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Awful blanks.

Steve68

Full Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2018
Posts
310
Location
Suffolk UK
First Name
Steven
I bought some Olive wood blanks off ebay a while back and decided I'd drill and glue a few to make some slimline pen and pencil sets. I found the blanks to be very, very light with absolutely no weight to them whatsoever. The 7mm drill bit almost fell through them.

The first blank I tried to turn split clean in half as soon as the gouge lightly touched it. It smacked me right in the face :down:

So I discarded that one and went to the next.

This is how they were turning even with the lightest pass...

IMG_1326.jpg
IMG_1327.jpg

Then another one cracked open.....

IMG_1328.jpg

It was like trying to turn driftwood. :vangry:

So I drilled and glued one of the blanks I bought from Phil Dart.

Look at the difference..... :thumbs:

IMG_1330.jpg

Needless to say I won't be buying any more blanks from that particular ebay seller.
 

flexi

Executive Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Posts
6,159
Location
Maidstone
First Name
mark
I had some Spalted beech go like that.....it's soooo frustrating, maybe that's why I stick to plastic:thinks::thinks:
 

martin.pearson

Full Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2017
Posts
223
Location
Balingry Fife
First Name
Martin
Were they Olive wood or Olive root ? I ask because the root wood is more like Bur wood in that it can have all sorts of splits, holes etc & can be very soft & easy to break.
I make most of my own blanks from offcuts of wood from other projects but I buy olive wood blanks, why ??? Well it started because one of my Granddaughters is called Olive lol
I buy both sorts even though the root wood gives me all sorts of problems, guess I am a glutten for punishment lol
 

Steve68

Full Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2018
Posts
310
Location
Suffolk UK
First Name
Steven
Were they Olive wood or Olive root ? I ask because the root wood is more like Bur wood in that it can have all sorts of splits, holes etc & can be very soft & easy to break.
I make most of my own blanks from offcuts of wood from other projects but I buy olive wood blanks, why ??? Well it started because one of my Granddaughters is called Olive lol
I buy both sorts even though the root wood gives me all sorts of problems, guess I am a glutten for punishment lol

It was sold as Olive wood. Waste of money more like :rolling:
 

Bammer

Fellow
Joined
Oct 5, 2015
Posts
1,482
Location
Cambridge
First Name
Brad
Looks like spalted beech. You can turn it without stabalising. Very sharp tools and soak it with CA. It will turn.
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
The least like Olive wood I have ever seen. I love Olive Wood and if you ever get a log of it it is so heavy wet and takes a long time to dry then compact grain aqnd still weighty.. One of the most stable timbers to turn I have found. Over the years I used to dry it in the roof space with a fan running.

Peter.
 

fortress

Registered
Joined
Apr 11, 2016
Posts
5,178
Location
Astley
First Name
John
That looked more like a Lemon Steven, Olivewood? I don’t think so, have you got photos of a before?. :thinks::thinks:
 

martin.pearson

Full Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2017
Posts
223
Location
Balingry Fife
First Name
Martin
I'm not very good with wood recognition plus the pictures aren't that clear so I didn't say anything but I didn't think it looked like Olive wood either, have you checked feedback to see if anyone has commented about any other blanks this seller has sold?

Olive wood also has a very distinctive smell you would notice that straight away
 

Frederick

Registered
Joined
Apr 8, 2018
Posts
871
Location
Chatham
First Name
Frederick
I have had the same problem at times with wood I have found in the local wood. Loads of thin CA and very sharp tools. Worked for me but did take some time.

All the best and hope it works for you.

Cheers
Frederick
 
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