Greetings from Derby, England

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bogoakworker

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2017
Messages
2
Location
Derby, England
Hello one and all, I am a retired sea captain who spent more than 40 years traveling around the world collecting bits of wood (in addition to navigating my ship, I might add). Now retired for 6 years, my wood pile is slowly disappearing as I enjoy my hobby of woodturning. Recently, I've been working with bog oak which comes from Fenland in Norfolk, England. These oak trees sat in flood water 5,000 years ago, died and fell into the water. When the floods abated, the felled trees sank into the mud and peat. The acidic action of the peat preserved the wood and also turned it black. Farmers find these ancient trees near the surface when plowing and, until recently, dug them out and burnt them. However, now they are carefully dried out leaving a wonderful timber to work with which is far harder than normal oak. It is also Englands only native timber which is black. It's expensive, which is why I use it mainly for making pens. Anyway, thanks for reading this and happy turning.
 
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Joined
Jul 14, 2017
Messages
34
Location
Yorkshire
Hello one and all, I am a retired sea captain who spent more than 40 years traveling around the world collecting bits of wood (in addition to navigating my ship, I might add). Now retired for 6 years, my wood pile is slowly disappearing as I enjoy my hobby of woodturning. Recently, I've been working with bog oak which comes from Fenland in Norfolk, England. These oak trees sat in flood water 5,000 years ago, died and fell into the water. When the floods abated, the felled trees sank into the mud and peat. The acidic action of the peat preserved the wood and also turned it black. Farmers find these ancient trees near the surface when plowing and, until recently, dug them out and burnt them. However, now they are carefully dried out leaving a wonderful timber to work with which is far harder than normal oak. It is also Englands only native timber which is black. It's expensive, which is why I use it mainly for making pens. Anyway, thanks for reading this and happy turning.

welcome from York! Any tips for turning bog oak ?
 

mark james

IAP Collection, Curator
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
Messages
12,720
Location
Medina, Ohio
G'Day Peter.

Welcome to IAP from across the pond.

Enjoy and Have FUN!

I'd love to see some of your bog oak - lovely timber.

Cheers, Mark
 

Curly

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
4,828
Location
Saskatoon SK., Canada.
Welcome from the middle of Canada.

Do you have any sources of English or Irish bog oak big enough for musical instruments? One of the guys in the local woodworking club specializes in "extinct" musical instruments. He has to build his medieval harps from glued up wood because he can't get any large enough solid to carve them from and he said that Bog Oak was used to make harps back then.
 

bogoakworker

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2017
Messages
2
Location
Derby, England
Welcome from the middle of Canada.

Do you have any sources of English or Irish bog oak big enough for musical instruments? One of the guys in the local woodworking club specializes in "extinct" musical instruments. He has to build his medieval harps from glued up wood because he can't get any large enough solid to carve them from and he said that Bog Oak was used to make harps back then.
I buy my bog oak pen blanks from Adamson and Low (Adamson and Low - Gallery) who make some fantastic furniture in this rare wood (have a look at the website). However, they only appear to sell pen blanks and knife scales in the "raw". Hope this helps. I've not found a company in Ireland which specialises in bog oak on a commercial basis.
 

kenballacoan

Member
Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
18
Location
Ramsey. Isle of Man
Welcome from Ken in the Isle of Man,
I've used it once or twice, although I'm fairly new to pen turning, the only thing I can say is your tools must be really sharp. But a wonderful finish is achievable.
Ken.
 

silverfox54

Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
3
Location
Herne Bay kent England
Welcome to IAP woodturning is addictive pen turning is the same I have boxes of wood bits after making lots of pens I might get round to joining them together one so from a fellow penturners from the south welcome aboard ps cook at sea myself blue star line the holder brothers good days.
 
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