Red wood

[pens by david]

Hi all,

Have received around 70# of 3 to 4" by 10 t0 18" by 3" thick redwood that was used for wine vats ,smells of red wine My question is this, do I need to stabilize
or not? this wood comes from 100 yr old vats.

I want to make some bottle stoppers and pens out of this wood . Do I turn with the grain or not? never have turned redwood

The nice part of this is I can get all I want .Pays to help a stranger change a tire and just say PASS IT ON !!!!

What have you done for someone lately and ask for nothing in return, something to think about...( no need to reply to this question )
David

 

[D.Oliver]

Hi all,

Have received around 70# of 3 to 4" by 10 t0 18" by 3" thick redwood that was used for wine vats ,smells of red wine My question is this, do I need to stabilize
or not? this wood comes from 100 yr old vats.

I want to make some bottle stoppers and pens out of this wood . Do I turn with the grain or not? never have turned redwood

The nice part of this is I can get all I want .Pays to help a stranger change a tire and just say PASS IT ON !!!!

What have you done for someone lately and ask for nothing in return, something to think about...( no need to reply to this question )
David

First off congrats on the haul. You'll probably have to turn a peice to know whether or not you'll need to stabilize or not. Redwood usually doesn't need to be stabilized, but then again none of the redwood I've turned was from 100 year old wine vats either. As far as with the grain or not, I would say that you have enough to try it both ways and even try some cut on differnt angles.

 

[GaryMGg]

David

Congrats. That'll be some fun wood; it'll make nice pens.
You should turn some with the grain, some across the grain, and some at 45 degrees.
Each produces a different look.
Go lightly and use sharp knives; redwood is soft.
Turning most woods cross grain can be an adventure; I find redwood to be more so because it's soft and cross grain reveals the shear point.
Was any burl with eyes?

 

[pens by david]

Gary,

Funny you should ask about eyes and burls,I was talking to him today and ask if there was any with eyes,0r burls, He said OH I didn't think you wanted any of that,WOW long story short some is coming YEE HA!!!!