turning kapur

[kraits]

hi, has anyone out there turned kapur before? what kind of finish could i expect with it? will i get a polished finish on the lathe with emery cloth? i usally use jarrah for handles but was only able to get kapur today, i know its a lot lighter in colour but just not sure on the quality of finish i will get.

[TTIT]

Doesn't look like anyone has had a go at it The info on this link sounds like it would be OK to use - send me a chunk and I'll let you know what it's like

[Scott]

Doesn't look like anyone has had a go at it The info on this link sounds like it would be OK to use - send me a chunk and I'll let you know what it's like

Cheeky! And I want to know what Radiata is like to turn, I'll send you a bit

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Haven't turned it, no... 'cos I haven't seen it in any decent size in years.

But some 30 odd years ago I worked as a moulder operator in a joinery and we used exclusively Meranti & Kapur. (Oh, the days before we turned green and started worrying about imported timbers. )

Kapur was the timber of choice for door-sills, being very durable under foot traffic, fine-grained and taking good, clean cuts with crisp edges straight out of the machines. 'Twas a bugger on the knife blades though...

... so I imagine it'd turn comparable to our Cooktown Ironwood. Hard on the tools but the results well worth it.

(I also vaguely remember it as being oily and tending to stain the hands. And the splinters were a bugger for infecting. But much of the timber was still fairly green and sappy and shouldn't have been used. Although it was; some things haven't changed. )

[kraits]

thanks for the reply's, after reading that it doesnt sound any worse then turning myall, which i have loads of out here, hard as hell on the tools but the finish on the stuff is worth it, just a pain in the you know what trying to find a good straight peice.