Thread: timber suitable for utensils and containers

Ti tree, most eucalypti and avoid Burls, they have holes in them

Wood from almost any fruit tree.

Citrus, Apple, Pear, Cherry, Plum, Walnut, etc., etc., etc...

(Unless it is spalted.)

thanks Pat, will see what aussie timbers i can get hold of.

heard that maple is supposed to be good too but not sure which type. does anyone know about this pls?
is radiata pine ok to use with food? i would like to know about a variety of timbers that i can use so i can do different things for different folks!

cheers,
BB

Originally Posted by Pat

Ti tree, most eucalypti and avoid Burls, they have holes in them

excellent thanks! i've got 2 mango trees.... wonder what i can turn them into! i 'spose the branches will have to be cut square so that i can get the timber centred properly on the lathe... is that right
i'm learning!
cheers,
BB

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Wood from almost any fruit tree.

Citrus, Apple, Pear, Cherry, Plum, Walnut, etc., etc., etc...

Mango? Never tried it for myself, but from what I hear it's prone to be attacked by blue-stain fungus while drying. You could search these forums for posts containing "Mango" by "Cliff Rogers" for more info/opinions.


If you're cutting up & drying your own logs/branches for turning, then you should split them in half through the pith/heartwood to help reduce splitting.

Hi guys, I made a batch of timber spoons a while back from some scraps of Tasie Myrtle I had left over from a job. They worked a treat everyone loves them, don't seem to have any taste or other issues. On my web site under turning if you want to look see.

Nice site Claw Hama.
(quote)does anyone know where i can purchase some orange oil to use on the aforementioned items?(quote)

Bowerbird, you may like to try the Food Safe Finish search, which will reveal a few "revelations". What fixed your tummy as a kid is the clue!

No need to cut square for subsequent turning round. Either way, you cut "air" for a while (thump, thump, thump) - roughing gouge preferred. To find the centre, cut some disks of cardboard in various diameters with a centre hole to mark the ends. Fit the maximum size disk at each end. If there's a mid-span deviation, adjust the centre point to maximise the piece size. At least one of the blokes here uses a single perspex disk showing concentric circles. Google [centre finder] or [center finder] to locate a pic and identify the perpetrator(s).

There are special circumstances where you can use the whole log for spindle turning, but in general you can let the log crack where it likes and split it there so as to use the parts with shrinkage stress relieved by the splitting. Find the centres as described above.

Joe

Thanks watson, Bowerbird with my spoons I boil them in salt water to season them and wash out any excess sap etc and then when dry I give them a good coat of olive oil. Some of Organoils products are food safe also which I normaly use on my turned bowls. Check their web site, good home grown Ausie products too.

thanks claw, watson, skew & joe for your very helpful comments and search ideas etc.

yeah, i have a nice piece of tassie myrtle, am saving that until i decide what to do with it rather than cut it up for smaller stuff.

i guess radiata pine must be ok as i got a freebie breadboard from a mitre 10 demo. made a rolling pin about 10 years ago out of radiata. the shortbread bikkies and pastry tasted ok. so unless someone says "shock horror, no don't use radiata!" then I will try making some new utensils with it until the myrtle beckons me.

cheers,
BB

watson please give me more clues. i searched and it came up with 10 pages, haven't got the time or the energy to search the lot. was there a specific post or thread that you could send me the link for please?

Originally Posted by watson

Bowerbird, you may like to try the Food Safe Finish search, which will reveal a few "revelations". What fixed your tummy as a kid is the clue!

There was talk of olive oil NOT being good because it can go rancid. I use Eco Wood wipe (available from Bunnings. ) for my spoons and handles. You have to wait for the orange smell to go, but it seems great. Salad spoons doing good service. The Organoil Hard burnishing oil says its food safe on the label. You can just wipe it on for a matte finish, or burnish it for gloss. I think the nut oils are supposed to be OK. Wall Nut oil and such, from supermarket.

I am currently learning to turn with ye olde Radiatta pine. Its hard to get a nice finish on because of tear out and stuff. Needs lots sand paper work but never as nice as you want it to be. Plane tree has been suggested as good for utensils, but I've no idea were to get it other than following around the council tree loppers.:hmm

Hi Tea Lady, never had any problem with Olive oil, I have done bread boards, spoons, salad bowls all for years without any drama. Have been temped of late to try wallnut oil though.

thanks tea lady & claw.

yeah i was told not to use cooking oils but i have used sunflower oil or some other cheap oil on my breadboard but it isn't on there long enough to go rancid because it gets washed every time i use it. it dries quickly and i haven't re-oiled it for ages. will check out the orange oil & walnut oil etc, peanut oil might be a goer too. will investigate the organoils too.

cheers,
BB