Fern Pine: Podocarpus gracilior

[Brian Kent]

This is a pretty common tree in San Diego, but I can't find any turnings online (and I may just be looking with the wrong words).

Fern Pine is not a pine, but has leaves shaped like pine needles.

I am posting now to show the wood freshly turned, just in case it destroys itself in the drying. I'm trying different drying methods. The rough-turned bowl and chalice are sitting in a paper bag. The large bowl is covered with its own shavings in a paper bag.

I got a real bath turning this stuff green, but it did keep me cool.

I like the grain so I am hoping this is a usable wood. I'll post the news - good or bad - when I see how it dries and what technique works better.

I tried turning a piece to 1/16" last night and it broke, but it was nicely translucent. I'll see if it still is at about 1/8 or 3/32".

[Leo Van Der Loo]

East African yellowwood is the common name, you might get more info using that name Brian

[Brian Kent]

Hey, thank you very much, Leo.

[Thomas Canfield]

Brian,

Soaking in a thin BLO or Danish Oil will help to change the cell structure when replacing the moisture. That is what they do to Norfolk Island Pine to make translucent, but it needs to have moisture. I brought back a couple of pieces of NIP from HI in January, but got busy and did not turn soon enough, and ended up with only partial translucent at the eyes at a little over 1/16", and it also had some green spalting streaks.

[Thom Sturgill]

Though I have not turned any, several club members have turned Podocarpus, but as far as I can tell its a different veriety, sometimes called Yew Pine. Fern pine is also referred to as Weeping Podocarpus or weeping pine according to my sources.

[Brian Kent]

I cut some more blanks last night. One side of by bandsaw blade is coated with yellow. Time to see what can clean this residue!

[Paul Gilbert]

I cut some more blanks last night. One side of by bandsaw blade is coated with yellow. Time to see what can clean this residue! Try turpentine first. It is distilled from pine trees.

[Brian Kent]

Repeated coats of BLO, Poly, and Mineral Spirits with no bagging.
(Another test for drying)

This was far too soaking wet to sand!