Experimenting With Norfolk Island Pine, 2 of 3

[BILL DONAHUE]

Here's my second attempt at Norfolk Island Pine (NIP). It's 6 1/4" high by 8" wide and 1/8" thick or less. This is the second piece that some guys from South Florida couldn't get rid of because it was way too dry and very spaulted. This didn't slip by the more experienced turners, but got by me. After the problems with the first piece this was tossed in the trash and later taken out when I was pleased with the end product of the first. I had ordered some decent NIP over the net and while waiting for it to arrive decided to experiment with this by trying to get the interior cuts smoother. Sascha Gast has some excellent posts on this site where he recommends rough turning NIP down to about 1/2", finishing the interior and then turning the exterior down to 1/8" or less of the interior. NIp is relatively soft and fibrous and this technique helps control the vibrations in the wood when it gets thin. As with the first piece, I used techniques fron Ron Kent's website by soaking it in concentrated dishwashing detergent before turning and soaking it for at least 500 hours in boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits afterwards. It didn't come out very translucent but it does have an interesting and rich look to it. The third piece is coming out much better and will be posted soon.
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[David E Keller]

I think it turned out quite well, Bill! I'm curious about the technique you describe for turning the outside again after finishing the inside... I guess I don't see where that helps with vibration. Any thoughts on why the translucence is less in this piece? Thicker walls? Different soak? I'm certainly glad you dug these last two out of the trash, and I'm anxiously awaiting the third installment!

[David Starks]

Doesnt have to be translucent to catch my eye...thats awesome looking! I like the high sheen it has.

Sounds like youve got quite a few hours in it too.

[Baxter Smith]

Looks great to me Bill!

[Scott Hackler]

Looks really nice Bill. Love all those colors.

[Michelle Rich]

looks terrific to me

[Dan Forman]

Looking good, pretty wild wood.

Dan

[John Keeton]

Bill, as I recall, the first piece was soaked/removed - soaked/removed. Did you do that with this piece? And, is the finishing schedule the same with this one? I am just wondering on the translucence issue if the exact same process was used. I also find it interesting on finishing the interior first and I could see how that might reduce movement and vibration as one approached the 1/8". On a wide rimmed piece such as this, that could get challenging!!

Great work - again, and I actually like this form somewhat better than the first. Thanks for posting, and I am looking forward to the third and final installment of this adventure!

[BILL DONAHUE]

Thanks, everyone!
David, The dampening of the vibration problem is due to the fact that from the exterior you're riding the bevel, whereas when using a hollowing system on the interior (mine is Jamieson) there is no bevel. Sasch Gast has a terrific discussion of this on this site.
John, the process of soaking for about 24 hours in the BLO/mineral spirits mixture was the same on both pieces. Both were heavily spaulted but this one was even more so. The spaulted areas are not translucent so the trick seems to be to get enough spaulting to make it interesting but not so much so that it's just dark. I attach some additional pictures of this piece using an overhead light. On the third experiment I tried to get the spaulting and the thickness or more precisely, the thinness, down pat.
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[Bernie Weishapl]

Boy Bill that turned out nicely. Really is a beauty. Really well done.