Monkey puzzle wood, any good for carving?

[quietone]

I was wondering if the more learned here can shed any light on the suitability of monkey puzzle wood for carving? I've been processing some firewood this morning and have a load that has spalted up. Its was left in the exact same place that I put the birch that spalted up so well. As you can see, not so well as the birch, but still an interesting wood.
The photo is from the first round that I've looked at, maybe other pieces will yield better spalting.
I guess its safe for bowls, platters etc, but maybe not for liquids, as its an ancient species of pine isn't it?
Thanks.

edit... looking a little closer at the wood, it feels and looks more like a hardwood than the softwood it is. Interesting species indeed.

 

[Dean]

Nice find on nice sized pieces of monkey puzzle. Not sure what it is like to carve, I'd say just jump in and have a go, you could always fry a piece totally out and try some chip carving on there as well.

 

[Paulm]

As I recall it's usually quite soft and fibrous and resiny, but with very hard knots where the side branches are, but have a go and see anyway, first few cuts should give you an idea of what to expect.

Cheers, Paul

 

[Robson Valley]

Araucaria araucana is in the Order Pinales, a group of coniferous trees. I have carved mostly coniferous woods such as western red cedar, yellow cedar, spruce and pine for the past 15+ years.
I'll predict that it offers the same problems, such as long run-out splits, as do my favorite woods. Do the experiment = stick a gouge into it and please share your observations.

 

[quietone]

Okay chaps. Thanks for the replies. I'll dry it a bit first, then have at it.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

 

[Harvestman]

It turns perfectly well, so there's no reason why it wouldn't carve, though I don't know what it is like for detailed work.

 

[quietone]

It turns perfectly well, so there's no reason why it wouldn't carve, though I don't know what it is like for detailed work.

Ah, thanks for that. I won't be turning it, only a bowl or platter. I'm up your way pretty frequently on my wanders, I can fetch a lump up for you to have a bash at if you like. No trouble at all.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

 

[Wayne]

The West Sussex Wood turners get very excited by a lump of Monkey puzzle. I have carved a spoon out of a left over lump that was a bit seasoned.
It was pretty tough to carve. I gave the spoon away so no pictures i'm afraid.

 

[Harvestman]

Ah, thanks for that. I won't be turning it, only a bowl or platter. I'm up your way pretty frequently on my wanders, I can fetch a lump up for you to have a bash at if you like. No trouble at all.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the offer but it isn't in short supply hereabouts. I can get some pretty easily. Here's a pic of a bowl i made from an old bit of it. Started as a practice piece and came out better than expected so was kept. The wife uses it as a fruit bowl in work.

[/url]Monkey puzzle bowl by Michael Kilner, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[quietone]

Nice that, interesting colours.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

 

[quietone]

I finally got around to attempting to shape a lump of the wood. Used my new adze, a hans karlson, marvellous tool. My first go with an adze. Really enjoyed the roughing out. Then used the dogleg, another HK tool. I will leave the inside as is, the tool marks look nice methinks. There are a couple of splits, but I'm not bothered about them, as I think it adds to the look and feel. I'm aiming at a sort of platter. The wood is harder to work than I expected, given that it is a softwood. The spalting gives it another dimension. Have to leave it alone now, for a couple of days, as work beckons. Looking forward to getting some more done. Not sure on a finish yet, any advice appreciated.

 

[Robson Valley]

Looks very nice with the spalting figure.
Near the end, not now, if you thin the rim, it gives the illusion that the entire bowl is much more delicate than it really is.

 

[quietone]

Looks very nice with the spalting figure.
Near the end, not now, if you thin the rim, it gives the illusion that the entire bowl is much more delicate than it really is.

Thanks RV. I am intending to thin it quite a bit yes. But not sure whether to do a convex or concave reduction on the sides? Do you recommend waxing only, or an oil to seal as well?

 

[Robson Valley]

Convex or concave? That, sir is for you alone to decide!
No need to rush into it and in any case, do NOT fall in love with your decision.
If you don't like it then carve another dish differently.

Surface finish sort of depends upon what I think I might use the dish for.

I'm thinking waterproof, so bee's wax, mineral oil and the like would work.
Scribble the bee's wax and use a power buffing wheel friction to spread and melt.
I use an oven-baking oil finish technique but I think it's too risky for the dish.
I wouldn't scrub the bejeezlies out of it with soap and hot water but a good wipe with a damp cloth might be quite often.

Most liquid finishes are food safe when dry/polymerized. I use a lot of MinWax Tung Oil Protective Finish.
When you can't smell anything then it's time for the next coat.
4 coats is water-wet glossy and that alone should pop out the spalted character of the piece.

 

[quietone]

Thanks RV, good advice methinks. I've used a couple of different brands of tung oil. one on a knife handle that came up very glossy and shiny after a couple coats, and no polishing or buffing needed too. It was not a pure oil, but had quick drying additives. I also have used a 100% pure tung oil, but I've not tried layering it up yet. I will do that with the bowl, and also wax it. I've some carnauba, somewhere that I can use. Looking forward to getting back into it.

 

[quietone]

Hey chaps. I thought I'd better post an update to this, as time has gotten the better of it, and me. I've finished the platter, a little while ago, and its in use. I'm guilty of leaving it be for too long, and tampering with other things, as is the way sometimes I guess. I wish I had more time to devote to wood and its magic. I will take a snap when I get home tonight.
The wood is good to carve, but was harder than I expected being a softwood. I've rubbed a little wax in, to bring out the grain a little more.
I processed some more rounds recently and found a few more that have spalted more than this piece. I also found a piece of Hornbeam that has also spalted. The hornbeam will be challenging I know, but I'll have a bash anyway. There was also a six rounds of spalted birch. This time I've kept the pieces large and will store until I get time to fathom up some nice projects.
I will, at least I'll try and finish the current half dozen that are on the go, a crazy oak burl kuksa, ash kuksa, among them...

 

[Robson Valley]

"Hardwood" and "Softwood" are very old fashioned terms, meant to distinguish between the flowering trees (angiosperms)
and the coniferous trees ( gymnosperms.), respectivley. Any 40 lb block of any wood, dropped on your foot, will feel "hard".

The Softwoods: they vary a lot in softness. A lot of it has to do with the number of annual growth rings.
Counted per inch, a useful measure of the consistence of the wood before you.
As an example which cost me dear money, western red cedar between 15-40 rings per inch is very nice to carve.
50+ is boney but workable. 12 rings/inch or fewer is punky soft and crushes like balsa. I have seen 6/inch.

 

[quietone]

Aye, there is that way of looking at it, and it makes complete sense. Didn't get to take an image, completely forgot. Took me an over double the time to get home from work last night. The usual sheep panicking over the cold white stuff falling from the sky being the cause. I have the same thing to look forward to later, what joy.