# Turning Red Tip Photinia



## TimR

Well, I think the correct expression would be "holy £{&@ that stuff is hard as nails"! I kinda thought maybe my chainsaw chain just wasn't sharp as it can be, but after turning some tonight, and with very sharp tools, this stuff is dense and tight!  I've never turned boxwood, but comparisons my friend made to it can't be far off. 
I got the outside of this bowl turned, and will do the inside tomorrow. Zero issues with tearout, and even though wet, I can't push a finger nail into it! I'm just hoping it isn't crack prone, will know by tomorrow. I put a light coat of shellac on the outside and wrapped with some paper, should be fine.
For those who got some of the first batch of this wood, I can't overemphasize tools need to be fresh sharp. I would suggest if you can to turn soon, as this stuff is going to be much tougher when dry.
I did find a listing on Etsy with a threaded box and they compared it to boxwood as well. I think I may have to try to dry a piece and see how it threads...I'm thinking it will do very well. 
The pic doesn't show that well, but this piece has a few nice rays in it. It was a scrap end cut from where the tree guys made a heavily angled cut.

Reactions: Like 6 | Informative 2


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## DKMD

Thanks for the info, Tim! I'm anxious to hear how things to with the drying.


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## barry richardson

Looking good, keep us posted


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## Blueglass

Being that hard I wish I would have gotten a piece to make a drum. Really thought about it but I have soooo much going right now.


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## TimR

Ok, I finally got out to my shop about 6:30 tonight and got the inside turned out and ready to let fully dry. 
First, let me say I'm one of those turners who believes a gouge is the best way to get the clean cut, and for the most part, that's true. But when a piece has a turned in area like the top of this does, it requires a hollowing approach, so I used my Woodtick maxi hollower, kind of like a EWT on steroids and polished out like a cruiser with all the chrome! ! Oh yea, that worked a charm for the curved area in the upper 1/2 of this form and I decided to use a scraper for the rest of this piece, much easier to control than a gouge. I am impressed at the finish left... this stuff all but refused to tear out, and even with a 1/4" wall, I didn't see much distortion as I progressed into the bowl. I was able to blend all the way from nearly the top to the bottom without chatter. YMMV of course, but that's pretty impressive to me. The direct pic of the inside is the finish left by scraper only, I've not done any sanding on the inside.
I'll carve out a couple little feet tomorrow or this weekend, and then let the piece slowly dry out before final sanding. I sanded the outside a bit to remove the shellac from last night (easier while on lathe), so I wrap with paper but let dry from inside out. This helps keep the shrinkage on the inside where it will tend to keep the outside in compression, and less prone to cracking. It'll be a couple weeks before I resume work on this, but wanted to let those who are getting this wood to know what my experience was.

Reactions: Like 4 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 1


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## Blueglass

Looking forward to the future when it gets a finish on it.


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## TimR

Here's the final pics before sanding and finish in a couple weeks. I used a rasp burr to power carve the foot to create the nubby feet. Normally with wet wood, the burr would load up and I'd stop to clean it. No loading at all, what a relief. 
As last night, I now have this wrapped with paper to slow drying on the outside, but the inside is left exposed.

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 3


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## Dane Fuller

Tim, that's a looker! I've never even heard of that stuff. Very impressive!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Blueglass

Love that last pic. The waves in the grain are subtle but nice. Again looking forward to it getting dry enough to finish.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## NYWoodturner

Tim- Thanks for the update on a never turned species. Now it just sounds like a challenge!  
What kind of finish are you planning on this? An oil base I would assume? I can't wait to see the final color after finish is applied. 
Please be sure and keep us posted.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## TimR

Finish will definitely be oil but not sure which. I'm going to prepare a test piece to see if it will be better with a thinner oil than the antique oil I normally use. With such tight grain, a couple coats of Waterlox may be the ticket or Danish oil. I'll be sure to follow up when finished.


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## TimR

I turned a small hf today from the red tip, and am going to be curious to see how things go after drying a few weeks on this piece also. Whereas the bowl I did was about 1/4"-3/8" thick, this hf is closer to 1/8" throughout...and it has pith going right through it, recipe for disaster. 

Overall about 4" diam x 2-1/1" talk. It's now wrapped in paper with the opening free to dry from inside out. 
If it holds together, will get an oil finish and perhaps some little collar and finial then go to the gentleman whose tree this came from.

Reactions: Like 4


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## SDB777

The pith may or may not be the recipe....but I bet you could 'fix' it right up and make it look like it was always supposed to be there!
Maybe you could post some photo's during the drying? Just to let us know.....



Scott (even if its a egg, it'll be great) B

Reactions: Agree 1


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## NYWoodturner

Tim - I really like it. I can't wait to see it with finish on it. Now I'm thinking I shoulda pulled the trigger when you had it for sale!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## TimR

SDB777 said:


> The pith may or may not be the recipe....but I bet you could 'fix' it right up and make it look like it was always supposed to be there!
> Maybe you could post some photo's during the drying? Just to let us know.....
> 
> Scott (even if its a egg, it'll be great) B


I'll definitely post, good or bad, when drying complete in a few weeks.



NYWoodturner said:


> Tim - I really like it. I can't wait to see it with finish on it. Now I'm thinking I shoulda pulled the trigger when you had it for sale!


I'll be posting some more up in a few weeks.


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## DKMD

That's cool! Looks like it's got a little figure in it which will pop when you get around to finishing it.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin

That's very similarly looking to the blank I have that I *think* is elm. But ever since I harvested the tree I have my doubts about it being elm. It sure as heck isn't Red Sonja or whatever you have but it looks so similar in grain and color. Your's pretty for sure and the form is giving me a woody. You nailed the form on that and I'm not even a "form" guy so I thought.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## barry richardson

Thanks for posting your work Tim. I take it that since you have removed the tenons, whatever warpage happens in drying will be part of the finished look ?....


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## hobbit-hut

That's one cool looking bowl. I like the little piggy's ( feet ). Fun post to watch.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## TimR

barry richardson said:


> Thanks for posting your work Tim. I take it that since you have removed the tenons, whatever warpage happens in drying will be part of the finished look ?....


For the bowl, I have three feet so it's not an issue. I'm guessing you mean the hf with the round base. I'm hoping whatever warpage I get, and it could be a bit with the orientation, that some light sanding with a flat block will true up the bottom from rocking. If it's so severe that it egg shaped but doesn't crack, it will just be consistent with rest of the form and part of the uniqueness! 
Both of these pieces are really more experiment since I'd never turned it before to know what to expect. If I really wanted a form to stay true. I need to kiln dry a small piece to see if it ends up as rock hard as I expect. I cut a pith free blank out that was about 4" sq x 8-9?". No other wrapping, so if it just survives not checking with end grain sealed only over next few weeks it will exceed my luck with most fruit woods.


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## Vern Tator

Wow, your a better man than I! I tried turning some Photinia last spring and finally gave up. I got the outside turned, no problem, but I couldn't get my oneway coring system to cut it. Unless I'm having fun, time is money in my shop. I'll spend lots of time on a fun project, way more than it may be worth, but I reserve the right to quit projects that are too much work. I gave the wood to another turner, who said it turned easily. I think he had a firm grip on my leg when he said it. I really hated giving up on it as I had several rounds over 18" diameter.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## TimR

As I turned this, I said to myself no way for coring. That's a pretty sizable round to have. I may have been able to get one or two that size from stump, but owner is making a garden table from it. Gnarly only begins to describe the stump.


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## woodtickgreg

I really enjoy seeing these come to shape, like the others I too want to see what it looks like with a finish on it. And thanks for the shout out about my tool, It's nice to hear that people are using them, That's what I make them for.

Reactions: Like 1


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## TimR

Here's both pieces I just finished sanding today and a quick antique oil finish. 
No cracking or excessive warpage with either, good news compared to some of the hard and tight grain fruit woods that can be a pain. 
Opted for a little thuya collar on the hf to dress it up. The bowl doesn't need it, with a nice bit of quilt like figure as a surprise.

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 1


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## DKMD

They both look great! I've gotta try those little feet sometime... Cool look!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## RayBell

Nice tread Tim, thank you for the progress report. Looking forward to receiving my slab, and if it turns out half as nice as your two pieces I will be happy.


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