Thread: Aussie timbers for chip carving?

Jacaranda could be worth a look too.

Cheers
Michael

Poinciana do grow to be a reasonable size although more a spreading shade tree shape form than long and straight.
I have some boards 300 wide 50 thick about 2m long and a few other odd sizes.
Figure/grain looks similliar to the dog carving wood but more yellow in colour.
I could post u a small piece if u like.
Peter.

Hey Russel not Aussie but have you heard of "Jelutong"

Many use it for Rockng Horses straight grain, white, a dream to carve, in fact just put the design in front of it and it will carve itself (ALMOST!)


Cheers

Steve

Originally Posted by toolbagsPLUS

Hey Russel not Aussie but have you heard of "Jelutong"

Many use it for Rockng Horses straight grain, white, a dream to carve, in fact just put the design in front of it and it will carve itself (ALMOST!)

Cheers
Steve

Name rings a bell from ages ago - Indonesian isn't it? Supplies available in Aus?

Russell.

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

Name rings a bell from ages ago - Indonesian isn't it? Supplies available in Aus?

Russell.

Should be available at http://www.lazaridestimberagencies.com/
If not they should be able to tell you where to get some.

Cheers


Steve

Originally Posted by toolbagsPLUS

Should be available at http://www.lazaridestimberagencies.com/
If not they should be able to tell you where to get some.
Cheers
Steve

Thanks. I've been there a couple times over the years. They have a great range of stuff, but it's a pain to get there traffic-wise, and their prices are not what you'd call economical last I looked. There was a place at Yeronga or Yerongpilly that had a small range of non-standard timbers too. Can't remember the name offhand though.

Russell.

found a 2.4m length of hoop 7mm thick x 200mm wide. yet to serch for other species that may be useable.

what about white cedar?

Originally Posted by weisyboy

found a 2.4m length of hoop 7mm thick x 200mm wide. yet to serch for other species that may be useable.

what about white cedar?

I'm far from a wood afficionado to know what most of them would be like. Is white cedar as soft as red cedar? I have some Aussie red cedar offcuts. Not sure if it's too soft to hold a crisp edge. Apart from being too dark, it certainly has a nice plain colour & texture. But then, white cedar could be completely different?

Russell.

red cedar is definatly good for carving. my uncle made this for us with a peice of red cedar we gave him.

white cedar is verry similar ill see if i can find some. and post a pic.

Originally Posted by toolbagsPLUS

Hey Russel not Aussie but have you heard of "Jelutong"

Many use it for Rockng Horses straight grain, white, a dream to carve, in fact just put the design in front of it and it will carve itself (ALMOST!)


Cheers

Steve

yeah steve you got it jelutong carves nice
i use it a lot now and u have to keep your tools sharp as
its nice for chip carving to as i was have a go with it the other nite

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

Hey folks,

I'm wondering if all you experts can help me identify a good, available Aussied timber for chip carving in.

Criteria is

1. Light colour - as light as possible, as contrast shadow is what gives chip carving it's impact

2. Plain figure - the plainer the better - if it looks like a piece of paper, great!

4. Close, tight, even straight grain - it needs to hold a sharp edge cleanly, when the chips are cut out, and should cut evenly across the grain.

5. Not too hard - hoursd spent pushing a small knife into the wood, you don't want something that's too hard, but holding crisp detail is still more important than softness.

Basswood from the US is considered the ultimate wood, so the closest to that we have? I have boards of Qld white beech, but it's more a light brown than white, and have streaks of chalky deposits through it, which distract from the image.

Anyone got any clues what I should be looking for here?

Thanks.

Russell.

Hi Russell,

I've read what you request, and all the other timber varieties suggested along the way and I believe I have the timber you are looking for the Golden Cypress (Macrocarpa) I have tonnes of this stuff and some large logs that are bone dry. Last year when I cut the humongous tree, I got Frank&Ernest getting a trailer full 2 large logs, and I cut a few dry logs into carving recommended size slabs and the guys from Adelaide carving Club went crazy with it. The lightest timber ever, the smell is something else, very light in colour, easy to get large slabs without a singe knot or imperfections, easy to work with and finish really nice. Anyway, anyone that know this timber will confirm this. I actually have slip manually 1 log about 1'1/2 diameter by 3' long, just a few days ago to that I can cut thin boards out of them.
I'm a little confused about your measurements requirements and I believe you need boards, how many? of 100mm wide x 200 hight and thickness of?

I can get you blocks with the outside sizes, and you slice then in the thickness you want, or I can slice them for you, no problems. As I mention, very dry Macrocarpa is light very light so freight wouldn't hurt too much!

Let me know if you want to see those hand splinted boards, as I have plenty of pics on the forum about this Golden Cypress tree removal!

Cheers
RBTCO

Originally Posted by robutacion

I've read what you request, and all the other timber varieties suggested along the way and I believe I have the timber you are looking for the Golden Cypress (Macrocarpa)

I'm a little confused about your measurements requirements and I believe you need boards, how many? of 100mm wide x 200 hight and thickness of?

Hey Mate,

The idea is to make pen boxes, so I was looking for boards 75 - 100mm wide x 200mm long. One piece, 6 - 10mm thick would make the top of the box that I would carve. The rest of the box be either a 25mm thick piece of the same stuff, that I'll route a groove in for the pen, or to make a proper box, another piee of the same stuff for the base, andother for the two long sides which I would rip in half, and then I would need two short pieces for each end, same width, but only up to 25mm long.

Measurements don't need to be exact in each dimension. I have yet to try out what sizes work best for single/double/tripple pen cases, hence why I don't have exact measurements. I can also size the pieces myself with my new tablesaw & thicknesser, although the thicknesser doesn't go smaller than 7mm, and I have yet to get a planer/jointer, so full surface preparation is not quite part of my skillset yet.

I'd love to try some out. I'd need at least 4 boards to make a box. I can send you a post satchel if you like, and whatever other compensation you would like. Maybe you can finally get that pen out of me after all? :P

Russell.

[QUOTE=. There was a place at Yeronga or Yerongpilly that had a small range of non-standard timbers too. Can't remember the name offhand though.

Russell.[/QUOTE]

Think the place you are referring to is Moxon Timbers.

http://www.moxontimbers.net/English.html


Cheers


Steve

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

Hey Mate,

The idea is to make pen boxes, so I was looking for boards 75 - 100mm wide x 200mm long. One piece, 6 - 10mm thick would make the top of the box that I would carve. The rest of the box be either a 25mm thick piece of the same stuff, that I'll route a groove in for the pen, or to make a proper box, another piee of the same stuff for the base, andother for the two long sides which I would rip in half, and then I would need two short pieces for each end, same width, but only up to 25mm long.

Measurements don't need to be exact in each dimension. I have yet to try out what sizes work best for single/double/tripple pen cases, hence why I don't have exact measurements. I can also size the pieces myself with my new tablesaw & thicknesser, although the thicknesser doesn't go smaller than 7mm, and I have yet to get a planer/jointer, so full surface preparation is not quite part of my skillset yet.

I'd love to try some out. I'd need at least 4 boards to make a box. I can send you a post satchel if you like, and whatever other compensation you would like. Maybe you can finally get that pen out of me after all? :P

Russell.

Yep, that will do, send the the 3 kg prepaid self-addressed bag (address by PM shortly!), I will sent you a block as big as the bag can carry!

Don't accuse me that I didn't warn you...! you are going to love to work with this stuff!

Cheers
RBTCO