and it gives it a Robert Sorby look(which the shape is based on)

[derekcohen]

Hi Harry

Was that deliberate?

I usually allow for this occurring, then cut that part away and shape the ends on a disk sander and with rasps.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/IMG_2135.jpg Jarrah-rehandled Berg parers.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Sawdust Maker]

Derek
That's simply not fair, showing us a superb set of tools like that!
It only makes us extremely jealous, both of your skill and of you having such tools

Harry

Thanks for letting us know, not sure I'd bother and I tend to do similar to Derek (but not as neatly!)


cheers

[tea lady]

Hi Harry

Was that deliberate?

I usually allow for this occurring, then cut that part away and shape the ends on a disk sander and with rasps.

Jarrah-rehandled Berg parers.

Regards from Perth

Derek
Well! I know I said post a pic of what you've turned out of Jarrah. But geeeeeeeez.:C Maybe I should try and get some "nice" jarrah. :rolleyes: and some chizels.:doh:

[tea lady]

Turned some "Nice" jarrah today. I must have had a dud or something last week. All course grained and stuff. The blanks I had today was actually really nice to turn, and looks like it will finish really well.:cool:

[rsser]

Nice.

Maybe what you had last week was badly kiln dried ... makes any timber brittle.

[Sawdust Maker]

Turned some "Nice" jarrah today. I must have had a dud or something last week. All course grained and stuff. The blanks I had today was actually really nice to turn, and looks like it will finish really well.:cool:

TL
c'mon, you know we don't believe without photos?:rolleyes:

actually I've got my little project in glue up phase with jarrah and tassie oak. contrast looks good, see if it'll work, hopefully post results after the weekend - I need more shed time - drat work

[tea lady]

TL
c'mon, you know we don't believe without photos?:rolleyes:

:C Its only half finished at the moment. Maybe tomorrow. Have a bit of mucking around to do. (Involving making a doughnut chuck.):D

[tea lady]

Well! You wanted photos.Here are photos. Not bad huh? :U
It is only about 10 cm across. :rolleyes: Finished in EEE and Shellawax Glow.

[Chipman]

I knew you could do it!:)

That is a really nice looking bowl Tea Lady:2tsup::2tsup:

How did you go as you were finding Jarrah pretty tough to work?


I got lucky today....my Father in Law has given me a massive lump of red gum...really need 2 people to carry it! and better still.... more to come:D


Regards,

Chipman:)

[Sawdust Maker]

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:
Can't think of anything else to say really
well done TL

[tea lady]

How did you go as you were finding Jarrah pretty tough to work?

This "nice" little bit of Jarrah was no trouble at all.:rolleyes: I don't know what that other lump of wood was. Maybe there is a fair amount of variation in the quality and fineness of the grain in Jarrah. And maybe silica content or something. I have some more of this "nice" stuff to play with too. :cool:

[BobL]

RE: I think I did it.

You did - you did - well done!

[madcraft]

Well! You wanted photos.Here are photos. Not bad huh? :U
It is only about 10 cm across. :rolleyes: Finished in EEE and Shellawax Glow.

TL 11/10 , Great Job well done :2tsup:

[woodwork wally]

Hi T.L. Don't wait around I have been using it For a variety of things such as an 8" platter and various containers, morter and pestle and also some miniatures The worst problem I found was tearout when trying to use a scraper:((. [supersharp is the answer:2tsup::2tsup:]
and if scraper is unavoidable burnish burnish burnish to keep cutting and not tearing.
Grab a piece and have a go cos thats how you learn. My first was the 8" platter and I bought the blank from W.A. and it sat for 3 months before I plucked up courage to try
as had only been turning for a couple of month .Now SWMBO.refuses to part with it Although it is not perfect it is attractive and usefull.Finish good:):) sorry no pics. as am still fighting with cam.putor :doh:systems . anyway go for it Regards WW.Wally

[Chipman]

This "nice" little bit of Jarrah was no trouble at all.:rolleyes: I don't know what that other lump of wood was. Maybe there is a fair amount of variation in the quality and fineness of the grain in Jarrah. And maybe silica content or something. I have some more of this "nice" stuff to play with too. :cool:

I was turning a mount for a barometer out of what I thought was jarrah.. but a little lighter in colour and a bit pinker than normal (jarrah actually varies from almost white through to deep red/brown) and it was almost impossible to turn...maybe that is what you had! I can't tell you what wood it was as it was "found" wood. It got really hot and I had to keep sharpening the tools and took ages to make even though it was just a simple profile.

If you find jarrah with the dark streaks through it, it looks really nice when turned and finished. A bought a stair tread down in Bayswater... The guys found it hard to understand why I wanted it...they said their customers didn't like the stuff with the black stripes in it!!!! Better for us wood turners:):)

Regards,

Chipman

[tea lady]

My bit of nasty jarrah was lighter and more pink. Boring bit of wood anyway, I've decided. :rolleyes: It was free, but to much trouble. :doh:

So where was this nice stair stead from? A secret? Or Bunnings?:rolleyes::D

[Chipman]

My bit of nasty jarrah was lighter and more pink. Boring bit of wood anyway, I've decided. :rolleyes: It was free, but to much trouble. :doh:

So where was this nice stair stead from? A secret? Or Bunnings?:rolleyes::D


No Secret!

It is a timber merchant right next to Stratco (158 Canterbury Rd Kilsyth in the building opposite their side entrance)... Sorry, Can't remember the name.

Then there is Australian Choice Timbers (Kilsyth) a bit further up Canterbury Rd(towards Liverpool Rd)

Regards,

Chipman:)

[tea lady]

No Secret!

It is a timber merchant right next to Stratco (158 Canterbury Rd Kilsyth in the building opposite their side entrance)... Sorry, Can't remember the name.

Then there is Australian Choice Timbers (Kilsyth) a bit further up Canterbury Rd(towards Liverpool Rd)

Regards,

Chipman:)
Coooool! Another place for me to poke around.:cool::2tsup: Thanks.

[Chipman]

Tea Lady,

Have you been to:

Ferntree Gully Timber & Joinery 908-918 Burwood Hwy, (right next to Belgrave)

I think they used to stock Jarrah... I think I bought Jarrah from them for an outdoor furniture project a few years ago.

If you ever come across a flooring place, you may be able to get some offcuts from them. I have discovered that one of my student's Dad works for a flooring company and has promised to bring me some offcuts... can glue them up or even do some more of that square turning.


Regards
Chipman:)

[tea lady]

Tea Lady,

Have you been to:

Ferntree Gully Timber & Joinery 908-918 Burwood Hwy, (right next to Belgrave)

I think they used to stock Jarrah... I think I bought Jarrah from them for an outdoor furniture project a few years ago.




Regards
Chipman:)




They are now a vacant lot with occasional car and plant sales happening. :C You mustn't live around here then?:rolleyes:

[Chipman]

Last time I was over that way and took notice it looked like the place was dying...too bad as they used to have really good supply of Jarrah.

I hide out at the other end of Mt Dandenong to you.... (Mooroolbark)

Trouble is a lot of timber places disappear as they can't compete with Bunnings on the main timbers like Radiata Pine. Anyway that is one good thing about these forums, we can keep up to date with were to get stuff.


regards
Chipman:)

[tea lady]

Oh! Just over the hill then.:D

For ages you couldn't tell if it was open or closed. Or if they really wanted people in there bothering them. Sign nearly worn off. weeds every where. Then all of a sudden it really was closed.:C