Questions About Holly

[David Karnes]

Hello to everyone! I am pretty new to turning. I have made a few small scale turnings and pens mostly. I have to say that slowly it is becoming addictive. I just love it. But what has brought me here today is the question of Holly. I am fortunate that I have available to me on my wood lot a variety of native N.C. hardwoods, one of which is Holly. The question I have is how do you keep white holly white?. I have tried several methods and none seem to really produce a satisfactory result. Microwave oven and DNA on smaller pieces. Should I just accept the streaking that seems to happen almost overnight after the Pieces are cut or is there another way. This is strictly a novice endeavor and there are really no proffesional means of drying wood here locally. I am open to any suggestion.

Thank you

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

You could always bleach it! There are wood bleaches on the market that you can get from the local hardware stores. I just received a huge holly that is 24"s in diameter. I'm gonna saw it up into board lumber as soon as my homemade sawmill is completed in a couple weeks so I'd be interested in others input. I have turned a hat that is made from holly and it has retained it's color and is more of a cream. That might be do to the lacquer finish! It's up for bid in the holiday action at the top of the page.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l317/rubberhook/Picture129.jpg

[Barbara Gill]

Holly is very prone to blue stain. Usually sawing holly into boards is best done in the winter but right now the weather is so warm in many areas that the winter thing is out the window.

I have had good luck with rough turning the bowls and then using the denatured alcohol so that the piece will dry faster. That has always given me good results except in the hottest, most humid part of the summer. For bowls, etc. that might be used, I used a brand of water based poly that is very thin. You don't have to worry about the poly clouding the figure in the wood because with holly there is not too much. I soak the wood with as much as it will hold and quickly wipe off the excess. It will raise the grain so be prepared to sand smooth.

[John Taylor]

HI

If it the same species as in the UK then the best way to store it is upright with sealed ends and away from other wood. If it is stored with other species then it changes coulour.

Just cutting it can change its coulour as well as the metal of the tools affects it, but not always.

If it does discolour rub it with neat lemon juice and it should come up nice and white again.

john