# Help please!



## Be Young (Jun 16, 2004)

I need to make a very special project. It needs to be made from 3 different kinds of wood, one native of Africa, one of England, and one of Australia. I need to be able to purchase the wood here somewhere and I need to get it done pretty quickly.

Can anyone suggest these 3 types of wood that would look beautiful together?

Thanks
Bill


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Oh Wow, I can't help. Sorry.


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## seachaser1 (Mar 17, 2008)

Woods are available in Rose City. What kind of project?
Bubinga, Cardinalwood, Yellowheart, And Ebony are from Africa
Eucaliptus from Aussy land
England has several Beech species, and possibly some birch.


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## Pasadena1944 (Mar 20, 2010)

Call Hardwoods of Houston....and check the yellow pages for the one in the Heights...I can't think of their name... they'll be able to help you and sell you the wood..


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

how big of pieces do you need?


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## rsjimenez (Jul 14, 2008)

Houston Hardwoods and Clark's Hardwood- 713-862-6628


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## Be Young (Jun 16, 2004)

A urn http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=319124

I told her I wouldn't make it because she wouldn't need it. She agreed but said she would need it someday anyway and wanted me to make it.
(Her ex-husband and I worked at Hand Feats making hand made furniture 30 years ago.) So I promissed her I would do it.

These are all places she wanted to visit, that's why she wants her urn made out of these woods.



seachaser1 said:


> Woods are available in Rose City. What kind of project?
> Bubinga, Cardinalwood, Yellowheart, And Ebony are from Africa
> Eucaliptus from Aussy land
> England has several Beech species, and possibly some birch.


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

Another African wood is Mopane. They use it like we use oak. Mostly for firewood.


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Depends on where you live as Seachaser1 states, Acadian Hardwoods would most likely have it. They are from Rose City which is outside Beaumont Tx. Beach is nice for turning for England.


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

As I recall, Bill..you are up in the Austin area. Might try your local Woodcraft store up there...or you could browse thru their website and order online...

http://www.woodcraft.com/Category/1002123/Exotic--Domestic-Woods.aspx


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## seachaser1 (Mar 17, 2008)

There used to be a Paxton Hardwood in Austin that I purchased a lot of exotics from. Don't know if they are still open or not.


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## Be Young (Jun 16, 2004)

I wish Paxton was still here. I think Stock bought them out, that's where my friend that is very sick works.

Thanks everyone!

I will be taking a class at Woodcraft tomorrow, and see what they have.

I don't know if I should try to do one first out of pine or something cheap, don't know if it should be a box or a turned piece or combination. I guess I will have to learn real quick.

If anyone in the area has a shop and experience with this kind of project or could be of any assistance teaching me, I would be glad to pay a good hourly rate for the help.

She was not doing very good yesterday, after the first chemo. Saturday.

Thanks
Bill



seachaser1 said:


> There used to be a Paxton Hardwood in Austin that I purchased a lot of exotics from. Don't know if they are still open or not.


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

If you are trying to make an urn on the lathe, that means a large style hollow vase. That is not something just easily done without the correct hollowing tools and hollowing rig. Turning a hollow vessel in the 6" deep range, isn't too big to do with hand hollowing tools, but when you get deeper, you need special hollowing rigs to allow hollowing the inside. It takes a lot of work to do one of those but you can learn by starting off small and getting bigger as you go. 

Maybe you are making a box or something?


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## jskeen (Jan 3, 2011)

I'll jump in here to make a quick suggestion. I agree that a large hollowform is not something you just decide to do at the drop of a hat. It is a specialized artform, usually requiring specialized tools and experience. Most mortuary urns are in the 10 to 15 inch tall range and 6 to 8 inch od. Not a small project. 

However I do understand the situation and think I might have a suggestion that could help. This is going to be a segmented piece anyway, from the nature of the woods requested, so... Why not build up a 2 or 3 piece body in the square and use locating pins to allow you to fit it together in squares, then glue up the major sections, and turn them faceplate style on the lathe, then assemble and do some minor sanding and finish as one piece. That eliminates the really tricky part of working through the small neck. I have not personally done a vase this way, but have done several round boxes of various sizes and it's much simpler than trying to produce a perfect hollow form in a short time schedule. 

Feel free to drop me a pm if you have a question, I'd be glad to help. 

James in Crosby


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## Be Young (Jun 16, 2004)

That's kind of what I have been thinking.

I was thinking the base would be sguare or rectuangler, hollow inside with a wood plate recessed in the bottom for access, with locator pins in the top for a nice turned piece to mounted on top.

Anyway I go it's going to take a good credit card, I don't have all the tools needed. I was just slowly trying to get back into woodworking.

Bill


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Wow, that sounds much better than I thought. I didn't gather you have done large vessels before and can be done, but not for a first time project. I have done them but I am still learning and getting bigger and bigger as I grow. I however have no need to get any bigger than my last vessel which was quite large and too large for my curio cabinet. 

With what you are describing, that really sounds like you can make it work. If we can help here, just holler.


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## Be Young (Jun 16, 2004)

Thanks for the good advice everyone!

I think I have figured out what I'm going to do.
I'm going to make it in the shape of a nice coffin, about 16" wide x 6" deep and 5" thick.
1" thick bottom and top piece, 3-1/2" thick piece in the middle and 1/2" thick piece under the top piece. Bottom piece will have recessed cover for acess, with middle pieces hollow in thhe middle.

I am thinking of puting a finnel(sp) on top. I turned a piece of bass wood tonight for practice. It is round like a globe with an angel on top, I will have to do a little carving for the wings and halo.

I would also like to do some in-lay, maybe some turquiose, but will have to figure that out.

Thanks
Bill


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

And now that you have us all in suspence. pleast show us finished pictures or progress pictures on this project. Don't keep us in suspence.


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## Be Young (Jun 16, 2004)

Well I don't have a finished project yet. I have been busy rearranging the shop for the third time. I finally got a sliding miter and a metal chop saw Saturday, got everything set up nicely with room for my bandsaw that still hasn't come in yet (waiting 2 months now).

I did get out today and built a practice box out of some walnut, red oak and birch I had laying around. I'm glad I did there are several things I want to change when I get the high dollar wood. I figured a box would be the way to go, I'm going to inset a beautiful turquoise cross in front and there is room to get an ingraved piece on the bottom board in front.
It seems big but they say you need 1 cubic inch per pound of live weight.

Give me some input, how could I make it better?

Bill



slip knot said:


> And now that you have us all in suspence. pleast show us finished pictures or progress pictures on this project. Don't keep us in suspence.


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Be Young said:


> they say you need 1 cubic inch per pound of live weight.
> 
> Bill


Wow, never knew it had to be that large.


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