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Thread: Olive Wood

  1. #1
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    Jul 2006
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    Olive Wood

    I live in Central Pennsylvania. Any recommendations as to where I can buy olive wood?

  2. #2
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    Apr 2013
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    I believe Hearne Hardwoods in Chester County has olive wood. I've been getting some from Cook Woods in Washington. Not cheap but very cool looking. I love turning it and it has a great hand feel.
    < insert spurious quote here >

  3. #3
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    Mar 2013
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    Trenton SC, in the CSRA
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    West Pen is where I got 2X2X12 blanks

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stan Calow View Post
    I believe Hearne Hardwoods in Chester County has olive wood. I've been getting some from Cook Woods in Washington. Not cheap but very cool looking. I love turning it and it has a great hand feel.
    Ditto on working with Olive wood. It’s my favorite for food related projects like ice cream scoops and pizza cutters.

  5. #5
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    Nov 2009
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    Peoria, IL
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    You looking for lumber or turning blanks?

  6. #6
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    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Gibbons View Post
    I live in Central Pennsylvania. Any recommendations as to where I can buy olive wood?
    I've bought a number of excellent Olivewood turning blanks from a small dealer in KY, usually blanks 3-4" thick or 2-3" turning squares of various lengths. I normally see him at turning symposiums but when that is not possible I call. He will send out a flat rate USPS box. His stock varies. Look under Products here to see a list but he may have wood not on the list so give Pete a call. If you tell him I sent you he might charge you more.
    http://www.bigmonklumber.com/

    Olive is one of my favorites for woodturning.

    JKJ

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    I hope you find some...I had the pleasure of working with some that a client provided for some charcuterie boards. Cut nicely and really beautiful when finished.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  8. #8
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    Sep 2016
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    Modesto, CA, USA
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    Do you use an oil finish? serious question. Does it glue well or need to be solvent cleaned before gluing?
    Bill D

  9. #9
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    Feb 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Dufour View Post
    Do you use an oil finish? serious question. Does it glue well or need to be solvent cleaned before gluing?
    Bill D
    I always use oil. I haven't tried another finish on Olivewood. This shows what liquid does to a smoothed olive surface.
    This is the bottom of the piece, before reversing and turning the top.

    olive_test.jpg

    The finished piece with maybe 6-8 applications of "danish" oil, each applied then wiped off after about 30 minutes, then dried overnight. Maybe 8-9" across, can't remember.

    penta_olive_comp_IMG_7459.jpg


    JKJ

  10. #10
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    Jul 2006
    Location
    Central, PA
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    Looking for lumber. Daughter wants a platter to serve cheese, crackers, meats, etc.

  11. #11
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    Apr 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Dufour View Post
    Do you use an oil finish? serious question. Does it glue well or need to be solvent cleaned before gluing?
    Bill D
    I dont think the wood is naturally oily. I know you cant tell much from a photo, but here're some flat pieces with a swipe of DNA. It doesn't feel oily to me The pieces you often see for turning are usually waxed. I also just used oil finishes (walnut oil, BLO) and sanded to a very high grit. Not sure what film finish would be good.

    IMG_0575.jpg
    < insert spurious quote here >

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
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    What I found was every piece I bought waxed was fairly wet, even though you couldn't tell when turning. The dealers usually dip turning blanks in paraffin. I leave the wax on for maybe a year in case it's green then scrape much of it off with a card scraper. I weigh each piece and track the weight. One 4x4x12" waxed piece took about 6 years to dry completely.

    But I brought back some 8/4 from Italy that was totally air dry and I got a wide slab of 6/4 at least 5' long now, was probably longer since I cut the blank for that squarish dished platter I showed. None of this was sealed and none was warped.

    I've never glued any except with epoxy when making a few pens. The Wood Database says it glues and finishes well. https://www.wood-database.com/olive/

    JKJ

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