Thread: Camphor

As can be seen from yer photo Camphor has a LOT of reverse grain. You will need a razor sharp plane, preferably a high angle, if you intend to handplane it.
Camphor is pretty fissile so be careful with endgrain details such as molding shapes or dovetailing.
It glues well & polishes to a reasonable finish.

GRS - the Chinese caligraphy was probably out of an old Fortune cookie.

Be interestd as to how you progress. I tried to work with Camphor a while back and found it more trouble than its worth. Soft grain, tear out everywhere etc. I cut the tree off my own property and it may well have been too green still. I have lots left and am thinking of having another run at it. At least you can be sure yours is seasoned.

I have made a blanket box out of Camphor and love it to work with. New sharp blades on the thicknesser and darksiders stop reading now.... dont bother using your plane on this stuff... soft wood and as Major said, reversing grain. Get the sander on it to finish it off... no tear out and quick through the grades of paper. The shed smells pretty good when you work with it too. I think your question was is it camphor?... answer from me... looks alot like it.

corbs

Keep it away from Ruffly... she loves it too.

G'day GRS,

I feel that this timber is far below you skills as a woodworker. I am more than happy to supply you with some wonderful pinus radiata and I will take that old, horrid timber of your hands

Seriously though, looks great, I'm very envious. Never yet even touched some camphor, let alone worked it.

Best of luck and make sure you post pics of the box.

Hi Gary

Camphor is one of the most difficult timbers I have ever planed. Unless you are using a high angle blade, don't even think about planing it. In fact I used it for this reason as one of the test woods in my review of the LV Bevel Up Smoother.

The BUS was so good at working it that I could even plane against the grain.

The only piece I have made with Camphor was a box (about 2 years ago). This was pre-BUS and even the HNT Gordon Smoother could not avoid tearout - the grain goes in every direction one could imagine. In the end I wound up sanding it smooth (to my shame ).

Still, the Jarrah and Camphor box was quite a hit with my mum, for whom I made it:

<div><img src="http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Mumsbox1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /> <br />

<div><img src="http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Mumsbox2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /> <br />

As you can see, the grain can be quite stunning and well worth the effort.

Nice find!

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks for the advice all, I was going to clean this stuff up first through the planer thicknesser so am I to beleive this may tear the wood to pieces?

Originally Posted by GRS

Thanks for the advice all, I was going to clean this stuff up first through the planer thicknesser so am I to beleive this may tear the wood to pieces?

Should be right to put it through the thicknesser. Try to have sharp blades as this will minimise any grain tearout (if any). As said before, soft grain and easier to sand than hand plane.

Corbs

My son just picked up a 2.8 X 1.2 metre slab which is the perfect shape to a bar top. The grain is great and the rough edges will stand out. He is using panels of that small profile corregated iron tor the front of the bar between posts.

I'm assuming Camphor Laurel is the same wood?

Mal from Boutique timbers had some good camphor at the Melbourne WWW show.
Highly figured grain and cheap as.

The hard work will be worth it in the end.

GC

Anyone around the Sunshine Coast at Christmas as my uncle has cut numerous very large camphor trees down about 6 years ago and has them stacked in his shed. Largest is about 1.4 meters wide by 3.5meters long 75mm thick. Big and heavy. We can chat at Chrissy.

Just started planing the old pieces and thought I'd share the result.
The camphor sure has a great texture about it.
If any of you have seen the boxes I have made in the woodwork pictures forum you'll know what type of box this will become. My next question is what is the camphor like to rout? Will I have a problem with tear out by routing a design on it?
I'll defenately try on an off cut first.

Its sad to say that such a lovely timber that is also so easy to work is so prone to expansion and contraction that it's always on the move. So just watch out for that one -
I live around Yandina and there is tons of it here. The local council have outlawed it cause it hogs the banks of all the waterways! The environmental groups are always clearing it out - there is nearly always some available at the latest clearing – one just has to get there before its torched (shame isn't it) I used to get right into it, but like I said - even when dried out it's like a sponge and just keeps warping and twisting. That is my experience with it - Oh and for draws and stuff where cloths are to go It was used heaps but today what I do is use a wafer of it inside the box, draw or whatever its still has the smell and keeps the moths at bay! And the unit can be made with a more stable species.

The beginnings of the box

A-marks, do you think I'll have any movement in 100 year old timber?It has been inside all the time.

Mal from Boutique survived Melbourne.... stays at St Kilda..... and has plenty of camphor.
Is delivering to Sydney/ Newcastle area 28 Oct and also in November.
Call 0265 858296 if you are interested. See thread on other timbers
Regards
Greg