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Wood turners work with a single block of wood or combine layers of different trees. Many artists combine woods and get impressive results. To this day, I have worked with full wood only.
Arocaria ( Norfolk Pine)-
Arocaria's native home is Brazil, but the tree grows in Israel as well. It has high density, many "eyes" and a unique internal structure, which makes it very interesting for turning. There is no other tree with such density of "eyes"- Arocaria has sets of eyes every 20 cm. The eyes are well built in, so they almost never fall off during turning. The dark brown eyes and the greenish yellow wood create a very pleasant color combination.
Buckeye-
Buckeye is an imported wood but very popular in the market for carpentry use and wood turning. One can find big boards of it but never tree trunks. I use it to make flat bowls and trays. The wood has light brown color.
Cypress-
A very common tree, which gets cut very often. Has a distinct smell that lasts even after the finishing treatment. A strong tree which allows high precision. Some Cypresses have very wide trunks and allow large creations.
Date-
I have made a few bowls from Dates, but I don't think I'll do it again. The fibers on the wood are very thick and don't allow fine finishing. The bristles are impossible to polish and require burning. The final appearance is that of an individual that did not shave for a while.
Ficus-
What I like best about the Ficus, is that my neighbor has a big Ficus in his yard. It is very common in Israel in general, and in my area especially. It is also used often in urban parks. It has highly developed roots which often raise pavements and distort plumbing pipes and its large branches often danger its surroundings, so it is cut very often.
It has light color, interesting texture, and it's easy for turning. The tree can get very thick- up to 70-80 cm in diameter.
Indian Rosewood-
A wonderful tree. Belongs to the family of Polisander, which is considered a luxurious tree. It is loved dearly by wood turners because it is very hard to mess up. It is beautiful before turning and in successful cases, more beautiful afterwards. The Rosewood has pleasant shades of brown and good density which makes the polishing easier.
Marengo-
A luxurious tree which is imported from the tropics. Has a dark rich color.
Oak-
A strong tree, prominent ingredient of the Mediterranean forest. It is a protected tree in Israel and as such is forbidden to cut. It is a rare thing I get to work with Oak. It happens only if the tree falls by itself or creates danger to its surroundings. The wood has a gray color.
Pecan-
Widespread and allowed to cut. Many older Pecan trees fall because of the tree's developed branches. Good for wood turning on account of its dense fibers that do not tear. One can achieve great precision because the Pecan is very hard. Has a pretty light color.
Pine-
The Pine is not very suitable for wood turning because it has fibers in one direction only, which tend to tear during turning. This prolongs the turning process and sometimes there is no choice but to burn the extra fibers. Another disadvantage is the abundance of pockets of rubber that can cause spotting. The Pine is widespread in Israel. The wood has a dark color.
Sapeli-
A noble African tree with light color. Available in large boards but not in tree trunks. Beautiful, strong, and has its own unique texture. Used in upscale furniture.
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