hey i am getting ready for my next build and would like to turn a custom split grip handle much like the FUJI ips split grip kit thingy and was wondering in Tasmanian Houn Pine is an alrigth wood to use??

it has a very light color and the grain is just awesome in some pieces. i want a fairly light colored wood so this fits the bill plus i can get nice big blocks for free.

i am guessing ill have to coat it in somethign like tru oil or somethign similiar.

any thoughts??

Thanks In advance
Tom S


oh and happy new year to all you very helpful people over here is aus its curretly 24 hours and 25 minutes to go

I'm not familar with that type wood so it's not something I can really recommend or not. Perhaps somebody else here has used it before and can better steer you in the right direction.

You could always just try a piece and see how it does.

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if you will send me some i will test it for you. ha i love trying different woods. try it and see. if it has burls and/or voids you need to make sure it wont come apart. a little CA will usually take care of that. how about some pics?

Huon pine is a very fine grained wood that is used to make high end furniture in Australia (judging from your email extension you already know that) -- it should work very well for you. You might want to try to use CA as an overcoat. You're very lucky to be able to get that wood!

Hi TOM,

We are rod builders in Tas where your piece of timber comes from.

Huon pine is best known as a boat building timber, second to none.

It has a very high oil content which resists rot and marine borers.

The timber was also used to make a lot of furniture. The prized pieces for this purpose, was called BIRDS EYE HUON PINE. Very small specks or dots are distributed throughout the timber.

Your timber is very easy to turn on the lathe and you will love the smell if your piece is not totally dried out. Even then you will get a whiff of the oil. It never seems to go away completly

The only downside to this wood is it may look a bit plain in a small piece, unless you are lucky enough to have a heavily figured piece.

You have a very special piece of timber there Tom, I kope you can make something beautiful from it.

Paul

I fish therefore I am.
www.hookeduprods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/2007 04:40PM by paul.fannon.

yes i am very lucky my grandparents live in tassie and they can get me pieces of the birdseye houn pine its just beautiful wood.

i hope i can do it justice :)

thanks for the feedback and when i get onto the project il lbe sure to post up how it goes and some pics aswell.

thank you

Tom S