something new, and wood identification

[gandy]

1st of all, i'll post some plugs ive been working on, 35mm ebony with burr elm "button" style inlays. the burr was from one of meny offcuts john (jpt) sent me.

and onto the identification. this wood came from an old window frame that i picked out of a skip (dont worry, it was my grandads old window frame while hes having some work done on the house) and im not sure what it is was farly easy to cut and drill, turned quite horrid, very fibrous, but once sanded and polished, came up really nice, from some angles it looks dull brown, yet from others, has a golden/copper/slightly red tone.

any help would be lovely

 

[Jonzjob]

Possibly iroko? Pig awful stuff!! But looks good when it's finished.

 

[Bodrighy]

Looks like one of the modern mahoganies to me. Did have a spicy smell when you were turning it?

Pete

 

[gandy]

errrm

i'll have to turn more when i dont have a skinking cold

 

[skeetoids]

Hi G,

These plugs that your doing are beautiful.

The craftmanship in such a small piece is brilliant.

I doubt I would have the patience to work at that scale but you're making some lovely work and such in such an unusual way.

Well done.

Lee.

P.S. I think I've got a fair few bits of poplur burr offcuts. Check my recent post for poplar burr. I recall that some of the offcuts have some lovely burr. Send me a PM and I can sling some your way, maybe you could make me a pair of earings while your at it!?!?

 

[Richard Findley]

Looking Good Gandy.

Your handle could be Kerroing (sp??) which is a very durable timber that used to be used for window frames and such like. I made a mallet out of it when I first started. Not nice to turn and is quite fibrous as you discribe. Quite oily too, you may have notices if you drilled a large hole in it?

Cheers

Richard

P.S, nice plugs too!!

 

[gandy]

it could be that richard, if it helps would a pic of the block of wood be any help rather then a turned bit?

lee, ahh from those stools your making? yeah if any off cuts have some nice burl on them that'd be of intrest. can make you somthing in return, i can make you some earrings in return (i asume you mean the tiny standard size?) if so i have st sliver backs and hooks that i can make stanard earrings from
and thanks, its not so bad once you get used to it, the hard part is forming the wearable (the saddle shaped part that goes into the owners ears) to the correct size (with in .5mm) and keeping the shape uniform. other then that its fairly simple, just take times to finnish and polish with out the aid of sanding sealer etc.

 

[Richard Findley]

it could be that richard, if it helps would a pic of the block of wood be any help rather then a turned bit?

Any pictures will help with the ID, Gandy. End grain, side grain, various angles.

There's no guarentees it'll be the right answer but that's all part of the fun!! :wink: :wink:

Richard

 

[Dodge]

I would say the timber is either Merranti or Kerruing. Both horrible african mahoganies - very fibrous and lightweight.

 

[Bodrighy]

IMHO the only decent mahogany is the old Spanish mahogany but I only see it when I use recycled stuff. It's endangered now through over use. The modern stuff is also pretty nasty for the lungs so take care with it.

Pete

 

[gandy]

i now also have some other bits of wood that where slavaged from my grandads windows, again not sure about what it is, acording to the window fitter, its an african wood no longer "legally sold in the uk" (so under CITIES im guessing if hes right?)

ive got a few bits of wood of a wood butcher friend whos not 100% sure on the woods, i'll take some pics then we can play the "what wood is this" game

 

[gandy]

this is one of the boards that was a window sill

this side has varnish on

and the bare side

these are a number of shots from the window frame

also a couple blanks a friend gave me along with his bandsaw

and i think this may be pitch pine?

 

[Bodrighy]

I'd say the window frame is definitely one of the modern mahoganys though which one I couldn't say, all as bad as one another. Looks like pitch pine as well. Look out for pitch spots in uit otherwise it turns a lot better than the other pines IME.

Don't know what the others are..leave that to the real experts.

 

[Steve Jones]

Could the window sill possibly be meranti :?:

Steve

 

[gandy]

looks as if it could be meranti judging by the pics ive found online, it looks really nice. no idea what to do with them though hehe.

again i have a feeling that the window frame is one of these modern mahganys, still for free wood its ok, im happy enough with what it looks like finnished to find other things to turn.

 

[yellowbelly]

The wood looks very much like Keruan, a far eastern timber very oily and was used as pilings for dwellings in swampy, wet areas, it was used in the construction industry in the UK in the 70's :wink:

 

[yellowbelly]

gandy if you get a small piece(6") of this wood put it in a bucket of water :lol: if it is Keruan it will submerge, I used to make stick floats out of this with a balsa top to make it buoyant

 

[gandy]

dragging this up, couple years old, let the forum slip (tbh i let most forums i used slip)

recently finaly set up shop all proper like, now doing the jewellery making as my fulltime job. i know its not most peoples cut of tea here, but you all seemed to enjoy the craftsmenship in my work.
facebook.com/southshoreadornments

sorted out my photos between the organic, plastics, raw materials, and customer photos.

been really getting into the more fancy side of things, my personal favorites are these
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... =3&theater

1inch (25mm) marquise CZ set with a boxwood ring

hope all are well

 

[tekno.mage]

Can't help you with the wood ID, I'm afraid - except that it looks remarkably similar to a piece I used to make a small box last year - fibrous and nasty to turn, but polished up beautifully. My piece came from a bag of "offcuts" someone gave me and from it's profile also had something to do with window frames (I thought it looked like a bit of drip throat). I'm afraid I labelled my box as being made of "mystery recycled wood".

Your plugs are really lovely - beautiful finish on them - and they have reminded me of a small job I rashly promised a friend over a year a go and still haven't done - a pair of hawthorn nipple shields. I think they are going to be rather tricky!

 

[bodge]

I'm with Dodge, Steve Jones and Gandy, looks a lot like Meranti to me. I've just cut up and used three old internal doors made of the stuff and it displays all the characteristics that you describe.