# Worthless Wood or Unique Challenge?



## EricJS (Aug 12, 2012)

I've got some Camphor Burl that is full of cracks & I originally wanted to make peppermills - with lots of turquoise infill. I'm really not sure I can use all of it.

Would you turn these as they are or cut them up & cast them?

Would any of you use something like this if I offered some in the "wood for sale" section? (If you say yes, I don't expect you to buy if I offer.)

Here are a few pieces. Most are 3 3/8" up to 3 3/4" square. Please give me some feedback.:dash2: Thanks!

[attachment=9063]
[attachment=9064]

Reactions: Like 1


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## jimmythewoodworker (Aug 12, 2012)

ERIC

I love to turn this type of wood. IMHO It is fabulous "character" wood for peppermills or lidded boxes  :jtaew:


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## Kenbo (Aug 12, 2012)

I'm no expert on this subject by any means, but I would think that cracks that severe could cause the blank to break apart during turning. It could possibly be a really hazzard to the guy standing at the lathe. I'm sure that others will chime in with their opinions, but personally, I would try to salvage them for smaller blanks, or try and stabilize them somehow.


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## davidgiul (Aug 12, 2012)

A couple of people come to mind for this kinda of stuff
1) The alien
2) The Doc
3) That crazy Cajun
4) The big cat
There are others, but their names slip my mind.
:davidguil:


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## Dusty (Aug 12, 2012)

When I've got wood that might fly apart when it's turning, I soak it in West System 3 epoxy thinned by 15% acetone (by weight) It's as thin as water and penetrates the smallest crack. When it hardens, it's tough and so far most pieces have turned just fine. It helps stabilize punky spalded maple too.


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## jimmythewoodworker (Aug 12, 2012)

Dusty said:


> When I've got wood that might fly apart when it's turning, I soak it in West System 3 epoxy thinned by 15% acetone (by weight) It's as thin as water and penetrates the smallest crack. When it hardens, it's tough and so far most pieces have turned just fine. It helps stabilize punky spalded maple too.




I second that  I've turned countless blanks of claro, redwood, etc using this method and it works great.  

BTW I claim 1st DIBs if any of these blanks make the BUY thread 

:teethlaugh::teethlaugh: :hookup:


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## DKMD (Aug 12, 2012)

I'd give it a whirl if I were you. I've got some camphor burl that looks just about like this with the cracks, and I thought it was worth the effort. This is definite helmet/faceshield wood. I've still got more some place, so I'm not interested personally... Especially since the Alien has urinated all of the entire lot claiming it as his own.

:zing:


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## shadetree_1 (Aug 12, 2012)

I would like a chance to get KOWEA's leavings!!! It will make fantastic casting material!!!


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## BangleGuy (Aug 12, 2012)

Hey Eric, I turn stuff like this all the time and often it is worth the extra effort. The process I use is sort of a turn/fill/turn/fill approach. Of course that is the CA/turquoise filler. Casting would be easier.

I have filled a lot of manzanita cracks with black dyed system 3 epoxy and that looks great too. 

I would be interested in the tan, round piece.


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## txpaulie (Aug 12, 2012)

> (If you say yes, I don't expect you to buy if I offer.)



YES, and YES!

Awesome wood, turn it if'n it's holding together okay, stabilize, as mentioned above, if'n it's not...

Then turn it!

Beauty!

p


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## jimmythewoodworker (Aug 12, 2012)

DKMD said:


> I'd give it a whirl if I were you. I've got some camphor burl that looks just about like this with the cracks, and I thought it was worth the effort. This is definite helmet/faceshield wood. I've still got more some place, so I'm not interested personally... Especially since the Alien has urinated all of the entire lot claiming it as his own.
> 
> :zing:




I am not THAT greedy. I got some learnin' from my Pappy so I's more than happy to share
:teethlaugh::teethlaugh:

Soooooo I now claim my spot after Paul

:jtaew:


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## EricJS (Aug 13, 2012)

OK, I just may have to offer some. The round one in the photo turned very easily (it's still fairly green). Thank you for the feedback, everyone!

By the way, I was planning on cutting all these to 12" maximum length for LFR Boxes. Bad idea?.......:i_dunno:


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## Dusty (Aug 14, 2012)

rbaccus said:


> Dusty said:
> 
> 
> > When I've got wood that might fly apart when it's turning, I soak it in West System 3 epoxy thinned by 15% acetone (by weight) It's as thin as water and penetrates the smallest crack. When it hardens, it's tough and so far most pieces have turned just fine. It helps stabilize punky spalded maple too.
> ...



I picked up the trick of stabilizing wood with thinned epoxy when another boat owner at the marina where I keep my sailboat had a soft deck. He used thinned epoxy to firm up the places where the balsa core had broken down. When he finished the deck was as solid as it had ever been. The first time I had some spalded maple that was too pretty to burn and too soft to work, I tried thinned epoxy. It's always worked great for me. If you use polyester rosin it's hard to find clear, so you can add pigment to tint it different colors. It makes a nice contrast. Here's my boat: http://www.first285.com


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## justturnin (Aug 14, 2012)

For these I would use acetone thinned epoxy w/ a little mica powder for color. Take some blue painters tape and seal the ends and the bottoms in case the cracks run through. Also build a little wall across the top of the blank so you can pool the epoxy in there. Pour it in slowly so the air will be pushed out and not trapped. Place it on your drill press or table saw running to vibrate any remaining bubbles out and also help the epoxy into the smallest voids. It may take 30 minutes to an hour for the thinned epoxy to set up but for me this is the best way for small voids.


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## barry richardson (Aug 14, 2012)

Good info here! Yall mention West System 3, wouldn't regular general purpose epoxy work, or is there something special about West System 3?


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## Robert Baccus (Mar 31, 2018)

I thin epoxy or polyester resins with acetone and place the piece and resin in a VINYL bag--play shake and bake for a day and it hardens overnite. Goes into cracks and punky wood but not solid wood. Leaves pores open but soft wood like new wood. Stir until it drips off astir stick. Like the above it is an old sailboat trick known to old pharts.

Reactions: Like 2 | Informative 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Apr 1, 2018)

@EricJS I wouldn't try to turn it...too dangerous and ugly. Send it all to me for safe disposal. I will take care of it for ya. Don't wanna see anyone get hurt!

Reactions: Funny 2


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