Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Camphor SW Style bowl
-e-
>So far, this is one of my favorite pieces from the camphor. This 10"w x 5"h Southwestern style bowl is finished outside with shellac and Chapman's beeswax, and inside with just Chapman's wax to keep the camphor odor. This is the first time i've used Chapman's and like it so far.
Re: Camphor SW Style bowl
Wally Dickerman at Green Valley, Az.
>Very nice! good sweeping curves on a classic form. Are you turning and finishing the camphor while it's still wet? You haven't had this wood very long.
Wally
Re: Camphor SW Style bowl
Molly Winton
>I like this one too e, but I still have to go with the other one I mentioned as my favorite. I got so inspired by your camphor pieces I dug out the camphor I had hiding in my shed. As when I first tried turning from this stock, I had nothing but disaster. The sapwood (fairly thick) is an ugly gray, and I blew up a lovely shaped hollow. What an exercise in true frustration! The only good thing to come out of it was clear sinuses....sigh!
Re: Camphor SW Style bowl
e
>hi wally, thanks for your comments.
i have several hollow forms and bowls in the rough, but the wood movement has been quite extreme, and i've already lost many because it moved too far out of round.
some i have caught and finish turned thin enough to keep, or incorporate the movement into the design.
After roughing, the piece is coated with greenwood sealer and sits on the shelf. Perhaps its been the unseasonable heat out here, or just the characteristic of these particular trees, but this camphor appears much less stable than other camphor wood I've worked with.
got any suggestions?
Re: Camphor SW Style bowl
e
>oh sorry to hear that! alas, i have several pieces of my own in the 'bit bucket' too -- but the dog seems to love to carry some of them around with him so i guess all is not lost.
Re: Camphor SW Style bowl
Brad Adams
>Which is more unstable, the wood or the woodturner? :-P
I've found these trees to be really unstable also. It seems that even the main trunks are reaction wood. I think the constant 20 knot Benicia breeze had it's effect.
Re: Camphor SW Style bowl
Don Henthorn Smithville, Texas
>Must be my eyes, but it looks like the grain in the bottom is at 90 degrees from the upper part of the bowl. Really like the shape.
Re: Camphor SW Style bowl *LINK*
Wally Dickerman at Green Valley, Az.
>Sorry to hear that you've lost some of your roughed out pieces. I've had no experience with camphor, but I have with Pacific madrone, possibly the most unstable wood in North America. The answer is in boiling or steaming. I've turned a lot of madrone burl that's been boiled or steamed and that almost completely stabilizes it. I buy mine in Oregon from a guy who steams it. I have a friend who turns a lot of madrone, and he rough turns it wet and boils the rough turned pieces for two hours. That does the job.
Steven B. Russell has done a lot of research on it and you can read about it. Try this link.
Wally
http://www.woodturningplus.com/New%20Page/e-store%20logo
i resemble that remark!
e
>well, i am certain that if there were a more consistent cocktail hour, the wood would not be moving quite so much!