turning monkey puzzle

[seventhdevil]

hi all, i have a couple of large bits of MP and want some tips on the best way to turn it.

they are rings with branches about 19" diameter by 10" deep and i've already rounded off the base to give me the shape of the bowl but as i started to turn the interior all it does is tear up, it's also still a bit wet even though the lumps ahed been sitting around for years (not surprised really) so am battling between wet and dry sections.


any advice?

[GBF]

I do not like anything about Monkey Puzzle and have only turned it twice but everybody I know who turns it says you have to do it as soon as it is cut not when it is dry.

Regards George

[bodrighywood]

The couple of pieces I turned had to be treated like cheap pine. Very sharp tools plenty of bevel action. Surprisingly I found that it sanded back to an unexpected good finish however. As I said I have only turned a couple of pieces however and may have just been fortunate.

Pete

[woodndesign]

Frans Brown is the man for monkey puzzle .. He's on the Forum at times.

As I understand it with monkey puzzle, it's the transition between the hard branches and soft growth that is problematic, can not just be in turning; but sanding and undulation of the differing surfaces.  Then any timber can present problems.

[seventhdevil]

Frans Brown is the man for monkey puzzle .. He's on the Forum at times.

As I understand it with monkey puzzle, it's the transition between the hard branches and soft growth that is problematic, can not just be in turning; but sanding and undulation of the differing surfaces.  Then any timber can present problems.

you said it mate, when i was roughing it down to round it was like turning balsa wood then stone.

where i have the branches i am getting an excellent finish it's just everywhere else that looks bad.

[Bryan Milham]

Almost certainly it will be a big lump. I'd suggest you think about a way to steady it while hollowing. A frame with wheels type thing - but honestly don't know what they are called.

(I have the wheels, so I really must get around to making myself one soon!)

[horrorboy64]

I've got several bits that I was going to try turning a bowl from, but I've noticed that it's a mixture of hard & balsa woody around the branch areas. Shame, because I like the idea of a bowl with radial knots, I saw one in a book one that looked pretty impressive. Could the soft areas be treated with superglue to harden them up?

[afrancis]

I don't think you should even attempt it. You should send the logs to me. I love Monkey Puzzle as long as it is a large enough diameter to show off the knots. Any I have turned had been stored for about a year sothey were still wet and they turned beautifully. In my local park one of the Monkey Puzzles died last year and I keep hoping that the Parks Management will decide that it is dangerous. I have asked all the dog walkers to contact me if they see the tree surgeons even approaching it.