Extreme heat resistant wood

[redfishsc]

I'm looking to turn a nice shifter nob for my truck, but I'm keenly aware that not all woods will take too well to the extreme heat that can happen in a summertime vehicle, especially here in Charleston, SC.

I've found that rosewood types will split in extreme heat on accident, had a 2X2X12 blank of cocobolo in my truck all day while working last summer that checked pretty bad.


What wood would you recommend? I'm thinking mahogany, which is handy since I have some 3X3X12 blanks ready for turning.


Thanks,

Matt

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

I'd go for Lignum Vite (or however the heck you spell it). It was and likely still is, used for bearings on the main propeller shaft on ocean going vessels. It has it's own built in oil and takes abuse very well. Just turn it, sand it slick and wax it. Let nature take it's course from there. Other than that, go for a stablized piece of some kind of wood you like and buy a wine bottle cork blank of that and go for it!

 

[redfishsc]

I recently made a small LV bowl, nice wood, I like the aromatic smell (at least AFTER I turned it, but DURING the turning it's overpowering).

I don't think I'd like the color though, I'd like something darkens with sun exposure, like mahogany or cherry.


I like the stabilized blank idea, I hadn't thought of that.


Here's the LV bowl I made, 5.5" around and 2" high. Nice and simple.

 

[reed43]

Try desert ironwood, its dense and shines very well.

 

[Ron Mc]

Matt,
Find out what pipe makers use to make their wood pipes and I'll bet that wood will take the heat![]

 

[GBusardo]

Corncob? []

 

[GBusardo]

By the way Matt, i really like that bowl. In the top picture the bowl looks like some sort of an eye or a marble.
Gary

 

[huntersilver]

How about Cocobolo?

 

[alamocdc]

Your better pipes are made from Briar burl and it pretty resilient. I've left pipes in the car on hot days and they never showed any ill effects. You could probably get by with any stabilized wood... especially something light and punky. It would still be and look like wood, but would be more resin by mass and volume.

 

[Dario]

I am with Billy. Briar maybe a good choice but stabilized wood is probably your best bet.

Even iron wood (dessert ironwood, lignum vitae, etc.) will crack with all the temp changes.

 

[JimGo]

Check out this guy's web site:
http://www.knobmeister.com/

He makes shifter knobs for Mazda Miata's. These things bake in the sun all the time, so his wood choices are PROBABLY some of the more stable. He may, as Dario and Billy suggested, be working from stabilized woods too.

 

[DCBluesman]

I have some Dymonwood blocks that are specifically designed for shift knobs. Let me know if you have interest and I'll post a picture tonight.

 

[C_Ludwigsen]

Try IPE. It has a fire rating somewhere near concrete from what I hear.

 

[Pipes]

Originally posted by Ron Mc
<br />Matt,
Find out what pipe makers use to make their wood pipes and I'll bet that wood will take the heat![]

We use Briar!! root burl !!and its flaw prone like rocks and pits in it !! It is hard thou and will take heat if its nice and dry to begin with !!and the stuff is expensive !!! from guys that have a rep for good cured stuff that smokes good !![]






http://affordablepipes.com/

 

[ilikewood]

Actually, LV is really known for checking...works great for bearings though with all the natural oils. When it is heated and drys, it will split. Cocobolo is the same as it will check and split with heat.

I like the idea of Briar as it may fill the need, or some stabilized wood.