small banksia pods

[sbwertz]

Last year at AAW symposium here in Phoenix, I traded some mulberry for some banksia pods. These came from the banksia tree in the Australian Garden at Balboa park in San Diego.

They are much smaller than the pods you usually see in someplace like woodcraft. Apparently there are hundreds of different species of banksia. These pods are about 3.5 -4" long and 1.5 inches in diameter.

And here is a pen one of the visually impaired turners at the center for the blind turned from one. It is filled with turquoise colored inlace granules.

Has anyone else turned these little pods?

 

[liljohn1368]

I've never turned any. But that is a nice pen..

 

[pianomanpj]

Wow! That IS a nice looking pen! I wish these smaller pods were commercially available.

 

[JohnU]

That looks great! Go figure, my family just moved back to Chicago from San Diego this spring. Balboa park is very nice. If I remember correctly, they have a few huge olive trees there I was drooling over. Never seen the bankasia pods or I would have needed a second suitcase to return home. Nice find!

 

[robutacion]

Last year at AAW symposium here in Phoenix, I traded some mulberry for some banksia pods. These came from the banksia tree in the Australian Garden at Balboa park in San Diego.

They are much smaller than the pods you usually see in someplace like woodcraft. Apparently there are hundreds of different species of banksia. These pods are about 3.5 -4" long and 1.5 inches in diameter.

And here is a pen one of the visually impaired turners at the center for the blind turned from one. It is filled with turquoise colored inlace granules.

Has anyone else turned these little pods?

G'day,

Those pods are the same variety as the pods I call the Dwarf Banksia pods for the very reason of being a miniature of the commercial available pods.

Those are what I have been using to make many of my Resifills with, some in glow in the dark and others in all sorts of colours.

Now, there are far too many species of Banksia and in these small type pods, there are a dozen or more of bushes/plants/small trees that produce identical blanks in size and in shape however, there are a few visible differences only noticeable to those that are used to deal with Banksias, as myself.

Banksia being an Australian Native, each State seems to have sub-species that do better in those conditions that can vary considerably from State to State, in this part of South Australia, I see many Banksia species in the wild but, the most ornamental ones I see around are indeed, native to Western Australia that do very well in these semi coastal areas.

Cheers
George

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

Hi Sharon,
Please congratulate the pen turner for me, that person did an EXCELLENT job, or was it the trainer that did an excellent job on teaching.
I've turned quite a few of these, where you've got turquoise in them I use clear resin with polished brass tubes, as they look like gold in them, occasionally I'll put opal chips in, to fill where a seed has come out.

If anyone wants Banksia nuts, send me a PM and I'll see what I can find for you, cost of postage only. Raw nuts. Can trim to slightly oversize to avoid waste if required, plus you'll get more in a box.
Kryn

 

[Kenny Durrant]

Very nice pen. You said it was "Filled with turquoise". I'm assuming you drilled and turned the pod then filled the holes? I have a large pod but haven't done anything with it because I thought you had to cast them and didn't want to try that yet. For some reason I have the fear it may fall apart if not cast before cutting. Thanks

 

[robutacion]

Very nice pen. You said it was "Filled with turquoise". I'm assuming you drilled and turned the pod then filled the holes? I have a large pod but haven't done anything with it because I thought you had to cast them and didn't want to try that yet. For some reason I have the fear it may fall apart if not cast before cutting. Thanks

In reference to your question, I may assist you by telling you that, if the pod you have is the big ones you normally buy in some stores, those are tough nuts and very strong to be turned as is, most turners do however, if you want to make sure the pod stays together and stronger, you can use the very thin CA to soak it and you go, every few mm and you are safe.

The CA is often used even after they are stabilized or cast so, don't be "afraid"/concerned to work with it, they are not rare and you can always get more...!

Good luck...!

Cheers
George

 

[sbwertz]

I turned it down to about 3/4" diameter, and drilled it, then soaked it in thin CA. Dale is partially sighted, and was able to glue in the tube himself. He then turned it almost to size with a carbide tool.

We don't use real turquoise down there, but use the turquoise inlace granules because they can be turned with ordinary tools.

He used medium CA in the holes, then rubbed in the inlace and added some thin CA on top. I inspected it and showed him where he still had some gaps, and he added a little more inlace to finish filling the holes. Then he finished turning it with sand paper instead of a tool. I did another inspection and he had to fill a couple of small voids, sanded it again, and finished it with CA/BLO. He is our most prolific turner, having turned about 25 service pens.

He comes in on Fridays when there are no regular classes and turns service pens, and he also helps to prep blanks for other turners there to use. I gave him the LeRoi kit and the pod as a gift to thank him for all the work he does down there.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

Thanks Sharon and George. I'm going to have to find the one I have and give it a try. If it turns out half as good as Dales I'll be more than pleased. Thanks agian

 

[Skie_M]

Turquoise is actually a pretty soft stone and takes to turning easily. I've found that sodalite also turns pretty easily.


Don't try to do any kind of stone inlay with ruby or sapphire, that's just asking for headaches.

 

[sbwertz]

I found a picture of Dale in Malcom's post. He is holding one of the service pens he has turned.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

The dolls and statues in the background did they make those also?

 

[sbwertz]

The dolls and statues in the background did they make those also?

Yes, our turning project occupies a corner of the ceramics room. They have kilns and molds and make some beautiful things there.

 

[sbwertz]

Turquoise is actually a pretty soft stone and takes to turning easily. I've found that sodalite also turns pretty easily.


Don't try to do any kind of stone inlay with ruby or sapphire, that's just asking for headaches.

I turn a LOT of turquoise, and it isn't that soft. It will chew up a HSS gouge pretty fast. I use only carbide for turquoise infill/inlay. Especially if you are using a rather coarse crush.

Most of the blind turners cannot use the carbide tools easily. With a gouge, I can have them rest the bottom of the gouge on the spinning blank and slowly draw it back and down until it starts to cut. They can feel it and hear it when it is cutting properly. You can't do that with carbide. If they are partially sighted, like Dale, they can see well enough to see where the end of the tool is and where the spinning blank is, and can use the carbide tools safely. As a result I made the safety call to use inlace instead of crushed stone.

 

[Skie_M]

Hmm ... I don't try using a tool steel when inlaying my stone (turquoise, sodalite, malachite, serpentstone, red jasper) .... I crush the stone somewhat coarse to fine, to get a good level of filling capability, and seal it in with a good soaking of CA.

After that, I use some small pieces of glass (sanded edges, of course), and have graduated grits of sandpaper glued to them. The glass gives me a strong backer to give me control of where I'm sanding. The rest of the piece is already temp finished with CA, so sanding with a good deal of water is the key.

I sand it all the way up to 12,000 grit micromesh. The shine is just beautiful.

I would still offer caution for the ones with very poor eyesight or blind, as when the stone is properly inlaid it will at first be sharp and jagged. Trying to find it by feel will be a terrible idea until after it's been knocked down with some of the lower grits and is much smoother to the touch.

It takes me only 10 - 20 minutes to do a stone inlay on a pen... with some time and patience, I believe I could do it blindfolded, if someone else did the actual inlay work for me... but you and your friends still have my utmost respect not only for the craftsmanship but for what you're doing for our troops.

I hope, in a few weeks, to send off my first batch of Freedom Pens, and they are rather plain looking compared to yours, but I think they'll still fit the bill so that our troops can write home.

 

[robutacion]

The dolls and statues in the background did they make those also?

Yes, our turning project occupies a corner of the ceramics room. They have kilns and molds and make some beautiful things there.

Hi Sharon,

May I ask you for a name and postal address to where I can send a box with some of my blanks, for these people to try, please...???

Some time ago, I was contacted by a kind IAP member that made a small order and requested that I sent it to a group of blind people, I forgot the name I sent it to but, I received a thank you card after the parcel arrived and more recently, I was sent a pen made by one of these blind persons, I was most honored..!

It is a possibility that, this is the same group you are assisting to, that would not matter, I can send Aussie blanks with my own name and hope, they all have some fun in turning them...!

Let me know...!

Cheers
George

 

[sbwertz]

The dolls and statues in the background did they make those also?

Yes, our turning project occupies a corner of the ceramics room. They have kilns and molds and make some beautiful things there.

Hi Sharon,

May I ask you for a name and postal address to where I can send a box with some of my blanks, for these people to try, please...???

Some time ago, I was contacted by a kind IAP member that made a small order and requested that I sent it to a group of blind people, I forgot the name I sent it to but, I received a thank you card after the parcel arrived and more recently, I was sent a pen made by one of these blind persons, I was most honored..!

It is a possibility that, this is the same group you are assisting to, that would not matter, I can send Aussie blanks with my own name and hope, they all have some fun in turning them...!

Let me know...!

Cheers
George

George, we would be honored to have some of your beautiful blanks. You can send them to

Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
ATTN: Tom Beatty
3100 E Roosevelt Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA

By the way, how is your wife doing? I hope her RA is getting better with treatment.

 

[robutacion]

The dolls and statues in the background did they make those also?

Yes, our turning project occupies a corner of the ceramics room. They have kilns and molds and make some beautiful things there.

Hi Sharon,

May I ask you for a name and postal address to where I can send a box with some of my blanks, for these people to try, please...???

Some time ago, I was contacted by a kind IAP member that made a small order and requested that I sent it to a group of blind people, I forgot the name I sent it to but, I received a thank you card after the parcel arrived and more recently, I was sent a pen made by one of these blind persons, I was most honored..!

It is a possibility that, this is the same group you are assisting to, that would not matter, I can send Aussie blanks with my own name and hope, they all have some fun in turning them...!

Let me know...!

Cheers
George

George, we would be honored to have some of your beautiful blanks. You can send them to

Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
ATTN: Tom Beatty
3100 E Roosevelt Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA

By the way, how is your wife doing? I hope her RA is getting better with treatment.

Thanks Sharon, it will me my pleasure to know, they are experiencing my Aussie woods...!

I suppose is time to give another update on Merissa's issue that is not getting any better, I will explain...!

Cheers
George

 

[sbwertz]

Here is one I filled with brass filings from a key cutting machine. Sorry about the photo quality...new smartphone and haven't figured out how to use it very well yet.