George I just wanted to thank you for the blanks you sent me in the ebony game. The blank you had us guessing looks incredible. One thing your pics didn't show is that the segments are different colors. My wife summed it up best by saying it looks like stained glass. You need to work in your photo skills my friend :biggrin: The other pieces of timber you included are also amazing. These are all species that I don't own and have never turned. By lookin at your enclosed sheet they are: she/bull oak, holly oak, and cootamundra wattle(very fun to say). Thanks again George and it very much appreciated.
Michael
G'day Michael,
You're welcome mate, glad to know the parcel arrived...!
Yes, you're right, the pics not always show everything and I have a long way to go with my pics however, for the number I take almost everyday, if I'm to set things up and take the time per image as professional photographs take, I would have any time left to look for woods, salvage and process, them ...!:wink::biggrin:
Well, you know how it goes here, "no pics, didn't happen...!"
As for the woods I sent you, appart from the blank part of the "ebony game", the Cootamundra Wattle is a famous native wood species from these parts of Australia "rainbow wood", would be the name I reckon it should be but, that's only me...!
The name of this tree was the inspirations for a song from one of the famous Aussie singers/songwriters John Williamson, here is his song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN_AqUK_3LM, enjoy...!
The She/Bull-Oak has a interesting story and was man made in between the 2 species but, after 20 odd years, they (nursery people) realise that, they got it wrong and the generically modified species, didn't survive some of the "pest" species such as Termites and other nasty wood borer creatures, I've got the last of the original trees planted, under a special permit, as the wood/trees/logs were infested/contaminate so, a great part was burn as part of the eradication of the problem and the rest went through some careful selecting and cleaning, before processed.
The Holly Oak, has also an interesting story, a single medium size branch (about 8" at the joint" was snapped by a wind storm about 7 years ago, near a shed where a local artisan market would open on the weekends. Many local people had the items they make in there, I was no exception so, I spotted the snapped branch and requested permission to remove it.
There are 4 trees of the same species planted in that sort of garden, I never saw them before but the leafs looked like the "Bay Leaf" ones that are used for cooking so, I named it Bay Leaf and #15 in my timbers list.
I was familiar with the wood rays but I never saw any so white so, I sold some but most were used to make my mix packs of 1 blanks of each species (80 at the moment with another 4 to add next time). I lost more than 50% of it due to cracks that develop from cutting it green and not strapping it tight as I do now so, in no time I had no more to sell, only a few dozen that were kept religiously for my mix packs.
Just over 1 year ago, the place was sold and no one had looked after that garden and trees for a few years as the "markets" close in 2009. I kept a close eye on the place looking for any more branches that would snap but that never happened so, when the place was sold I did found out who the new owner was and discuss with him, whi I was and why I was there, after we establish that, he was happy that I was offering to clean the place and trim those trees that by now had branches touching the ground, was really messy.
I removed a lot of branches, each one marked previously and shown for approval, those trees got a big hair cut, something that they were in desperate to maintain their health and at the same time, the wife and I spent 3 days working hard to earn the wood we cut and salvaged.
Was then when I learn what they were as they were mentioned on the purchase plans so, I got 2 birds with 1 shot.
The blank you have, is one of the first batch that I just finished for sale, they are ready to go and are a great match to the She/Bull-Oak, the same type grain/rays, similar density but, very different/contrasting colours.
They are 2 of my preferred woods, most of my turning gouge handles were made with a combination of the 2 woods...!
That's enough for now, I hope you enjoyed this...!:wink:
Cheers
George
