palo santo - Lignum vitae?

[nev]

I did it. I finally attacked the blank I have been saving since it came with the lathe about two years ago. It will be my bowl for this months challenge.
It has a sticker from Yandles on it - ''to be collected by Mr Harrison (previous owner of lathe) on ?/?/93, £13.98''. so should be well seasoned by now.
And boy is it tough stuff!
even with a freshly sharpened gouge I only get tiny shavings, lots of dust and it sticks in the flute, but what a finish straight off the tool 8) , better than most of the stuff i do after ive polished it
apart from the end grain bits, and by the looks of it I'm going to have to buy some wet and dry, cos the rhyno just clogs.
According to tinterweb it is the same as lignum vitae but its a completely different colour to the one piece of LV that I've had in the past. That was green/ brown this is a rich tiger striped golden brown with yellow shavings!
Is it the same stuff? Its certainly dense enough and 'oily' but its the wrong colour. close relation maybe?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

According to Wiki, Palo Santo can refer to three trees, each of a different genus. That could explain the difference.

 

[boysie39]

Jeeze Nev , you have them gone mad over on this site . You announcing that you are turning a L/V bowl for the comp. this month ,and someone who has won the last three comps. going out and buying himself a new lathe :shock: :lol: and this is only the 4th of the month . You have generated an early interest in this months Challenge by all accounts .
But why would the 49er go and buy a new lathe :roll: You may as well send him the prize now . Unless there is someone who would like it to be said that it was ME who stopped his gallop , So get at it you magnificent turners of the UWWorkshop and try and stop the four in a row or three in a row in the one year , :evil:

Of course if he wins again you will all have to buy new lathes . :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[henton49er]

Cripes!! This is getting serious!! :shock: :shock:

How did Eugene know that I now have a VB36 on order and that I am just about to board a plane for the Antipodes, where I have reserved a chunk of Tasmanian Huon (Lagarostrobos Franklinii) to turn my bowl for this month's Challenge. :wink: :wink: .

[Actually, it will probably be ash or similar!! :lol: :lol: ]

 

[Roger C]

Nev The wood could be what is known is SA as south american teak has the same stripes as you describe oily and as hard as lignum vitae. Regards Roger C

 

[boysie39]

Mike ,I have me spy's everywhere :lol: :lol: It would be great to see the 20 entrants reached this term . I think it's great that the Challenge has kept going over the years a big thanks to Nev and the judges and of course CHJ . Iwould love to take part but then you would not be winning every month 8) 8) and who could I have a go at . :mrgreen: :mrgreen: .Good luck to you Mike ,you are an inspiration to all . =D> =D>

So now you turners get in there and knock him off his perch . (hammer) (hammer) :lol:

 

[Bodrighy]

Lignum vitae can come seem in a range of colours from almost black through to pale green in the commercial sector though the original stuff is now classed as an endangered species so shouldn't be sold.
Pete

 

[nev]

Nev The wood could be what is known is SA as south american teak has the same stripes as you describe oily and as hard as lignum vitae. Regards Roger C

Could be! it does look similar.

Eugene, with any luck it will take Mike a few weeks to get used to his new lathe so we may be in with a chance :wink:

the only reason I'm using this exotic lump of wood is that its the only one I have of an appropriate size, and just cos its a nice bit o wood doesnt necessarily mean the finished product will be any good My dustbin has seen its fair share of exotica :mrgreen:

here's a sneak peak of its bottom on the lathe..

 

[boysie39]

I dont know Nev. the 49er could be on a roll .

 

[Steamhammer]

To OP
There is a site called guayacane that you can refer to, as their Lignum Vitae walking sticks are well displayed
Sorry, as a first post I cannot use links , but i have been looking for Lignum Vitae walking sticks for some time now.

I found this thread, while googling how to turn Lignum Vitae, and am looking for some advice .

I have a 130 cm long by 3 cm square Lignum Vitae / Palo Santo that I want to turn into a walking stick.
I must admit, I thought I was buying a rounded length, that I could finish off.
I do not have access to a workshop, so I will have to have it rounded by a shop.
Will a normal wood turning shop, be able to round it off, or is it so hard it should go to a metal lathe ?
Thanks

 

[nev]

...
Will a normal wood turning shop, be able to round it off, or is it so hard it should go to a metal lathe ?
Thanks

Conventional wood turning tools are more than man enough as long as they're kept sharpened, so yes, a wood turning place is what you want.
If you dont have any joy with the yellow pages maybe worth contacting http://www.cornwallassociationofwoodturners.co.uk/

 

[renderer01]

Hi Nev,
I have a large collection of lignum vitea bowling balls only 3 have I turned and each has been a different shade and grain pattern, the one common feature is they are all heavy and not hard to turn but slow to turn as in the shavings are very fine and very oily and strangly enough a different colour from the wood colour they come from.
Hope this helps a little.
Rend.

 

[Steamhammer]

Ok, Thanks for the response.
I will get on with it & get back to you as & when.
Cheers

 

[Steamhammer]

Ok, I have been busy sorting things out for my aging parents.
Anyway, the stick is finally done, and the chap did me a Knob, also of Lignum Vitae, from an old Bowls ball.
great contrast.

Oh, Sorry, I apparently do not have enough posts, to post pictures.
But the stick looks great.
Thanks for the response.

 

[nev]

...
Oh, Sorry, I apparently do not have enough posts, to post pictures.
...

You do now

 

[Steamhammer]

Thanks Nev.

 

[nev]

=D> Great finish, nice shape and perfectly sized and I bet feels nice in the hand too.

 

[Grahamshed]

That does look nice.

 

[boomerang bender]

I have just acquired an old LV bowling bowl and will give this project a go i may try and salvage the white circular disc on the bowl as i think they were originally ivory and create an inlay . Thanks for posting a real inspiration.

Boomerang Bender.

 

[marcros]

May be a plastic, dependant on age.