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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Tasmaniac
    Posts
    1,470

    Default Anyone turned Redwood?

    I may have the chance to cut up a big Redwood stump into some bowl blanks.
    Has anyone turned this timber before, particularly bowls?. If so how did you go with it?, thoughts etc.
    Not sure if it is the coastal type or giant mountain type.
    Thanks

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Geelong, Victoria
    Posts
    282

    Default

    I turned a couple of bowls from sequoia - I think it is also called redwood? Very soft, hard to get a clean cut. Also had alternating hard and soft growth rings so very tricky to sand. The tree had grown in the Blue Mountains so quite fast grown I think. I found it similar to Oregon (Douglas fir) in many ways. I did not seek it out - bloke at the Men’s Shed was making benchtops for house house - a mistake in my opinion (and others) as it was far too soft. I turned him some bowls from offcuts.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Brisbane, Qld
    Posts
    939

    Default

    Yeah, similar experience here - soft and must be (carefully!) cut instead of scraped. Very easy to get waves during sanding due to the growth rings Bruce mentioned.

    I do remember getting very different final colour with different finishing techniques (did a few pens) - had results which were quite dark or a much lighter pink from the same piece of wood. I think the pink came from getting the grain filled reasonably well.

    I believe the US folks say there is considerable difference between a specimen which grew slow and gets tighter grain compared to a fast open grained tree...

    Cheers,

    Danny

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    North Carolina, USA
    Posts
    2,327

    Default

    The USA stumps have some spectacular figure. I have turned some off cuts from salvaged deck lumber, not much figure and soft. Stump wood is likely to be denser than what is cut for building lumber. It might need a sanding sealer to not soak up too much oil finish and get dark.

    If cheap or free definitely have a try, we can be surprised.
    So much timber, so little time.

    Paul

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    geelong
    Posts
    359

    Default

    Only played with a small 6-7" branch offcut mostly using scrapers. Cretanly better than pine but propper turning tools will help. By the way young wood has little colour.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    2,205

    Default

    I turned up some posts for a terrace resto a while back.
    The timber was old solid posts the neighbor scored from Luna Park.
    I sawed them into 6 segments and used epoxy.
    About 12’ long by 10” dia.
    Dont remember any dramas but was probably using the saddle as they were parallel.
    Used to have a Racal airstream respirator so would have been wearing that for sure.
    H.
    Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)

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