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View Full Version : Blackwood - I love to hate it



jefferson
7th June 2009, 09:01 PM
Many years ago my long-passed step grandfather handed down some turning tools and timber to my dad and then to my younger brother. I inherited some of it a few years back, including one piece that DJ identified as blackwood.

I turned one little box out of it under 's guidance - not perfect and I will finish it one day.

The last remaining lump went under the chisel today.

Geez, it is porous and the inside of the little box took some sanding.....

Alas, I over-heated the base and it has a hair-line crack. Nice and thin too, so a bit of a waste.

I had a lid ready for turning, but now probably won't bother. Another lesson learned.

Anyway, here it is:


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107323

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I should have taken this project a little more slowly! I finished the outside with Shellawax, but only hit the inside with EEE after noticing the crack.

Jeff

orificiam
7th June 2009, 10:22 PM
Hi Jeff that's a nice looking bowl, as for the little crack don't worry to much about it
as long as you've leaned from it,next time just take your time.
Cheers Tony.:2tsup:

tea lady
7th June 2009, 11:28 PM
NIce little bowl. Beautiful shape and flow. :cool:

I hate blackwood too. But it keeps following me home. :whistling:

TTIT
7th June 2009, 11:57 PM
Little cracks are made for CA. Even with the finish on you can still fill the crack with CA and then re-sand and finish. Would be a shame to waste all that work for nil :shrug:

artme
8th June 2009, 12:17 AM
Beautiful little bowl!!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

Friction cracks can often be avoided by sanding at a very low speed and using lighter pressure.

Calm
11th June 2009, 08:52 PM
I saw this peice when i called in earlier this week.

A really nice job and my sugestion would be to add a redgum or vic ash base.

The redgum could give it a "Copper based saucepan" look.

To me the problem is it is very thin on the base so more sanding will only make the problem worse. - remove the centre on the line of the chuck recess and use the 1/4 inch lip on edge to glue to.

Redgum for dark colour match or vic ash for contrast. by doing the copper based look the "average joe" will think it is a feature not a f*** up

Keep up the good work Jeff

Cheers

jefferson
11th June 2009, 08:59 PM
Thanks for that Calm.

I intend to light the fire in the shed early tomorrow - expecting -4 overnight again. Should be warm enough to do some turning by mid-morning. Problem is, which project? That last lot of wood you brought up (what species again?) is just sitting there.

And David, your visits as with all the forumites are always most welcome.

Now tell me more about fixing my little bowl problem.

Do I turn the inside of the base out near the rim or turn all of it off, then glue redgum / ash onto the base and re-turn?

You b##ggers have turned me into a turning freak (albeit not a good one).

Jeff

Calm
11th June 2009, 09:20 PM
Put up a photo of the base looking directly down on the chuck recess and i will try to do a draw over in paint - first attempt but will try.



Cheers

Sawdust Maker
11th June 2009, 09:44 PM
nice grain, nice shape
pity abut the crack, but what the heck, we are all learnin
but as for being a turning freak, I'd like to be but the day job is getting in the way:doh:

jefferson
11th June 2009, 10:16 PM
Calm,

here's the pics of the base. Next time you're up you might show me how to do the lines that I see others use on pics. You know, arrows and stuff.

And thanks Nick for the encouragement.

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107673

Jeff

Calm
11th June 2009, 11:11 PM
Hold the box in "cole jaws" or something like that.

Cut out on the red line and level off on the green area as that is the glue surface.

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Make the bottom "plug" so it is a good fit where it meets both on the red line and the green area (glue surface) - make sure itn protrudes into the inside and the outside diameter is larger than the box.

Glue to green surface using either titebond or araldite

( photo legend) Red area inside box, green area base, blue area tenon to hold box with (tenbon made after glue up).

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With the box still mounted in the cole jaws machine the sides of the green area to match the flow of the side of the box. Make a tenon on the blue peice.

Mount the box by the tenon and finish the inside, sand polish etc.

Remount in the cole jaws and remove the tenon and finish the outside.

Hope that makes sense Jeff - others might have a better suggestion.

Cheers

Ad de Crom
12th June 2009, 01:27 AM
Jeff, good looking bowl. Don't worry about a small crack.
The blackwood looks like panga panga wood (African hardwood), which I got a time ago from my fishing mate.
Ad :2tsup:

Calm
12th June 2009, 10:20 AM
Jeff had another thought -

just cut out the chuck recess (on a slight taper) glue in a round disk (light coloured wood) and then when you make the lid for the box use the same wood to make a finial for that.

Gives you a blackwood lidded box with a light coloured disk in the bottom and a light coloured finial on the lid.

What do you think of that idea. - i have a Vic ash board here you could use if Vic ash is suitable for a finial.

Cheers

Ed Reiss
12th June 2009, 11:59 AM
Nice work on the bowl Jeff ...nicely sanded and finished. A winner !:2tsup:

jefferson
13th June 2009, 05:06 PM
Jeff had another thought -

just cut out the chuck recess (on a slight taper) glue in a round disk (light coloured wood) and then when you make the lid for the box use the same wood to make a finial for that.

Gives you a blackwood lidded box with a light coloured disk in the bottom and a light coloured finial on the lid.

What do you think of that idea. - i have a Vic ash board here you could use if Vic ash is suitable for a finial.

Cheers

David, haven't turned much for a while and have put this one in the too-hard pile. Next time you're up, we might have a crack at it. I do have a piece of blackwood set aside for the top, so maybe we can inlay some of your ash within it?

I should be out in the shed....
Jeff

Calm
13th June 2009, 05:17 PM
Coming up tonight to load 8am Sunday will be back about 7pm tomorrow night will try to call around then to see you.

Then load Monday morning and that is all until next time he has holidays (hopefully)

Cheers