We all know Mac loves his Lignum Vitae, but does anyone know of sources within the UK?
I have found a one, but they have only small pieces of branch 6 inch x 2 inch. The other option being redundant crown green bowls, but they again are limited in size
Mac will know a lot more about this than I do, but I know that domestically, in the US, a piece 6" x 2" is considered a good sized piece.
In my understanding, almost all of the larger sized pieces of ironwood came from Mexico or just a little farther south.
When I wanted to turn some ironwood, I couldn't find any. Then there was a large eagle ("crafted in Mexico") in a gift store I saw on clearance made from ironwood. It was cheaper than buying raw stock, so that's my experience in buying and turning.
You might look into your Pier One or any international type store or gift store.
Hopefully, mac will be along shortly...
Robert
2 different woods/trees, John.. In my experience, the difference is:
LV is a oily, dense wood that used to grow wild on the US gulf coast... Light brown in color, it turns green when exposed to sun light..
Turns VERY well with nice shavings and holds a bead, etc. very well.. Works like any hard, oily wood.. Sands, polishes and buffs very well, but can heat check when sanding if you let the heat build up..
Desert Ironwood is dark brown, almost black wood, with gold streaks..... very dry and usually found in Mexico, Arizona and parts of California.. (the Sonora desert area)
Turns ok, once you ruin your chainsaw and band saw blades getting it to the lathe..
Some shavings and a huge amount of fine brown dust that gets into everything, regardless of dust collection.. Loves to chip, crack and sometimes splinter, mostly because any legally obtained DI is dead and has been for some time.. Most places have heavy penalties for cutting a live tree.. Sands, buffs and polishes very well.. Weird to sand because it LIKES high speed and lots of pressure.. High gloss just from sanding, but buffing makes it shine and brings out the gold highlights..
As far as I know, desert ironwood can be exported by licensed folks.. Can't be transported in AZ, I'm told, unless you're a Native American of an AZ tribe.. Don't know if that's true, but I was warned by a US customs inspector to NOT try to bring any ironwood into Mexico from AZ...
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
Or lowly... ;-]
Seems like you either have too much ironwood or none down here.. Had folks giving my large chunks and small branches for a while, now I have the word out that I'll BUY pieces or a trunk, and no wood.. I'm still felling really stupid for not trading my Jet mini for the 8' tree trunk the guy offered my.. Just sold most of my ironwood pieces and now know that I could have made at least $1,000 worth of stuff out of that trunk... DUH!
I hated to do it, but bought an ironwood dolphin in town and ran it through the lathe for pen blanks.. It was $12 and I got 6 pen blanks and a few stopper blanks out of it.. works for me but I hate to destroy someone else's art.
OTOH, I guess I really don't care what folks do with my stuff after they buy it, as long as they buy it..
mac
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Caution the group on using the term Ironwood - every area or state has an Ironwood. I have some from the South Pacific even.
Lignum Vitae was used as shaft bushings in large ships. Perhaps shipping companies or the Navy surplus depot has some forms that came from ships that kept it for backup. In field replacement...
Martin Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal. NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
John wrote:
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You need a friend that has a metal saw. Metal bandsaw. Often they have blades that are bent up due to a malfunction.
The blade will cut with metal shears - compound type. Make a length that of a Meat Saw - or a Bow Saw (or both) and then on the drill press, take a rod and chuck it into the drill press.
On center - press down with the drill press and get red hot and blue the metal there. You can then drill a hole in the tough metal.
You can get steel cutting M42 cobalt. That will cut nicely.
Martin
Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal. NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
mac davis wrote:
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Copied because Martin is about the only one that got it RIGHT. "Iron Wood" is a local name, that changes with just a few miles even. Iron Wood in the UK, is NOT the Iron Wood Mac is familiar with.
Just top throw one in.. As I understand it, Desert Ironwood is from the Sonora Desert?
I was told that as folks from other countries settled the US, they named trees that resembled ones at home.. any hard wood became "iron wood"
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
More than you'll ever wanna know about ironwood...
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
As I was taught, Iron wood in an area is the hardest/toughest stuff in the area.
One can start counting the thin ring trees in the group. Slow growing and tough.
Martin
Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal. NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
mac davis wrote:
----== Posted via Pronews.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal. NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
mac davis wrote:
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In message , John writes
Well, I have been lucky to pick up a couple of Crown Green Bowls, made of Lignum Vitae, so now its a case of turning this round object into another round object, well after I figure out how to hold them.
There appears to be three holes in one side, probably for a chuck of some type, as they do not seem deep enough to take screws (about 1/4 inch). There is also an insert which is about 1 inch diameter on both sides. I am currently thinking of holding the bowl by the three holes, and then converting the insert recess on the other side to a dovetail. Has anyone tried this before? IS there a better way of holding them?
I made a couple of very nice bowls (one of them lidded) form crown green bowls. I made a small dimple in the centre of each of the small plastic inserts. I then mounted the sphere between centres, set the lathe at a slow speed and cut out the insert at the tailstock end. This left a small recess and the centre was well marked from the original turning. I then remounted between centres using this new centre mark and cut out a dovetail recess to suit my chuck Plain sailing after that. You need very sharp tools and it does not produce shavings, it makes a fine dust. Easy to work tho' and takes a beautiful finish.
Tom Dougall wrote: : I made a couple of very nice bowls (one of them lidded) form crown green : bowls.
What is a crown green bowl?
-- Andy Barss
A good staring point
I suggest the foot that was held by three screws and a face plate was cut down and sawed off. The bowl reversed and the foot turned down and perhaps recessed.
To remount the bowl if that is what you want to do - take several sheets of note book paper or printer (laser).. and glue a block on the foot with the paper between. If there is a recessed foot - not enough surface...
Put the bowl in a chuck bowl towards the head with a chuck or a friction chuck.
Cut the foot off and go back and glue paper between the flat foot and a mounting block. The trick will be to center the bowl on the faceplate or in a 4 jaw with the new block added.
To get the block off - a skew will part between the paper easily. Finish as wanted.....foot or no foot -
Martin
Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal. NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
John wrote:
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This is the 'other' English - for lawn bowling.
Not something for nuts in winter or chips in the summer.
Martin Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal. NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
John wrote:
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The only stockist I found via Google was Moss & Co (Hammersmith) Ltd.I have no idea what they actually have in stock., or at what price.
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