Holly

[devonwoody]

Around three years ago I purchased a piece of holly which came air dried and has been laying around awaiting an idea.

Yesterday I pulled the piece of timber up to the bench and it now has the appearance of a disused old time cracked propeller.

I would ask you experienced
woodwork workers how you would proceed to getting this timber into service (most probably I would want to use for box decoration)?

No knots, but that check and twist. around 20 inches of 5x4.

 

[AndyT]

I've read that holly is difficult to dry without checking and movement, so maybe yours is just par for the course. I guess if you were cutting it into lines to inlay you would saw off strips which you would then thickness with a scraping blade in a jig - and end up with small flexible sections.

That said, it can take a lovely smooth finish and very fine details. Years ago our neighbours cut down a holly tree. In my ignorance I did nothing about splitting it or sealing the ends - so I now have some rock hard logs from which I intend to harvest some small pieces. Another thing to get round to!

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks Andy, that sounds like a good plan. I will try and get a slice off of it to make some stringers. Then try some new techniques on those tb's

 

[devonwoody]

Andy and others, I have been wracking my grey matter the past few minutes how to use that advice of AndyT and using some of that holly for stringers.
I can obviously imagine horizontal lines of stringing with the holly on my boxes but verticals seems to be a disaster in the making.
How do you craftsmen make those internal rectangle patterns when you work against the grain and get those very clean lines?
What tools or equipment are you working with?
Any links also would be helpful.

 

[yetloh]

I felled and planled some Holly from the garden years ago. Nearly all of it is still in my workshop loft and yes it has moved a lot and the ends have split despite waxing but there is plenty of usable stuff. I have made a rcorder (musical type) from it and it turns beautifully and takes a really nice finish. Given thatIam a furniture maker not a turner I am still liiking for the right use.

Jim

 

[andersonec]

Unless Holly is kiln dried the day it is felled (in winter) it will almost certainly take on a greenish stain, it will also split quite badly so if felling a tree, cut it into lengths which will allow plenty of spare either end and it is imperative that the central pith is removed.
However you cut your lines, they will have to be a consistent thickness, go here, about two minutes in, for how to make a guide for your router, that is if you have a router bit which matches the thickness of your line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb6hcr86ke4
Failing that you will have to make a scratch stock out of a piece of old bandsaw blade, or similar, to suit the thickness of your lines, see here for starters,
http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/v ... stock.aspx

Andy

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks Andy that's just what I wanted. Do need to get a new small hand held router, my 1/2" model I think would be too heavy for that sort of work. Fortunately I have a bd coming up shortly.

 

[devonwoody]

The Americans came up with this link which might be of interest, not quite what I was looking for but something I would consider for future boxes.

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/200 ... elievable/

 

[andersonec]

For hand held stuff Bosch have a 1/4" router and I have also heard good things about the Draper expert, that is 1/2" but no doubt there will be a smaller collet available, the 1/2" may be more useful for all-round use if larger tasks rear their ugly head. Both are within a few squids of each other.
I have an old Bosch POF500 which I use for 1/4" stuff, it has lasted well and they often come up on ebay.

Andy

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks again Andy, actually I recall that my Triton did have some bush arrangement when the model was first on the market, I will post a wanted to see if there are any spares around.

To spend £100 plus on a tool and bits for just a few boxes is a bit rich for me, especially as I do not sell.

 

[AndyT]

It is definitely possible to do lining with hand tools - indeed hand made tools. I've not done any myself so hope others will chip in but I've seen a picture of a knife with two Stanley blades taped together with a slip of wood as a spacer. You could also use a scratch stock but it would need knife cuts across the grain. Garret Hack does nice inlay with hand tools and could be worth some research.

 

[mind_the_goat]

could you carve a replica of an old cracked propeller ?

 

[devonwoody]

Still considering using the holly for rectangular inlays to my tissue boxes and have thought I might be able to put my Workmate bench to use and make a jig to hold a box and control a plunge router for cutting grooves.

Don't like the reviews I have read on cheap routers, so much thought still going on.

 

[marcros]

Another option, which I am probably going to invest in is a precision router base for a deemed and a down cut spiral bit.

This is the one that I had in mind. http://www.luthiertools.co.uk/routerbaseinfo.html

 

[devonwoody]

Yes, that kit looks good.

 

[marcros]

I am sure that in the Robert Wearing book that i bought- Jigs and Aides or something like that- he pictured a cutter similar to a mortice gauge, made with 2 knife points. Sounds pretty similar to the one that Andy described.

http://lumberjocks.com/Jon3/blog/9948 is worth a look if you fancy making some tools.

 

[devonwoody]

I am sure that in the Robert Wearing book that i bought- Jigs and Aides or something like that- he pictured a cutter similar to a mortice gauge, made with 2 knife points. Sounds pretty similar to the one that Andy described.

http://lumberjocks.com/Jon3/blog/9948 is worth a look if you fancy making some tools.

Thanks, I surfed on to this one.

http://lumberjocks.com/Jon3/blog/9972

BTW its too BC outside this morning.

 

[devonwoody]

I braved the cold, its only 13C down here after our 25's for a week and did a mock up on my B & D workmate of a template system to make those rectangular inlay cuttings using my existing router for the moment. I know it looks shocking but with refinements it should work shouldn't it?

View attachment 1

Your comments and advice welcomed (using my existing triton tra 001 router)

 

[dm65]

If you have a router already, make yourself a template that you can use with a collar

The collar will follow the template, but you will have to square the corners with a chisel

Template can be held in place with double sided tape but be sure to stay against the template - very easy to stray from the edges

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks Den, its needs to be more mobile because my boxes are never exactly the same size because they are controlled by timber available at the time of machining.
That's why I went for the workmate with the moveable jaws, the triton is heavy so I don't think doublesided tape has enough grip. Spent the past hour doing more mock ups on the workmate.