palm wood

[francesco dibari]

hello everyone.... this piece of palm wood I was surprised by the vein that looks like the porcupine spines ... I believe very special wax finish ...

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt14/francesco64_2009/spalted%20tarlato/IMG_0321.jpg

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt14/francesco64_2009/spalted%20tarlato/IMG_0320.jpg

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt14/francesco64_2009/spalted%20tarlato/IMG_0317.jpg

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt14/francesco64_2009/spalted%20tarlato/IMG_0319.jpg

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt14/francesco64_2009/spalted%20tarlato/IMG_0316.jpg

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt14/francesco64_2009/spalted%20tarlato/IMG_0314.jpg

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt14/francesco64_2009/spalted%20tarlato/IMG_0315.jpg

[Donny Lawson]

I don't think I've seen palm wood used like that but you have done an excellent job. I made a pen from black palm and it turned out great. Was the bowl hard to turn?

[John Keeton]

Francesco, that is a very unique piece of wood! Looks like the grain should be very open, but the wax finish you have on it seems to have filled the grain perfectly. What did you use?

[Jim Burr]

Hmmm...there are several logs of palm just up the street. Based on how that looks, it's very tempting. Gotta love that one!

[David E Keller]

Very nice, Francesco. End grain palm is so attractive, and you've certainly shown it well here. Thanks for sharing.

[Dan Forman]

That looks great! I've heard palm can be very difficult to turn.

Dan

[Steve Schlumpf]

Francesco - great looking bowl! I have seen small turnings out of Palm but this is a first larger sized bowl I have ever seen! You did great! Love the grain and you did an amazing job on all that end grain! Very impressive work! Thanks for sharing!

[francesco dibari]

Thanks to everyone for the compliments .... this is a dwarf palm wood ... those little palm trees there are here in Italy and are not the result but only for beauty in the gardens ... the finish is wax, but after I spent two coats of sanding sealer paint neutral because it was very porous ..... I can say that while the digging I had to open the door to the laboratory because he felt a strong smell of ammonia .... does not make chips but only coarse dust ... sorry for my bad english I hope to make me understand .... :o .. thanks for your contributions ... :) ...

[Michelle Rich]

neat little bowl..relax your English is just fine.

[Norm Zax]

Very nice result Francesco. I would be interested to know how you held the piece on the lathe, as palm "wood" is more like condensed straw than wood and the peices I have at home are still on the floor waiting for theri day. Im too scared they will be ripped up and fly off as soon as the lathe is activated.

[francesco dibari]

Very nice result Francesco. I would be interested to know how you held the piece on the lathe, as palm "wood" is more like condensed straw than wood and the peices I have at home are still on the floor waiting for theri day. Im too scared they will be ripped up and fly off as soon as the lathe is activated.

hello Norm Zax ... pears not to recommend any but I can tell you as I do to stay safe ... when the wood is especially head and see if that is weak (wood spalted / palm wood) I make a hole with a Forstner bit and take it with expanding pin jaws 35 mm ... I hope to be helpful with my idea .... thanks for your intervention and sorry if I'm not too clear, but my English is very bad .... :o ....

[bob svoboda]

Lovely piece, Francesco. The finish is beautiful and the 'porcupine spines' add a lot of interest to the wood.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Francesco that is a really nice looking bowl. As others have said I have seen pens but this is the first big piece and is finished nicely with a nice form.

[Chip Sutherland]

That is much nicer than mine. I turned a small 4" black palm bowl recently just to play with it. But it was side grain. It's brittle and the black lines are like fine little needles. I experienced a lot of tear out in the rim with the long grain pieces but just a little on the end grain. Ended up with a basic dull bowl if not for the exotic wood. I ended up painting the inside gold just to jazz it up a bit. Unless I buy a small piece to make a lid, it is doubtful I would every buy any more. It was educational which was the original intent anyway. One odd thing was that the chips were very slippery on the shop floor. I passed on some palm (species unknown) cutdown by a neighbor who had 2 trees that wouldn't thrive here in North Texas. SWMBO...said I am not in need of any wood for about 3 yrs.