Any advice on canarywood?

[monkeynutz]

Need to make a couple dozen pens from the same wood, and have my eye on a beautiful canarywood board in my local WC. It's got great color and figure, and I could probably get 100 angle-cut blanks from this piece, so I'll be working with it a lot.

I have no experience with this wood, though, so I'd like some guidance from those who have. How well does it work, sand and finish? Does it tend to "squirm" after it's cut? Thanks for any help.

 

[bobskio2003]

I've turned a couple of platters out of Canarywood (and probably a pen or two). I don't remember it really giving me any grief. I'm not sure how it will do on an angle cut however. If my memory serves me right (which happens on rare occasions) canarywood is fairly splintery - meaning that there are lots of fine splinters when you cut it. I'd be afraid that these splinters would pull out as you were trying to turn a pen. But that's only my opinion. Bob I.

 

[rincewind03060]

I've turned a couple of pens and keyrings from it. Also made knife scales.
I don't remember any particular problems with the wood.
BYW, Bloodwood makes a terrific accent for canarywood

 

[monkeynutz]

Originally posted by rincewind03060

BTW, Bloodwood makes a terrific accent for canarywood

Excellent suggestion! I may try center bands with it, or maybe lam a slice at each end of the blanks... Thanks for the tip!

 

[JohnLifer]

I've made probably a dozen from a board I have. The comment about splintery is good. The board I have is very soft. Doesn't drill well, Not much harder than fir in my opinion. I'll make something else out of the remainder of my board, it won't be pens.
(It is pretty though).

 

[kent4Him]

I'm not wild about it for pens. Sharp tools and don't be aggressive.

 

[arioux]

Hi,

I recommand the use of sanding sealer, to pop your grain and avoid small voids that traps sanding dust. Or use a good blow of compressed air before finishing.
Also, be aware that the great color and figure will tend to fade with time and look less contrasting going toward brownish color, unless someone here has a way to stop this process.

Alfred

 

[wickford]

I've used canary wood for pepper mills and salt shakers combined with Wenge and it looked great! Didn't have any trouble turning it.

I also just did a segmented pen (polychromatic swirl style) with canary wood, and used padauk, and maple, and wenge as well, and the color combination looked great (IMO of course)...

It sanded and finished well with CA...

 

[monkeynutz]

The guy at WC says he has a little piece I can try...

Sharp skew, check...
Sanding sealer, check...
Watch for splinters, check...

Guess we'll find out tomorrow if it's outta my league. Thanks all!

 

[redfishsc]

Canary wood can be either very nice or blah.


Big tip I learned the hard way---- DO NOT USE LINSEED OIL (BLO).

It doesn't cause any problems other than making the Canary turn from a nice creamy color to a rather drab brown color, and disguise any red veins that run through it (as good canary should have). Normally I love BLO but not on any yellowish woods.

 

[Sfolivier]

Same answer as before. Nothing special. Not really hard, not really soft, didn't splinter with me but it wasn't cross cut blanks. EEE ultrashine and Enduro didn't change the finish. I usually turn it with black kits (such as black cigar pens).

 

[Sylvanite]

I have a canarywood board that I cut at a 45 degree angle for pen blanks. They drilled, turned, sanded, and finished (CA/BLO) just fine and have some of the most brilliant chatoyance I've seen. The grain is nothing special in this piece, but the pens really catch the eye when they flash in the light.

By all means, go ahead and use it.

 

[reddwil]

Made several pens from it without any problems. Tried a few duck calls, one blew out and the other cracked. They looked good though.

 

[monkeynutz]

OK, just got done turning my test piece...

Impressions: Rounded off and turned down to 1/2" diameter with the roughing gouge. Dry, dusty, and only a bit chippy at this stage. Then on to a sharp skew the rest of the way. Skews out well, easy to surf the bevel, although surface still a bit grainy. Burnishing from the bevel does seem to dull the color a bit. Sands well.

I'll put a finish on later today... May try BLO or wipe-on/wipe-off poly on one piece, and straight sanding sealer on the other to see what difference, if any (trying to get those vivid colors back).

I think I'm confident enough to buy the board at this point. May try some different finishes before I make my production run, like maybe CA vs. a triple wheel buff. Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[monkeynutz]

UPDATE: WOW! The great Canarywood experiment may go straight down the tubes! I seem to have had an allergic reaction (1st allergy ever) to this stuff. I turned and built eight pens so far, and shortly after starting, I noticed a rash developing on the back of my left wrist (which gets most of the sawdust). Then I broke out on my right wrist, and shortly thereafter under both eyes! I now look like a raccoon... I wear a dust mask and full face shield, so no dust in my lungs, I hope. Anyway, I can't think of anything else that might have done it, so I guess the Canarywood is out from here on. Bummer! It really made some nice pens... Anybody else ever had a reaction like this?

 

[hrigg]

I haven't had any problems with it. I hope you didn't buy that board and cut it up...

 

[monkeynutz]

Originally posted by hrigg

I haven't had any problems with it. I hope you didn't buy that board and cut it up...

Yup, I bought it and cut 20 blanks off it for this project. When they're done, I'm done with canarywood. Still got about 5 running feet uncut that will go on the swap list. Working in my hazmat suit now...