I've just lucked (?) into a few small turning blocks of ironwood from
Arizona. I'm wondering if there is anything special I need to know before
putting them on the lathe. I was advised that there will be no shavings,
only dust, and that the dust is toxic enough to warrant wearing a breathing
mask.
I assume I will have to sharpen more often,
Is all this so, in your extensive experiences? What else? What about
finishing? I have heard that it just needs to be sanded with progressively
higher and higher grits, and then burnished without a finish. Yes?
(cross posted to woodworking and woodturning)
GeorgeMS wrote:
> I've just lucked (?) into a few small turning blocks of ironwood
> from Arizona. I'm wondering if there is anything special I need to
> know before putting them on the lathe. I was advised that there
> will be no shavings, only dust, and that the dust is toxic enough
> to warrant wearing a breathing mask.
>
> I assume I will have to sharpen more often,
>
> Is all this so, in your extensive experiences? What else? What
> about finishing? I have heard that it just needs to be sanded with
> progressively higher and higher grits, and then burnished without a
> finish. Yes?
>
> (cross posted to woodworking and woodturning)
It depends on what the "ironwood" is. "Ironwood" is a term applied to
numerous species of trees; that species/genera varies depending upon
where you are in the world. Basically, it is whatever local wood is
very hard.
--
dadiOH
____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:32:11 GMT, "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote:
>GeorgeMS wrote:
>> I've just lucked (?) into a few small turning blocks of ironwood
>> from Arizona. I'm wondering if there is anything special I need to
>> know before putting them on the lathe. I was advised that there
>> will be no shavings, only dust, and that the dust is toxic enough
>> to warrant wearing a breathing mask.
>>
>> I assume I will have to sharpen more often,
>>
>> Is all this so, in your extensive experiences? What else? What
>> about finishing? I have heard that it just needs to be sanded with
>> progressively higher and higher grits, and then burnished without a
>> finish. Yes?
>>
>> (cross posted to woodworking and woodturning)
>
>It depends on what the "ironwood" is. "Ironwood" is a term applied to
>numerous species of trees; that species/genera varies depending upon
>where you are in the world. Basically, it is whatever local wood is
>very hard.
Since he said that the wood is from AZ, I'd have to think that it was "desert
ironwood"..
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
Here in western Wisconsin, it is Hop Hornbeam, or Lignum Vitae (sp?).
All I know about it is that it sinks if you throw it in the water
and the tree "bleeds" red when you saw off a limb.
Why not just chuck up a piece and let 'er rip? Maybe try carving on
the edges to get a clue as to how it will handle in the lathe?
If you have any luck with it, I have one that could just as well come
down and I might give it a try.
Let us know,
Pete Stanaitis
-------------------
dadiOH wrote:
> GeorgeMS wrote:
>
>>I've just lucked (?) into a few small turning blocks of ironwood
>>from Arizona. I'm wondering if there is anything special I need to
>>know before putting them on the lathe. I was advised that there
>>will be no shavings, only dust, and that the dust is toxic enough
>>to warrant wearing a breathing mask.
>>
>>I assume I will have to sharpen more often,
>>
>>Is all this so, in your extensive experiences? What else? What
>>about finishing? I have heard that it just needs to be sanded with
>>progressively higher and higher grits, and then burnished without a
>>finish. Yes?
>>
>>(cross posted to woodworking and woodturning)
>
>
> It depends on what the "ironwood" is. "Ironwood" is a term applied to
> numerous species of trees; that species/genera varies depending upon
> where you are in the world. Basically, it is whatever local wood is
> very hard.
>
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:01:31 -0600, spaco <[email protected]> wrote:
>Here in western Wisconsin, it is Hop Hornbeam, or Lignum Vitae (sp?).
> All I know about it is that it sinks if you throw it in the water
>and the tree "bleeds" red when you saw off a limb.
>
>Why not just chuck up a piece and let 'er rip? Maybe try carving on
>the edges to get a clue as to how it will handle in the lathe?
>
>If you have any luck with it, I have one that could just as well come
>down and I might give it a try.
>
>Let us know,
>Pete Stanaitis
>-------------------
>
Totally different wood, Pete..
LV (as I know it) is a reddish brown wood that turns green in sunlight, that
used to be used for things like shaft bushings in boats because it was so hard..
Desert Ironwood is a dark brown to black wood that has light brown and gold
streaks in the grain..
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
mac davis wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:32:11 GMT, "dadiOH" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> GeorgeMS wrote:
>>> I've just lucked (?) into a few small turning blocks of ironwood
>>> from Arizona. I'm wondering if there is anything special I need
>>> to know before putting them on the lathe. I was advised that
>>> there will be no shavings, only dust, and that the dust is toxic
>>> enough to warrant wearing a breathing mask.
>>>
>>> I assume I will have to sharpen more often,
>>>
>>> Is all this so, in your extensive experiences? What else? What
>>> about finishing? I have heard that it just needs to be sanded
>>> with progressively higher and higher grits, and then burnished
>>> without a finish. Yes?
>>>
>>> (cross posted to woodworking and woodturning)
>>
>> It depends on what the "ironwood" is. "Ironwood" is a term
>> applied to numerous species of trees; that species/genera varies
>> depending upon where you are in the world. Basically, it is
>> whatever local wood is very hard.
>
> Since he said that the wood is from AZ, I'd have to think that it
> was "desert ironwood"..
Uhhh...which one? From
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/ironwood,%20desert.htm
"That being said, I believe it is also true that "desert ironwood" is
a generic term used in the Southwest of the United States to
(incorrectly) denote a number of different species that have an
extremely hard, dense wood and that are used by local craftspeople to
make small items such as jewlery, knife handles, and so forth."
He goes on to say...
"True desert ironwood, Olneya tesotais, is almost unbelievably hard
for a wood. It is brittle and cracks easily and that combined with the
very small size of the tree all mitigate strongly against any veneer
production from the species. It will not float, is VERY hard to work
with hand tools (pretty much impossible) but takes a fabulous finish
when worked carefully and slowly with very sharp power tools."
--
dadiOH
____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
On Feb 12, 5:32 am, "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote:
>"Ironwood" is a term applied to
> numerous species of trees; that species/genera varies depending upon
> where you are in the world. Basically, it is whatever local wood is
> very hard.
LMAO!!!
Isn't that the truth!
Robert
In article <[email protected]>,
mac davis <[email protected]> writes:
> On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:01:31 -0600, spaco <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Here in western Wisconsin, it is Hop Hornbeam, or Lignum Vitae (sp?).
>> All I know about it is that it sinks if you throw it in the water
>>and the tree "bleeds" red when you saw off a limb.
>>
>>Why not just chuck up a piece and let 'er rip? Maybe try carving on
>>the edges to get a clue as to how it will handle in the lathe?
>>
>>If you have any luck with it, I have one that could just as well come
>>down and I might give it a try.
>>
>>Let us know,
>>Pete Stanaitis
>>-------------------
>>
> Totally different wood, Pete..
>
> LV (as I know it) is a reddish brown wood that turns green in sunlight, that
> used to be used for things like shaft bushings in boats because it was so hard..
>
> Desert Ironwood is a dark brown to black wood that has light brown and gold
> streaks in the grain..
>
>
> mac
>
> Please remove splinters before emailing
--
Mike McDonald
[email protected]
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:57:53 GMT, "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote:
>"True desert ironwood, Olneya tesotais, is almost unbelievably hard
>for a wood. It is brittle and cracks easily and that combined with the
>very small size of the tree all mitigate strongly against any veneer
>production from the species. It will not float, is VERY hard to work
>with hand tools (pretty much impossible) but takes a fabulous finish
>when worked carefully and slowly with very sharp power tools."
Yep, thanks...
They call it "OT" here, I was wondering what the hell that meant.. lol
I believe the SLOWLY part...
My first try on a piece of burl was with a Dewalt "nail cutter" blade in the
recip. saw.. that blade lasted about 5 minutes so I slowed the saw down and the
next blade went the rest of the way through the cut, about 2 more inches in a 4"
wide piece..
Once I get it manageable for the bandsaw, it's not bad at all except for the
dust all over the house and the unusual smell..
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing