Wood advice please help.

[mickelmaster]

I can get my hands on some redgum and silky oak, was going to use it for my chessboard, i know it isnt normal but hey :P was wondering if they are any good to turn on a lathe. BTW just thought it might have some effect, the silky oak is from tazzie and is 300 yrs old apparently

[mickelmaster]

C'mon guys i need your help here.

[Wayne Blanch]

I am no expert by any means, but I have used silky oak many times to turn and it gives great results.
With regards to the Red gum I don't know for sure but I have used some other gums without to much trouble. The only issues have been that if it is not dry it may crack. I once turned some green and it warped to an amazing degree, before falling apart that is

[brendan stemp]

I've had extensive experience with both timbers and both are good turning timbers. But they have different qualities. Silky oak is softer than red gum and can have a waxy feel to it. This waxiness can clog up sandpaper. SOak cuts easily while RGum is a lot harder and can tear. You need to work RGum with sharp tools and it takes shear scraping well. If you were glueing the two together for a chess board for instance and then turning I would have concerns because their different hardnesses would present problems. SOak would cut easier than RG which would result in some uneveness in the surface. Same goes with sanding. The colours would compliment each other well. In summing up I like both timbers but would not glue them together and then turn. Hope this helps.

[mickelmaster]

Thank you very much youve both been a great help, and im turning the pieces seprately and not turning the board so it shouldnt matter to much but should i sand the pieces first before i glue them?

[BernieP]

G'Day Mickelmaster

Both nice woods, however have met a few people with allergies to Silky Oak so take care with the dust, always easier to have a flat surface when glueing. By the way welcome aboard.

Cheers
Bernie

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

As Brendan said, both timbers have different properties... and I've found they don't go well together in a chess-board.

I've made a few c/boards and redgum & silky oak was one of the combinations. (Easy to get. ) Sadly, even with well-seasoned timbers all the redgum squares developed cracks. I've put it down to simply different movement rates and the board living in several different houses; some with aircon & some without.

For chessmen it's not a problem, of course. Both woods turn nicely, although old redgum can be hard on your tools.

[mickelmaster]

Alright, thanks again guys, youve been of great help.

[andrew tarpey]

silky oak is highly unlikely from Tazzie
the place has only been settled for 200 years and to have a northern tree in that climate is a little hard to comprehend.
check with your supplier
Ley me know

[mickelmaster]

Well thats just what i was told no hard evidence of it being from tazzie or it being 300 yrs old but either way im happy coz its for free