Eucalyptus.....

[ChrisF]

I was given a couple of lengths of eucalyptus to play with.  This one was turned on the end grain.  I had read that it might move a bit....this is 36 hours after turning!  It started to crack across the pith but a little dab of CA and a good oiling (walnut) seems to have stopped that.  Nothing special but I do love the organic shape it's coming to.  Originally gave it a small foot but it soon became obvious that was a mistake so carved it off for a rounded bottom.  C&C welcome.   Size.....started out about 7" diameter x 2" tall.

[Mark Sanger]

Beautiful indeed. You say it is nothing special but for me I love the way this wood moves and the result achieved, very special.

Thank you for sharing.

[bodrighywood]

Every piece I have used moved or split like crazy. I was offered some yesterday and said no thanks but looking at this might just go back and get it and try again. Please repost when it has finished moving as it is as you said a fantastic organic shape. Love it.

Pete

[Les Symonds]

What a beautiful shape it's developing....it must be really tactile.
Les

[georg]

  Like this very much Chris...... Unlike the eucalyptus we have had  (very bland )... this piece has got a lot of character with the grain.
  Reminiscent of a shell....it can go every which way but round but that is what is making this piece interesting.
  Kind Regards
  Tony di

[ChrisF]

Thanks folks, glad you like it.  The first piece I turned was more traditionally cross-grain and just moved enough to look wrong, if you know what I mean.  As I was turning that piece I saw so much of the lovely heartwood being turned away I thought I'd try it end grain.  It's really quite thin (for me) at about 3mm to try and prevent cracking.

It is interesting wood....the centre is quite dark and then the lighter ring is almost transparent, I can see my finger move through it and held up to the light it glows.  Then it's back to the opaque but not as dark sapwood.  All these areas are moving against each as well creating ridges and texture so yes, Les, it is very tactile.  I'm amazed the rim hasn't cracked with all the movement.

Pete, I think that's close to all the movement there'll be.  It's not really moved int he last 8 hours but I will keep an eye on it and post another pic if dies move noticeably more from there.

I've got quite a bit more of this so am keen to try some more including both a flatter piece and a deeper one.

[TWiG]

Good result with this bowl , it looks very nice indeed , it is good to experiment with many different woods just to see what happens . Eucalyptus is a strange one ( there are loads of different species , although not that many in the UK ) it is usually very heavy when wet , is often very hard to split for firewood esp when dry ,I have found it turns my lathe and tools rather black quickly , and as most know it warps like crazy ,Melvyn Firmager was ( still is ? ) a bit of a specialist with it and his "sea flower " hollow forms  utilising the warping to great effect .  I expect others will now be seeking eucalyptus now after seeing this !!

[Bryan Milham]

There is something about wet turned wood that is allowed to find it's own shape that rings with a resonance.

The fact that it's Euc with colour (not the normal bland grey) is a terrific bonus.

[seventhdevil]

i love eucalyptus but it's just such a pain to dry without excessive cracking.
beautiful pink heartwood from it too.


as far as i know we only have two species in the uk which would be e, globulus and e, gunii.

arboretums may have other individuals.

[edbanger]

A very nice looking piece of work Chris I have my fingers crossed for you that it stays the way it is now

All the best

Ed

[Ralph]

Very simple, very natural and very beautiful
Love them.

Ralph

[ChrisF]

Thanks folks.  It appears to have stabilised now with virtually no more movement.   Interestingly(?) I've turned 3 more similar bowls from the same log, cut in the same way, turned very similarly, but they've hardly moved at all, certainly nothing like this one, so far at least.