Thread: Seasoning olive wood

I'm waiting for a reply to this post. I have had real problems with old growth olive. The grain is as you say beautiful and it's great to turn but the more figure the more easily it cracks. I've microwaved small bits with fair results but the bigger stuff I reckon on sealing and leaving for the grandchildren to use.
Cheers,
Jim

The smaller and twisted the branches the more stresses it will be under and the more it will crack. For turning I'd suggest relieving the stresses by cutting it into shorter lengths and sealing the ends with wax. It does not need to be completely seasoned to start working it so you should not have to leave it to the grandkids.

Don't know about olive wood, but I had success with banksia, which is supposed to be pretty bad, by sealing it completely, rather than just the end grain, and leaving it for a couple of years. I think the slower drying allows the internal stresses to even out.

Originally Posted by jimbur

I'm waiting for a reply to this post. I have had real problems with old growth olive. The grain is as you say beautiful and it's great to turn but the more figure the more easily it cracks. I've microwaved small bits with fair results but the bigger stuff I reckon on sealing and leaving for the grandchildren to use.
Cheers,
Jim

I wonder if your son would be interested in adopting me.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

I wonder if your son would be interested in adopting me.

Need more oysters?
Cheers,
Jim

I intend making an early olive oyster chest at some stage, so I'll have to get my hands on some olive for the oysters, cross-grain mouldings and bun feet.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

I intend making an early olive oyster chest at some stage, so I'll have to get my hands on some olive for the oysters, cross-grain mouldings and bun feet.

What diameter branches are best for you?
Cheers,
Jim

Much depends on the figure of the wood and how much sapwood is present, but Ø4"-5" works well for oysters and cutting into sections for making mouldings. Stock for the bun feet needs to be somewhat larger.

We'll see what we can do.
Cheers,
Jim

Ex-cell-ent!

Outdoors, under cover in a cool location, our general rule of thumb is 25mm/yr.
So, drying from both sides a 50mm slab should be down to an air-dried moisture content of some 12 -14%, certainly in 2 years.

Slab the wood. Paint the ends with whatever junk paint/glue you have. Put stickers in between the slabs in a nice, covered, shady place. Every few months, you have to redo the pile so you don't get any sticker shadows.

Reads to me like the grain/figure will be well worth it (and it makes you look like an ace!)

Originally Posted by jimbur

We'll see what we can do.
Cheers,
Jim

They're all mine! I only need another eight feet, and there's enough

Originally Posted by Blue-deviled

They're all mine! I only need another eight feet, and there's enough

Spring again I see.
Cheers,
Jim