I have recently acquired some green Black Wattle logs and cant find much information about it on the web. Does anyone have much experience with this wood? Its was cut down in a rainforest and had been sitting there a few months. As such its still quite green. I'd like to wait until its dry before turning it but patience is not one of my vitues. It looks like it will be pretty.
If you wait until it dries, you may not have anything to turn. Most timbers crack if not processed to some degree! at least split the logs to relieve some of the radial tension
Ray
at least split the logs to relieve
What about cutting them into 5 inch long slices? And maybe turing green?
Five (5") long? You can, but that won't do anything to relieve the radial stresses. I don't know what diameters you have, but what about splitting the logs into halves or quarters? That would help to relieve radial stress and assist drying.
Barry
Aloha Stefanee, Here on Maui we have whole forest of Black Wattle as well as dozens of Eucalyptus varieties, you'd probably feel at home here. Though Black Wattle does have some pretty grain I have found the wood to be very unstable with alot of movement, shrinkage, and warping. After alot of trial and error I have pretty much given up on wattle as a turning wood though it's great as firewood. It grows like crazy up here like a giant weed. Some genius back in the 1950s thought it would be great for reforrestation. A vacant lot next to my home used to look like a soccer field flat, and covered with grass but after lot was sold new owners totally neglected it and withn acouple years it has become forested with dense Black Wattle growth. It's the bain of alot of property owners here.
Spy in Hawaii
be very unstable with alot of >movement, shrinkage, and warping.
If my bowls crack and warp, at least I will have some acquired some skill in making them. (Only been turning about 4 weeks) I was told by an old builder that it made nice bowls, maybe only if you can stop it from cracking?
ps
Stefanee Stien is my wife and for some reason her name was on the newsgroup account.
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