Is olive wood good for turning?
Is olive wood good for turning?
Olive wood is less than ideal for turning. It is quite hard and its grain swirls, and since we’re turning against the end grain, this is made even more difficult.
Is olive wood good for woodworking?
While olive trees are praised around the world for their fruit, its lumber has also managed to capture the attention of the worldwide woodworking community, who has managed to find great uses for this hard, heavy, dense and very strong type of wood.
What is olive tree wood used for?
Durability: Olivewood is moderately durable and is susceptible to termite but somewhat resistant to fungi. Uses: It has been used since ancient times for small woodenware objects, spoons, bowls, boxes, carvings, turnings, inlays, small decorative items and it also makes excellent, but very expensive flooring.
Where does Bethlehem olive wood come from?
Originally the carving industry in the Bethlehem area was sustained by local trees, but with an increased number of workshops and many olive groves lost to construction of Israel(***)s separation wall and settlements, most carvers now buy their wood from the Jenin and Nablus areas in northern West Bank.
How do you keep olive wood from cracking?
Download Article. Avoid leaving olive wood sitting in water to keep it from cracking. Prolonged exposure to water raises the grain of the wood and causes it to swell, which can result in cracking. Always make sure your olive wood is completely dry after washing it.
What can I make with olive tree wood?
Olive is a favorite wood of carvers and turners. “It’s used for things like knife handles, pistol grips, letter openers, furnishing accessories, turned boxes, crucifixes or rosary beads,” Gilmer says.
Is olive wood waterproof?
Olive accepts finishing oils and waxes well, but the wood’s natural oils may resist water-based finishes. Sealing the wood with a shellac wash-coat will eliminate any compatibility problems.
Is olive wood valuable?
Well since olives are a huge economic importance in the Mediterranean, the trees are never harvested for their wood. Olive wood is most commonly used to craft high end furniture and kitchenware. In fact it is most prized for carving spoons.
Can you use olive wood for smoking?
Olive wood has a similar flavor to mesquite, but it’s a lighter flavor. Olive smoking wood tastes best with poultry. Pecan wood is stronger than most fruit wood, but milder than hickory and mesquite. Pecan is ideal when grilling poultry but infuses a nice flavor to any cut of meat.
Why is olive wood special?
So what makes olive wood so special and valuable? Well since olives are a huge economic importance in the Mediterranean, the trees are never harvested for their wood. So, all olive wood is limited to tree clippings, branches, and trees destroyed by storms or disease. Olive trees have been around for a very long time.
Where does olive wood come from for carving?
Blocks of olive wood harvested from Rome and Bethlehem (and sold with labels of authenticity) are coveted by some turners and carvers for their religious significance. Stock availability is generally limited to trimmings and diseased or storm damaged orchard trees.
Why are Olivewood trees so hard to get?
However, due to the fruit’s economic importance, healthy trees aren’t typically felled for lumber. (Even 500-year-old trees can still bear fruit.) As a result, the wood is rare, expensive, and hard to acquire in large pieces because orchard trees are generally kept small to facilitate harvesting.
Why is olive wood considered a novelty wood?
As a result, the wood is rare, expensive, and hard to acquire in large pieces because orchard trees are generally kept small to facilitate harvesting. Olive is sometimes used for fine furniture and paneling, but because of the tree’s small size, it is regarded as a novelty wood, and is typically reserved for smaller projects.
Can you use a chisel on olive wood?
The wood’s hardness, coupled with its interlocking, irregular grain will frustrate handsaws, chisels, and planes. You’ll have better luck with power tools, but expect a moderate blunting effect on blades and bits. Olive can be scraped and sanded to a polished finish, but because the hard wood holds scratches, do not skip grits.