Have a question for any regular turners of honey locust. Is dry wood always tough to turn? The stuff is hard as a rock and seems to catch really bad both along the grain and on the end grain. It also doesn't seem to make nice pretty peels. I know that it isn't the sharpness of my tools because I can switch to other hard dry wood I have around and make swirling strings of shavings up to my knees in know time at all. Any thoughts?
-
Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details) -
Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Keven Jesequel for "Big Leaf Maple" being selected as Turning of the Week for April 15, 2024 (click here for details) -
Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.
honey locust
- Thread starter woodboy
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2004
- Messages
- 117
- Likes
- 1
- Location
- Southwest Missouri
- Website
- www.hiltonhandcraft.com
woodboy said:
You bet it is! Try well seasoned Osage Orange (Bois D'arc) if you want a taste of turning steel though. Honey and black locust are some pretty hard woods, that's for sure. I'll pretty much only turn those when green. The problem is, they want to split easily. But, you take what you can get. Have you tried the Black Locust? It fluoresces in black light. Pretty cool stuff.
The results with the locusts can be outstanding if you take your time and sand it well. Do as much cutting and scraping as possible before trying the sandpaper though. I've found scraping with a good burr on it will do wonders with these really hard and cured woods. Just try different things until something works best .. well, at least relatively better.
It is good to know it just isn't me then. I have made a few small boxes and cup so far. I have about 5 dozen osage orange logs right now that I picked up as driftwood last summer.
Has anyone used the scaper burnisher from veritas? Is it worth getting?
Andrew said:I've found scraping with a good burr on it will do wonders with these really hard and cured woods. Just try different things until something works best .. well, at least relatively better.
Has anyone used the scaper burnisher from veritas? Is it worth getting?
Locust
When wood is used for fence posts and they last a few generations you can be it is tough! Even tool steel wears quickly on locust. But, it can be mighty pretty and people like the look of the finished bowls. Phil
When wood is used for fence posts and they last a few generations you can be it is tough! Even tool steel wears quickly on locust. But, it can be mighty pretty and people like the look of the finished bowls. Phil
woodboy said:
I have the Veritas burnisher and use it regularly. It works well and is faster than setting the grinder to the right angle. Well worth the money, IMHO.
And I agree with the others - honey locust is a hard wood to turn. But don't turn to the sandpaper too soon - the early wood is softer than the late wood (or is it the other way round?) and aggressive sanding will produce ridges. Especially on the inside of a bowl.
Graeme