I have a couple of holly logs from a neighbor yard. I was wondering if I needed any special drying and finishing procedures. The green wood turned nicely.
-
Congratulations to Phil Hamel winner of the April 2025 Turning Challenge (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Paul Hedman and Donna Banfield for "Fire and Ice" being selected as Turning of the Week for 5 May, 2025 (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.
Holly wood
- Thread starter Fred Belknap
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2004
- Messages
- 9,171
- Likes
- 5,782
- Location
- Lakeland, Florida
- Website
- www.hockenberywoodturning.com
My suggestion is to turn it soon.
When I tried keeping Holly in a half logs for longer than a few weeks it would get blue stain.
NE Bowls and HFS never got blue stain and roughed out bowls for drying seemed to avoid it too.
regarding finishing. You want the white... a water based poly will keep the white.
When I tried keeping Holly in a half logs for longer than a few weeks it would get blue stain.
NE Bowls and HFS never got blue stain and roughed out bowls for drying seemed to avoid it too.
regarding finishing. You want the white... a water based poly will keep the white.
Last edited:
What has worked so far for me is to is boiling the green wood after it has been sawed into blanks. I'm no scientist, but it seems to release the bound water in the wood because the water turns into a deep green. When I pull the blanks out the outside of the wood is green but the inside is white (and I've compared them to one's that weren't boiled).
I've also been told that holly cut in the fall and winter have less discoloration due to sap content.
I've also been told that holly cut in the fall and winter have less discoloration due to sap content.
Thanks guys. It is in a trailer in the dry and covered with a plastic tarp. So far no blue stain.