Norfolk Pine

[Olaf Vogel]

About 4 doors away is (was) a giant norfolk pine. About 30" across the base and possibly 70' tall. I came home one day to find it was being cut down. What a shame.
While the arborists were not too friendly, I was able to get a few pieces about 20" across. Not the premium ones but still with some knots.

I spent the weekend turning them into shallow bowls. Interesting - this is the first time I've tried Norfolk.
VERY messy; white sap flinging everywhere. All my machines and I were soaked. My faceplate was covered and i had to frequently stop to wipe it just so I could see.
The wood cut well, but tons of tear-out. Very slow shearing cuts helped.

So now I have 2 large bowls, about 20-24" in dia, still heavy and very wet. Currently coated in anchor seal.
Any suggestions on drying them?

There still a log 30" x 8' long. If I like this stuff, I'll ask the neighbour (and bring the big chainsaw...)

Olaf

[Doug Herzberg]

Olaf, before you make it all into bowls, take a look at some of the translucent vases people have made turning endgrain. The radial branch pattern is beautiful and the wood glows when turned thin, oiled and backlit.

[Steve Estabrooks]

I turn quite a bit of NIP. I coat the end with Anchor Seal and let them sit for 2-3 months. That allows spalting that gives the different colors and I think it more pleasing. It also dries out so you don't get soaked when turning it. I was rough turning then turning allowing to dry but I was getting a lot of cracking around the knots. Now I turn to finish. I still get some cracking but not as bad. The key to turning this without tear out is speed and sharp tools.
Steve

[Olaf Vogel]

They are rather strange cuts that were left over. The arborist was cutting the bigger pieces into stools.
I took a pic partway through, but not at the end.

315740

Steve, my experience is what you said. At higher speed, near the outside, the cut was much cleaner. Near the middle, where the cutting speed is lower, there was lots of tearout. I just stuck on a new motor and VFD, but didn't have a cable for the remote speed control. So changing the speed is tough at this point.

The rest of the pieces are coated and maybe I'll let them sit for a few months, like suggested.

[charlie knighton]

most all turners would want to turn it once......save any you can.....not sure how long it will keep, but what they sell is usually dry;;;;;I am sure if you showed up at club meeting with pickup bed full you would not have to take any home......30" is huge

[Olaf Vogel]

I am sure if you showed up at club meeting with pickup bed full you would not have to take any home......30" is huge

Well I can get it into a pickup = I'm keepin it!
Just picked up an old Stihl MS 070 with a 36" bar at a garage sale. Gotta try it out some time. :)

[Peter Hay in Aus]

315783315784Olaf at a recent Hand Made market that is quite large two young ladies brought these two with other timbers to their stall from a thousand miles away both items rustic and made with Norfolk Pine thought you might like to see them.

Kind regards Peter.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Olaf, sounds like a nice find. I'm amazed that the tree grew that well in Canada.

[jared herbert]

Olaf, sounds like a nice find. I'm amazed that the tree grew that well in Canada.
I think he is in Toronto California

[Olaf Vogel]

Thanks for the feedback. That table has some great character in the grain. I'll try to grab what I can.

Unfortunately I dont live in California. Its Canada. with too much snow.
My party of town was an orchard 100 years ago. There are still some really old, huge and unusual trees around.
Occasionally they get cut and try to be onsite immediately. I've never seen a norfolk anywhere near that large before.
3 years ago a giant hazelnut was cut down as well. Those chunks were truly huge. I'm still turning the pieces.

I'm sad to see the tress cut down, but hope to give them a bit more life in someone's home so they can appreciate it.

Olaf

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I think you are misinformed about that pine tree, it is not a Norfolk Island Pine Tree, it can not survive outside anywhere in Canada.

I have a link here with info about the NIP tree, and what it needs to grow outside (Florida maybe)

http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=2470

[Olaf Vogel]

Hmm...admittedly I'm not much of a horticulturalist. I did some reading and it seems they don't survive this climate.
Then I don't know what it was. Definitely not any pine or spruce that I know off. Not a tamarack those are very different.

It had the typical straight trunk, perfect cone shape, radial branches and very distinctive needles. Of course there's no foliage left now.
Plus the white sap that flung out while turning. Very sappy the day it was cut, but not an issue a few weeks later when I got to it.