Still plodding away....

[santiniuk]

Hi all,

Some months ago a friend gave me a piece of wood that he picked up in a mixed bag of wood purchase.

We don't have a clue what type of wood it is. It's quite light, and has various black lines and streaks that I'm presuming is so form of spalting :?

I found it terrible to turn and get a finish on. I'm getting slightly better with my sharpening but even with a really sharp tool the wood had area's that just crumbled.

In the end I managed to get a half decent finish from the tool. I then used sanding sealer and finished off with various grades to get a finish. The inside isn't pretty so I'll put this one down to experience.

It's about 110mm * 80mm.

Any ideas what type of wood it is or advice on how to get a better finish from the tool ?

 

[CHJ]

Looks a lot like spalted Ash, Some Here.

Sanding sealer as you are doing is your best bet, soak as soon as you are getting anywhere near finished shape, diluting it with thinners might help to get more penetration, apply several coats.

 

[TEP]

Hi, no idea what the wood is.

To get a better finish off the tool is to practice Practise and PRACTISE!

The biggest beginners problem is trying to actually make something from day one, and so on, when really you should be doing nothing more than turning wood and chucking it. That way all you are concerned about is learning to turn, and not trying to make something specific.

It is easy to say, but very hard to do though, as everyone wants to take something in to 'er indoors. :roll:

 

[PowerTool]

Nice shaped piece,Shaun - the finish on it looks good as well.
After having bought some this week,I agree with Chas on the (probably) spalted ash - other spalted timbers I've had have distinct black lines in them,but the ash spalting just looks more like light-coloured blotches.
Spalting,although interesting for it's colour variation,unfortunately causes the timber to go soft - which is why it "plucks out",and makes it so much harder to get a good finish.
I did read in one of Mark Bakers books,where he had a piece of spalted silver birch,that he soaked the whole piece in diluted melamine lacquer to be able to firm it up enough to be able to work it :shock:

Andrew

 

[Bodrighy]

I do a lot of stuff with 'rotten wood' and have a pot of diluted sealer (50x50 with thinners) that I paint all over the thing then leave for a few minutes. Don't switch on straight away or you get sprayed. Don't use scrapers on soft wood as it rips it to shreds even when really sharp, work the bevel as much as possible. If it is only a little patch try shoving a bit of super glue on it. Again wait for it to dry as it is nasty stuff if it gets in your eyes etc.


This was a rotten piece of tree stump 9" high 5" across. You may or may not like it but it shows that it can be done.

 

[santiniuk]

Thanks guys,

I'll be staying clear of that wood for the future!

Your probably right Tam. The urge to come out of the garage with something to please the wife probably got the better of me.

Saying that I'm getting as much practise in as time allows, I was more intrigued by this wood and even with a sharp tool and bevel rubbing well I couldn't get that finish desired.

Thanks,

Shaun