I got a call - Wood Gloat

[Kathy Marshall]

Things have been a little slow with the tree trimmers this summer, well slow for removing trees anyway, but I got a call the other day to drop my trailer off.
I picked the trailer up today and it was loaded with some big pieces of Silk Oak and there's another load waiting that they'll load up for me when I drop the trailer off tomorrow :D. Usually Deb (Mrs Tree Trimmer) and I load up my trailer, but most of these pieces where to big for us to have handled. Some of them took 3 guys to lift them.
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Got the load home and got them sealed. Most of them I was able to roll/push off the trailer, but a couple of them I had to cut in half in order to move them.
I cut about a 2" slab off of one of the half pieces, then cut a small bowl blank from it then cut some spindle blanks and left enough for another small bowl.
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This stuff cuts very easy! The chainsaw went through it like butter and after cutting mesquite and acacia it was a very nice change of pace!

I turned the little 6" bowl for the tree trimmers. Deb likes to see what the different woods look like, especially wood like this which looks pretty bland in log form unless you know what to look for. I think she'll be very surprised by the grain, especially once the finish is on.
I'll show it to her tomorrow, then bring it back and let it dry enough to sand and finish and turn off the tenon (it hasn't been touched with sandpaper yet).
Can't wait to try coring a blank, it should core very easily.
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As a side note, I didn't experience and reaction or sensitivity to this wood. I've heard that it can cause a pretty severe reaction in some people.

Thanks for looking!
Comments and critiques are welcome.

[Baxter Smith]

Nice load of wood Kathy! Glad you didn't have an adverse reaction to turning the stuff though I wonder if that is something that could change with enough exposure?

[charlie knighton]

great load, pretty wood, we have a lot of oak, but have not seen the silk oak before, enjoy

would like to see the bowls with some oil on it

[Jason Clark2]

IMO it's not worth the risk. One of our local club members (young healthy, mid 30's) roughed a bunch out and ended up in bed for about 3 days because of a bad reaction that didn't start until 24 hours later.

Jason

[rick pixley01]

Pls wear a respirator..I had a good friend (George Snyder,RIP) who was a parapalegic confined to a chair and was a great turner and machinist..After days of turning this stuff with no reaction, one day he came down with a cough...He was admitted to the VA hospital with a lung infection and died within a week..

[charlie knighton]

Rick, is it just silk oak or all oaks??????if i get a nick on my hands, the cut is easily infected while turning oak, i wear trend airshield and blue gloves

[Robert Henrickson]

Assuming that the vernacular name being used here is correct, it is "Grevillea robusta, commonly known as the southern silky oak or Silky-oak, or Australian Silver-oak", native to Australia, and among other basic characteristics is described as 'evergreen'. It is known to be toxic and an allergen (Wikipedia).

If the tree in question is truly "silk[y] oak", it is thus not related to native North American oaks, which are botanically "Quercus". If you react to American oaks (quercus), that is an entirely separate matter.

It is yet another example of how vernacular names for trees (or any number of other things) can falsely imply relationships (as here where not every "oak" is an oak), or conceal them.

[Sid Matheny]

Super haul Kathy and should make some nice turnings. That is the kind of friends all turners need.

Sid

[rick pixley01]

I don't know if there is any relationship..It was defined to me as "silky oak", with an Australian counterpart..Personally I stay away from all oak..It makes me sneeze...And the splinters hurt..

[Rick Markham]

The silky oak, that I have turned is the Australian silky oak, (it was brought here and grows in the U.S. in areas) It is responsible for allergic reactions and all kinds of respiratory reactions in some people. (As are all woods that cause an "allergic" reaction)

What most folks don't understand is that wood allergies aren't like traditional "Allergies" they are actually a deficiency in your immune system to the particular antigen. You're immune system begins attacking your own body, it's no fun (I know from experience with dreaded Cocobolo) That's why it can be exposure related, at first your immune system doesn't recognize the antigen, and it takes time for your immune system to develop it's "strategy" to fight it. Once you do have a reaction onset is extremely quick, and the only way to stop it, is to seek medical attention IMMEDIATELY. I had contact dermatitis within several hours of my second exposure to Cocobolo. Thankfully I wore a respirator. There is little they can do for you other than pump you full of steroids. If you don't get the steroids the condition will continue to worsen This is your body attacking itself!!! IT WON'T GET BETTER ON ITS OWN!!!

That being said, wear a respirator, and enjoy that stash Kathy! Oh yeah, if you get a splinter, make sure you get it out. People seem to have very BAD experiences with the splinters even if they aren't allergic to it! The bowl I was fortunate enough to make out of it, is still that beautiful honey color. :)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great gloat and a great load of wood.

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks everyone!
I roughed another blank tonight and so far so good. I'm taking precautions and I'll stop with these 2 blanks for a little while and see how it goes.

Robert, it is grevillea robusta, (the same stuff you're talking about Rick).