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dai sensei
2nd November 2008, 03:24 PM
BigSplinter gave me some Bog Red Gum last time I was in Toowoomba and I agreed to make him a pepper grinder out of some of it for him. I think this stuff must be thousands of years old based on the consistency of staining. It is completely dry, but riddled with both large and micro cracks, no doubt from the drying process.

Anyway, Star wanted me to show him how to make a pepper grinder, so I got stuck into BigSplinter’s one. It was not an easy task, it was very hard and needed stabilising the small cracks and other defects with thin CA and filling the larger cracks with medium CA as I went, taking a few days to finish. It also didn’t like the skew, tearing the odd chunk out every now and then, even though it was very sharp. The skew did work though for the fine work, but using it as a fine scraper. I used the Ci1 for getting to round, then went to the ¾" detail gauge and ½" bowl gauge for the shaping, finishing with razer sharp scrapers and the skew.

It was all sanded to 1200 then finished with sanding sealer, EEE and Shellewax Glow. Although the finish is excellent, I will now leave it for a few weeks as red gum is notorious for sucking up finishes. I’ll then finish it again with EEE and Shellewax Glow before sending it off. I find the delayed second finish is more permanent.

Being so dark, it is very hard to photograph, especially when it took such a good finish. Hopefully you can see the swirling grain and the colour variations that makes this wood so magical.

Cheers

DJ’s Timber
2nd November 2008, 03:52 PM
Very nice Neil, love the old dark Redgum like this :2tsup:

planeintime
2nd November 2008, 04:07 PM
Which grinder kit did you use?

rsser
2nd November 2008, 06:23 PM
Workmanship is very fine Neil, nicely done.

Tornatus
2nd November 2008, 06:38 PM
It may be a Creature from the Black Lagoon, or Bog, but it is also an object of great beauty, Neil! :clap2:

I wish I had enough Ancient Redgum to turn something that large - I was given a reasonable-sized piece, but discovered that even cutting off pen-blanks was difficult because of the multitude of cracks you mentioned. As much as I hate using CA, I must admit that it does a good job of stabilizing wood like this, but you would have had to pour a fair bit into something that large! Worth it for the magical colour, though.

tea lady
2nd November 2008, 07:13 PM
Oh! Shiny.:D I think i can see you and your camera in the reflection. :pi:

Beautiful work.:U

dai sensei
2nd November 2008, 08:41 PM
Very nice Neil, love the old dark Redgum like this :2tsup:

The blank was bigger than needed, so I sliced off the excess before starting for pen blanks, I'll send you some.


Which grinder kit did you use?

CrushGrind from Jim. I think they are the best, but also don't have that anoying nut on the top, they are worth the few extra $'s.

dai sensei
2nd November 2008, 08:47 PM
Oh! Shiny.:D I think i can see you and your camera in the reflection. :pi:

Beautiful work.:U

You are right, I hadn't noticed, the safety shirt gives me away :U.

Ed Reiss
3rd November 2008, 01:33 PM
Damn fine work Neil! :2tsup::2tsup:

planeintime
3rd November 2008, 04:38 PM
The blank was bigger than needed, so I sliced off the excess before starting for pen blanks, I'll send you some.



CrushGrind from Jim. I think they are the best, but also don't have that anoying nut on the top, they are worth the few extra $'s.

Sorry but I new to salt and pepper grinder kits. Where do you get CrushGrind from Jim?.

Thanks,

BJ

dai sensei
3rd November 2008, 08:02 PM
Sorry but I new to salt and pepper grinder kits. Where do you get CrushGrind from Jim?.

Jim Carrols - see here (http://www.cws.au.com/)

Sawdust Maker
3rd November 2008, 09:22 PM
Extremely nice pepper mill :2tsup:
keep thinking I've got to do one of those - not sure when I'll get the time.
I'll put the idea with all those in the logjam of other projects I have to get to :rolleyes:

Big Splinter
26th November 2008, 05:04 PM
Very, Very Sexy! :D:D:D

You have certainly done the timber justice.

Amazing!

Thank you

Tom:U

robyn2839
26th November 2008, 05:27 PM
It was all sanded to 1200 then finished with sanding sealer, EEE and Shellewax Glow. Although the finish is excellent, I will now leave it for a few weeks as red gum is notorious for sucking up finishes. I’ll then finish it again with EEE and Shellewax Glow

does shellawax glow go over sanding sealer ok? does it still let it into the grain as it is desighned to, have been tempted to use sanding sealer lots of times but only ever used it on surfaces i want to apply poly or similar, would certainly make it easier sometimes to use sealer first.........bob

Skew ChiDAMN!!
26th November 2008, 06:07 PM
Although the finish is excellent, I will now leave it for a few weeks as red gum is notorious for sucking up finishes. I’ll then finish it again with EEE and Shellewax Glow before sending it off. I find the delayed second finish is more permanent.

Good move!


Being so dark, it is very hard to photograph, especially when it took such a good finish. Hopefully you can see the swirling grain and the colour variations that makes this wood so magical.

Nup. :no: Looks like you'll have to bring it down to either Ern's or DJ's get-together before you send it off, so we can also fully appreciate this magical beauty... :wink:

Manuka Jock
26th November 2008, 06:32 PM
Being so dark, it is very hard to photograph, especially when it took such a good finish. Hopefully you can see the swirling grain and the colour variations that makes this wood so magical.
Cheers

Here ya go Dai , I put a new bulb in :U

dai sensei
26th November 2008, 08:21 PM
does shellawax glow go over sanding sealer ok? does it still let it into the grain as it is desighned to, have been tempted to use sanding sealer lots of times but only ever used it on surfaces i want to apply poly or similar, would certainly make it easier sometimes to use sealer first.........bob


I use Ubeaut's sanding sealer, I find it minimises how much Redgum sucks up the final finish. I have never had any problems under Shellewax.


Here ya go Dai , I put a new bulb in :U

:no: