Another Type of Eucalyptus

[Kathy Marshall]

Got a call from the tree trimmers yesterday. They had cut down a large eucalyptus and asked if I would turn a bowl for the tree's owner. I said, sure thing, and stopped by after work to pick up a log.
It was definitely a big tree, some of the logs were probably over 30" diameter. Knowing eucalyptus can crack if you even thing about looking at it, I tried to find one that hadn't started cracking and checking too bad yet. I ended up with 1 short log about 16" long x about 15" diameter, and 1 longer log about 30" long and a little larger diameter.
I have not had this type of euc before. It has a chocolate brown bark that reminds me of felt and the wood was lighter, more of a golden pinkish rather than the dark salmon and orange/salmon I've seen in the other 2 types of euc I've turned.
It was a bit of a job to get the logs in the truck, these things were Heavy! The smaller log I was able to lift up to the truck (but it wasn't easy) I'd guess it was close to 100 lbs. The larger one I couldn't lift more than an inch. Finally had to grab another log then tipped the big log over onto it, wrestled it into an upright position, then tipped it onto the tailgate.
Got home and got out the chainsaw, cut out the middle 2" to get rid of the pith, then cut the logs into 6 bowl blanks.
These are the 4 blanks left (turned 2 already).
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This is one of the blanks and the bowl I turned out of it last night. This wood cuts just as nicely as the other eucs I've turned, but it does dull the tools pretty quick (maybe high silica content). This has a coat of BLO, it's about 9" diameter. So far, it seems that this type of euc doesn't crack or warp nearly as bad os the other euc. A couple little cracks I was able to stabilize with CA, and a little warping while I was turning the inside, and when I looked at it tonight it still looks round.
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This is a pic I took of it tonight. Was getting late so the light level outside was pretty low.
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This is the bowl I turned tonight. This is the other half from the log I turned last night and this one has just a little bit of figure. In this pic the bottom is done and it's sanded to 800.
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In this pic it has a coat of BLO.
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When I took it out from between centers to mount in the chuck, I noticed that the wood had turned completely black where the spur drive was (the tips of the spur drive also turned black) obviously some kind of reaction between the wood and the metal.
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Bowl #2 is finished with just a coat of BLO and 10 1/2" diameter.
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The pictures don't show the try color, but try to imagine a golden color with pink overtones. Looking forward to turning the other blanks, and possibly cutting one of the bigger blanks into some HF blanks.

Thanks for looking!
As always critiques and comments are welcome.

[Dan Forman]

Hey Kathy, we must be on a similar schedule. You sure have nice tree trimmers to call you like that. Good looking bowls and some pretty wood - I can definitely see the pinks in it.

Dan

[John Keeton]

Kathy, that is some nice wood, and very nice bowls. The donor will be pleased, for sure. And, it sounds like you have a loyal source for more wood! The blackening is due to high tannin content in the wood. That is an indication this species would react well to ebonizing with the vinegar/steel wool solution.

[David E Keller]

Very cool! It looks like beautiful stuff, and I think the color shows well in the photos. That second bowl is especially nice with that little bit of figure around the branch. I think I have a little wood fairy envy...:D

[Bernie Weishapl]

Kathy sounds like you have a great trimmer for sure. Really nice bowls and do like the color of that wood.

[Baxter Smith]

Very pretty wood! I am working on a bowl right now to give a tree trimmer. Sound like you have a good one!

[bob svoboda]

Nice wood and very nice bowls, Kathy. Nice job of grain orientation.

[Don Alexander]

good stuff all around

[Steve Schlumpf]

Kathy - congrats on the wood! Bowls look great! Person receiving the bowl is going to be thrilled!

[Keith E Byrd]

Kathy, I really like these and like the wood! Now can you help with either my inexperience or ignorance? Maybe both!
You are turning green wood and you put BLO on it. I thought you had to let it finish drying before you did that?

[robert raess]

Great score Kathy, and great job! Rob

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks everyone!


Kathy, I really like these and like the wood! Now can you help with either my inexperience or ignorance? Maybe both!
You are turning green wood and you put BLO on it. I thought you had to let it finish drying before you did that?

Ask 100 turners how they turn and finish green wood and you'll get 100 answers. Lots of variables can make a difference, like wood type, climate, etc. That being said, I turn almost all green wood and I usually turn it to final size on the 1st go. Right now in Phx the humidity is somewhere in the 5-10% range so moisture is sucked out of the wood so fast you can see it. IMO, the BLO (or any other oil) helps slow the drying a little and still breathes, so I usually give the outside a coat as soon as I've finished it (I turn the outside to completion, sand and oil before I even start on the inside). When the piece is complete, I give it another coat of oil then put it in a ziplock bag to try and finish drying it slowly. I check the bags almost daily. Just opening the bag and taking the piece out for a minute is enough to let some of the moisture out. After a week or so (depending on the type of wood and how wet it was) I start leaving the ziplock back cracked open a little until eventually it's dry enough to remove and start adding a final finish.

I've actually got 2 little lidded boxes that I turned green with a nice fit to the lids, which have been bagged up for almost a month (taken out a few time to start adding WOP) and the lids still fit great, no warping or shrinking. One is from pecan and the other is acacia.

[Keith E Byrd]

Thanks everyone!



Ask 100 turners how they turn and finish green wood and you'll get 100 answers. Lots of variables can make a difference, like wood type, climate, etc. That being said, I turn almost all green wood and I usually turn it to final size on the 1st go. Right now in Phx the humidity is somewhere in the 5-10% range so moisture is sucked out of the wood so fast you can see it. IMO, the BLO (or any other oil) helps slow the drying a little and still breathes, so I usually give the outside a coat as soon as I've finished it (I turn the outside to completion, sand and oil before I even start on the inside). When the piece is complete, I give it another coat of oil then put it in a ziplock bag to try and finish drying it slowly. I check the bags almost daily. Just opening the bag and taking the piece out for a minute is enough to let some of the moisture out. After a week or so (depending on the type of wood and how wet it was) I start leaving the ziplock back cracked open a little until eventually it's dry enough to remove and start adding a final finish.

I've actually got 2 little lidded boxes that I turned green with a nice fit to the lids, which have been bagged up for almost a month (taken out a few time to start adding WOP) and the lids still fit great, no warping or shrinking. One is from pecan and the other is acacia.

Thanks for not only answering the question but giving a new way to try drying!

[Cathy Schaewe]

Beautiful stuff -