Thread: New Turner

G'day Richard and welcome to the show.

What CEdar are you turning? AUS. Red? Orthe Western Red from America?

Whichever way they are both suitable for floats.

Many timbers have varying densitities because of growing conditions... drought, cold, rainfall etc.so even something like the two species mentioned can be quite different from one piece to another. Oregan is suitable for your purposes as are many of the pine trees. Camphor Laurel would be OK.
Apart from those I suggest you experiment.

Now you've got me, i'm not sure, i picked it up in a timber yard in Ryde, 19 x 90 and ran it through a saw bench down to 16x16 for my chuck. I'll have to revisit the yard to ask. Thankyou.

Richard I have a friend who makes lures and he uses all sorts of timber depending on what he wants the lure to do but mostly he uses pine. It is cheap and performs the way he wants as for looks well he paints the lures so that is not important to him.
Another timber he uses a lot it oregan also mentioned by Artme. Sorry I can not be much moer help.

Rumpig, thankyou, they're next on my list, but when you see the photo of my suedo-lathe (which will be posted after the weekend) you'll understand my limited options. I, like many others here get a sense of reward when something turns out as expected and actually works, i haven't had any snap whilst turning and cetralising the rod in each end became a real challenge but was soon sorted with handy jig and Brass 3/16" tube as a guide. I just can't wait to get a decent workshop happening.......

You could give Jacaranda a try which is similar in density etc as cedar (aussie). Beech is supposed to be great for carving and making lures if you can get hold of some.
Welcome to the weird world of wood worriers

As promised here is a pic of the floats, apologies for flash back from table surface. And forgive the optical illusion of them being bent.

Richard

Very nice Richard. What do you normally fish for?
Wlecome to the forums.

prozac

Thanks for the welcome, I fish for whatever bites, but with these it would be Leather Jacket and Blackfish. Next attempt will be posted next week. It was quite hard to capture these in full detail and to get the Fluro Orange top as they're about 400mm long.

Richard, welcome to the Forum.
Nice looking floats (I too fish for what ever bites).

Nice work mate.

Richard. welcome to the forum good luck fishing and turning. robert.

Welcome to the forum .Yes there is another timber HUON PINE The queen of timbers for water use. It floats always and lasts for years without need for protection [salt or fresh}. Pm me an address and I will post you a piece to play with . It's magic to turn and for turning a float will not overload your "lathe" And dont be bashfull about the tools you use as they are what you can afford and it is doing the job for now . Just go for it!!! Regards WW.Wally

The floats look really nice well done what ever the equipment you are using seems to be doing the job just fine and when you do upgrade you will appreciate so much more.

Richard you said you fish for whatever bites. You need to come to the Top End .our aim is not to catch fish as that just gets in the way of drinking and any one can catch a esky full of barra

Rum pig, the top end sounds great, i'll bring up the tinny and load it up. Have a look at the Box threads as you'll see my tri-purpose box. The home made step/esky, and for the record it won't hold a Darwin in there but just shy of a case, probably 18 cans. I built it to help the wife step down through the step-through screen. Next is a colour matched prawn tank/storage/live bait box.

Richard