Thread: Angle cutting jarrah?

a Table saw or surfacer/jointer will be able to do those cuts in twice the time and less sanding than a bandsaw
Regards Chowcini

The easiest way would be to cut it on a bandsaw or tablesaw, but as you don't have one, the next way is to plane the facets on it. This is similar to an exercise that is often given to students, to plane a square section to round.
If the 1" dimension isn't critical, you may be able to pick up a slightly oversize piece of 25mm jarrah from Mathews, otherwise you may have to go to the next size up.
First, saw it square, slightly oversize to the dimension you want. Plane all sides square to the size you want. On each end, mark the centre by finding the intersection of the diagonals, and draw a circle that just touches the sides. Draw tangents to the circle at 45deg to the sides. You can do this with a protractor & bevel gauge, a combination square or freehand. You should now have an octagon marked on each end of your length of wood.
Now comes the slog. With the wood held securely in a vice, plane down to each line. Initially, you will find it difficult to plane accurately to the line, so keep checking both ends and correcting the angle. The longer the plane, the easier it will be, but you should be able to do it using a No. 4 plane.
Good luck, and post some picks to show us how you went.

A Spindle Moulder or a router table would be even more accurate if you want to go the machine way. As you haven't many woodwork tools, this would require the services of someone with a good shed.

I prefer Alex's suggestion.

Matthews Timber is a pretty good choice.

If you are local to Mathews timber you would be kinda local to Knox WoodWorkers as well in Glenfern road Ferntree gully. For a nominal annual membership you could come and use the tools there, and probably get some pointers on how to do what you want.

Knox and District Woodworkers Club Inc (KDWC)

Jarrah is not a substitute for hickory in this application. Hickory is used because of it's springeness also for axe and tool handles. To smak a hard ball with a jarrah stick will be like hitting a rock with an iron bar. Will shake out your tooth fillings. Hickory is almost impossable to find in Oz at present. I make archery bows and have had to get hickory from the US. Spotted gum would be closer but still not 100% there.
I would check the cost of a lacrose stick first before spending a lot on wood and tools. When it comes to sporting equipment it is more than getting the right shape in wood.
Regards
John

Originally Posted by orraloon

Jarrah is not a substitute for hickory in this application. Hickory is used because of it's springeness also for axe and tool handles. To smak a hard ball with a jarrah stick will be like hitting a rock with an iron bar. Will shake out your tooth fillings. Hickory is almost impossable to find in Oz at present. I make archery bows and have had to get hickory from the US. Spotted gum would be closer but still not 100% there..
Regards
John

and don't peoples heads get in the way of those things as well?

I would agree with John - Jarrah is a very strong timber but it is rigid. If you can't get any hickory or willow I would try American White Ash - I understand that may have some of the required qualities.

The ball shouldn't make contact with the wooden bit... the wooden bit is for hitting other people's (*cough* people *cough*) sticks. We wear helmets and padding etc so it's not meant to be dangerous.

I'm not new to the sport, I know of all the sticks available... I do have an expensive alloy shaft (2% Ti etc etc), which is good for being light weight etc, but lacks hitting power for defensive work.

Hardness was the main characteristic that I've been looking at, I'm surprised I haven't been able to find big tables comparing characteristics of different timbers... the best I've found is commerical brochues etc is relative measurements of hardness on them, where jarrah was the only one near the top that didn't seam too exotic.

Hickory would be better because as you've said with the stick shacking upon impact (That wouldn't happen in the sport, but I know what you mean), jarrah would be more prone to snapping? Hickory is as you've said near impossible to find, so jarrah should be fine for a test run.

I'll give it some more thought, with things like this I usually find myself thinking I'm a complete idiot 24 hours later (It is Americans that make them... >.>)

Thanks for the input guys.

How long a piece is needed?
Jim

If you go down the route you suggested, why not try Karri? It has higher torsional strength than even Jarrah.

The octagon is not regular - an inch was just a rough guess. Measurements for the rectangular piece to work from will be 23*28mm, 760mm long for the size I'm intending to make. There is a longer variant, the 'long pole' or 'defense pole'... which is about twice the length which I might make if the first turns out alright.

I've never heard of karri, I'll have a look at it (Edit: Apprently cheaper than jarrah, good to know ). Cost, availablity, and suitablity is all that really matters... aesthetics I'm not fussed about.

Does anyone know how much the piece of timber will cost? Odd ball amount would be great.

Thanks

I will have a look in the timber rack today, I think there is some there somewhere.
Jim

I also agree with John on the Jarrah point. I also think it has quite small fibres, which could lead to snapping without the flexibility required.

Where in Melbourne are you Schnappy?

I'm in Camberwell. As I've said I'm open to suggestions on the wood to be used, jarrah was just what I had come up with that was around locally.