Turners Woods to be Offered -Expression of Interest Sought

[Euge]

Turners Woods to be Offered:

This is a "heads up" …. but first I need to prioritise what turners would like to see.
So I'm looking for expressions of interest before posting pics, sizes & prices of wood turning blanks (as discs, blocks & squares) for bowls platters and spindle turning.

What would you like to see? What do you want to see now or soon?
Would you like to see some Mexican / Texan pen blanks?
Knife blank woods - hard dark pretty?
Should I include some short logs in short lengths for natural edge and vase turning?

Others (later) probably not for turners:

Or see some celery top in short boards / small packs for small projects?
Other short boards for small projects like boxes ?
or small burl slabs with multiple uses.?
feature panels for box lids?

Woods could include some exotics from Africa & Americas, woods one usually doesn’t see here, some dramatic & beautiful.
Most are Australian woods (including straight grain, burls & figured) from dryland, desert & ropical forests
Some offerings are too big - bulky & heavy (eg large Red Gum, Messmate & Box Burls) to post so pick-up is the only option.

Please let me know, respond on forum preferably, as PMs get overloaded. I need some guidance

All these from my considerable "wood bank" which is slowly diminishing, The Grand Divestment continues. I can’t take it with me.

Euge

[artful bodger]

Big bowl blanks dirt cheap would be hard to resist.

[Euge]

Big bowl blanks dirt cheap would be hard to resist.

Thanks ab ...
Now that's what I call good advice ... but not for me. Good for the buyer and turner.
My problem is I was once a buyer too, but now want to recover from my youthful enthusiasm and foolishness .... ie buying too much
Hoping now to pass on this enthusiasm and foolishness on to others.

[artful bodger]

I understand Euge. Have bought way too much of some timber for my needs in the past too.

[dubrosa22]

Woodwind (flutes, recorders, whistles, pipes) instrument blanks would be nice. Anything greater than 280mm in length and around 50 x 50mm

[smiife]

Some African black ebony maybe ?
Or some english boxwood would be nice .......

[Euge]

Woodwind (flutes, recorders, whistles, pipes) instrument blanks would be nice. Anything greater than 280mm in length and around 50 x 50mm

Thanks for that suggestion. I have some woods cut in squares eg some acacia, which I considered initially would be good, but have found the spec requirements of woodwind instrument makers (strive for perfection) is hard to meet. Thats one reason prices are high something thats explained and I'm sometimes embarrassed by.

If you can specify the qualities / min specs you need eg size range, density, colour, lack of figure (eg straight grain) etc etc or species it would be helpful.

Thanks Euge

[Euge]

Some African black ebony maybe ?
Or some english boxwood would be nice .......

African black ebony: only have one smallish block left
English or French Boxwood (small blocks and some logs) I think is all gone too now. Sorry, The Woodsmith may have some

But I do have other fine textured Aust wood (classed as "BOXWOODS" eg a Denhamia, a pale cream white and less dense than European Boxwood) but these are not furniture woods, in small sizes eg blcoks suit engravings, carving ie small things.

Euge

[smiife]

African black ebony: only have one small block left
English or French Boxwood (small blocks and some logs) I think is all gone too now. Sorry, The Woodsmith may have some

But I do have other fine textured Aust wood (classed as "BOXWOODS" eg a Denhamia, a pale cream white and less dense than European Boxwood) but these are not furniture woods, in small sizes eg blcoks suit engravings, carving ie small things.

Euge

Hi Euge , re ebony , how small Is small ?
I was thinking more with the boxwood for cutting hand chased thread
Or making small boxes with threaded lids , or even Inserts for boxes that
can take a thread !
PM If you like re sizes and prices , would be interested to get some of above ....

[dubrosa22]

Thanks Euge.
Yes, the qualities are exacting - straight, flawless grain. No features. Maximum density and tight grain is desired.

Many Dalbergia (rosewood) are very good. Especially African blackwood or Central American Cocobolo. And also Brazilian rosewood I believe? I've not used it.
Cuban Cocuswood is excellent and was used almost exclusively in the 19th and early 20th Century after the fashion for European Boxwood faded.
Boxwood is superb as you mention but large pieces are tough to find. As is ebony. I have a few good blanks currently awaiting the chisel.

Australian Gidgee is well known for flute making, but some less well known and some I'd like to eventually try are Gimlet, Strickland's Gum, Cooktown Ironwood and Bugderoo.

So any of the above rare Aussie timbers would be most interesting if you have any?

V

[Euge]

Hi Euge , re ebony , how small Is small ?
I was thinking more with the boxwood for cutting hand chased thread
Or making small boxes with threaded lids , or even Inserts for boxes that
can take a thread !
PM If you like re sizes and prices , would be interested to get some of above ....

Hi Smirf, (Love the name )

I am away from home presently. Re African Ebony (Diospyros sp): Diospyros I believe it will follow the course of Dalbergia (ie be re-classified by CITES) and cutting / trading severely limited, like Pernambuco and maybe Snakewood one day. Australian dense species will then come into their own.

The few pieces of ebony I have of are small, one block maybe 8 x 4 x 1" (mentioned above) is largest ...and recall maybe another 1.5 x 1.5 x 6" and one a fret-board size (this is from memory) so please don't hold me to it. Will advise when I return home. I do have some nice striped Macassar Ebony and also brown-black striped PNG Ebony, in larger sizes, even a lovely large square / turning block, or for boxes).

[Euge]

Thanks Euge.
Yes, the qualities are exacting - straight, flawless grain. No features. Maximum density and tight grain is desired.

Many Dalbergia (rosewood) are very good. Especially African blackwood or Central American Cocobolo. And also Brazilian rosewood I believe? I've not used it.
Cuban Cocuswood is excellent and was used almost exclusively in the 19th and early 20th Century after the fashion for European Boxwood faded.
Boxwood is superb as you mention but large pieces are tough to find. As is ebony. I have a few good blanks currently awaiting the chisel.

Australian Gidgee is well known for flute making, but some less well known and some I'd like to eventually try are Gimlet, Strickland's Gum, Cooktown Ironwood and Bugderoo.

So any of the above rare Aussie timbers would be most interesting if you have any?

V

Hi Vern,

The physical qualities of woods selected are such that one usually need to carefully select logs, mark out, cut and season such wood JUST for musical instrument use. I'm talking about doing this is small workshop on a bandsaw by hand. Recovery is often ridiculously small and waste & offcuts high. Prices are therefore… you know we keep apologising for prices.

If I was younger and in the wood business I would offer only Aust. woods (as my friend KW has tested over many years, someone who makes stringed instruments using only Australian timbers), offering a good replacement for the usual and traditional woods from Europe, Asia and Americas.

My exotic Rosewood is now almost all gone except for a couple of pieces of African Blackwood, and some D nigra burl, which I will save for someone to turn into an heirloom piece. My 2 smaller boards of Indian rosewood went a few days ago to a lcoal for ukele fret boards. I have some Gombiera (Swartzia sp) which is Very dense, dark purple in 4 x 1” size which will be trialed for the same purpose. It was bought from Mathews (some 20 yrs ago). Also a bit of Pernumbuco and 2 half logs of Snakewood very featured patterned. Wish I had kept the larger straighter pieces of Eur. Boxwood I had. You saw the Cocuswood I had and you found it too featured / figured / faulty with a few birds-eyes. I cut some from another smaller block recently for pens (3-4) and / or knife Handles. Have a few small logs & half logs of rare & unusual Mexican woods though in small sizes.

Australian: Gidgee (some Quarter sawn) that may meet your standards. Also some other inland lesser known Acacias that may be OK in 250 - 300 x 40-50 sq mm. Some were sold to clarinet and similar woodwind makers (in short lengths) for testing. Yes, I have some Gimlet, Strickland's Gum, CT Ironwood, Inland Ironwood (Acacia), and purple gidgee ... but I need to check them for suitable dimensions & quality. Some Budgeroo too (but this is figured and would suit box makers/turners more). I am loath to cut any blocks or log into squares only to find they don’t meet the high standards of woodwind instrument makers. I usually cut to biggest dimensions and them cut down as strong interest is identified, to reduce waste.

Sorry for this long story response. It may provide some background

Eugene

[brainstrust]

bowl blanks that can be posted at a reasonable cost!!! nice grain in them of course

[Euge]

bowl blanks that can be posted at a reasonable cost!!! nice grain in them of course

Now that is a sensible suggestion.

I like the PO satchell bags and find the Express Bags only a little more than the standard yet offer a lot more. I like that they are a set price for anywhere in Australia too. They are limited to 5 kg and irregular pices with sharp edges need to be protected for puncturing the bag.

Will post a few items when I return Canadian Maple burl & 2 slabs of same eg for platters
Large, figured Budgeroo block for turning or box making.
Rare Suppljack Burl (may be too heavy for a bag)
River Red Gum burl (was 20 kg when cut but will be about 15 kg now, way to heavy to send.. pick up only)

These are some that come to mind.


edit: to add some more suggestions

[artful bodger]

Euge, please end the suspense and post a few things that you do have for sale and see how they go.
We are woodworkers not goldsmiths.