# Holly  Wood



## JohnDrayton (Mar 23, 2006)

Anybody turn anything from Holly?, it is pretty common here in the south and is almost snow white.  Since it has almost no grain pattern I was wondering if it was worth the effort to  cut, dry, and turn?

J.D. Drayton, Co,Ca,Ar


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## pete00 (Mar 23, 2006)

sorry ive never BUT.....you should try and turn a piece anyway and see what 
supprise it has instore for you.

If you dont want to wait for it to dry turn and finish wet, of course if it turns out beautiful....you'll have beautiful cracks in a while [][]


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## JimGo (Mar 23, 2006)

Search the photo albums, especially MDWine's album.


EDIT:  This should help you figure out whether it's worth it or not - 

http://www.penturners.org/forum/photo_album.asp?mode=search&AlbumUsers=0&Photo_Search=holly&submit1=search


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## wayneis (Mar 23, 2006)

Holly is beautiful wood and it turns very nicely, you certainly should give it a try.

Wayne


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## JimGo (Mar 23, 2006)

FWIW, Bill Baumbeck asks $1.95 per blank for a 3/4"x3/4" holly pen blank, and $2.50 for a 7/8.  For comparison, a 3/4" Purpleheart blank goes for $1.


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## tone (Mar 23, 2006)

I've turned a couple of pens from holly because I had someone who wanted a white pen. It's very hard to keep white in my opinion. Clean all sawdust from the lathe and work area and wash your hands. Use fresh very light colored sand paper. Since it's soft I tried to use thin CA to stabilize it. It turned grayish. I was thinking about trying a BIN white shellac primer under CA but thats painting the wood and takes away from the naturalness of using wood. Not worth the hassel in my opinion.

Tony


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## RussFairfield (Mar 23, 2006)

White Holly will age to a light amber color that is similar to old Ivory.

You can also set it aside to spalt and it will look like this.

<b>Image Insert:</b><br />


<br /> 

Either way, Holly makes a nice pen.


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## JohnDrayton (Mar 23, 2006)

After seeing some of the Holly pens in the photo album, I have changed my mind about using it, they are  bueateeeful!! Looks like ivory!


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## mick (Mar 23, 2006)

I've read, just as Russ mentioned that Holly has been used in the past as an alternative to Ivory. I've turned some and it turns very nice. But as mentioned in another post be very careful of sanding dust. I usually seal mine before sanding with thin CA and that will cut down on the contamination from the dust.


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## jtate (Mar 23, 2006)

What about hackberry?  Also VERY common here in the South and with little visible grain and also almost white.

Julia


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## tseger (Mar 23, 2006)

""I've turned a couple of pens from holly because I had someone who wanted a white pen. It's very hard to keep white in my opinion. Clean all sawdust from the lathe and work area and wash your hands. Use fresh very light colored sand paper. Since it's soft I tried to use thin CA to stabilize it. It turned grayish. ""
Tony, I read an article(I can't find it now) anyway, this guy said that after sanding, cut a fresh lemon and with you lathe running, slide the lemon wedge across the holly blank a few times and the acid in the lemon will bring the "white" back to the holly. I haven't tryed it, but it makes since to me. May be worth a try.


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 23, 2006)

> _Originally posted by jtate_
> <br />What about hackberry?  Also VERY common here in the South and with little visible grain and also almost white.
> 
> Julia



I have some sugar/hackberry and have turned duck calls from it. What I have does have figure, sometimes approaching black. It is very nice and takes a great finish with beautiful chatoyance. What I have is not pure-pure white. As for the holly, it is my understanding (from a guy trying to sell me some for big bucks) is the purest white and hardest comes from the mountains of France and can only be harvested at certain times of the year. Of course, only holly can be used for the most powerful Harry Potter magic wands.


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## JohnDrayton (Mar 23, 2006)

From the guys here in South Ar that have lived here all thier lives, the best pure white Holly was sold to the Ben Pierson co in Pine Bluff and was used for the inlays in thier most expensive bows.  I have never seen a "big" holly tree most about 5-6 in  dia. I guess they get killed out by all the clear cutting..  The locals tell me that Holly used to bring BIG bucks but is now considered trash trees.


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## joeatact (Mar 23, 2006)

I like working with holly turns nicely and sands great. It does turn yellow with age. Just Keep it clean when turning.


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## jtate (Mar 23, 2006)

What's chatoyance?

And what happens if one harvests holly at the wrong time of year?

That's a serious question - maybe the sap is poisonous or something.  It's best to cut sumac in thed winter because the sap makes most folks itch.

Julia


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## JimGo (Mar 23, 2006)

Chatoyance is the appearance of depth in the turned wood.  From what I've seen, it's mostly from where there are differences in densities in teh wood (e.g., curly wood).  But that's just my personal observation..


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## Rochester (Mar 23, 2006)

I like to use holly on the lower half of a pen and then use spalted wood (maple, Hickory) on the top half.  If makes a very nice contrast and really shows off the pure white of the holly.

Rochester


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## DCBluesman (Mar 23, 2006)

Hmmm...not meaning to pick a fight, but chatoyance is from the French word _chatoyer_ which means to shine like a cat's eye.  In woodworking terms, it is the undulating changing lustre or color, typically found in banding formations.  We see it in person due to our stereo-vision which is also why it is not possible (with most cameras) to see it in a photograph.  Many professionals use photo-editing techniques to approximate the same chatoyant appearance that we see.


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## Ron Mc (Mar 23, 2006)

I have some Holly I have been sitting on waiting for the right moment. This has to be the whitest wood I have on hand and I look forward to using it in a future design.


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## JimGo (Mar 23, 2006)

> _Originally posted by DCBluesman_
> <br />Hmmm...not meaning to pick a fight, but chatoyance is from the French word _chatoyer_ which means to shine like a cat's eye.  In woodworking terms, it is the undulating changing lustre or color, typically found in banding formations.



Oh sure, if you wanna be all technical about it an all! []


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## chigdon (Mar 23, 2006)

The secret for harvesting Holly is to take it down in the middle of winter when the sap is down.  Otherwise it will be white when you cut it but the sap will stain it with a bluish grey.  When you are sanding it use a higher grit paper that is not black which is why I use Finkat sandpaper.


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## woodbutcher (Mar 23, 2006)

I turned some baby rattles from holly then burned some rings with wire. I have found it easy to work with and accepts color well.
Jim


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 24, 2006)

> _Originally posted by DCBluesman_
> <br />Hmmm...not meaning to pick a fight, but chatoyance is from the French word _chatoyer_ which means to shine like a cat's eye.  In woodworking terms, it is the undulating changing lustre or color, typically found in banding formations.  We see it in person due to our stereo-vision which is also why it is not possible (with most cameras) to see it in a photograph.  Many professionals use photo-editing techniques to approximate the same chatoyant appearance that we see.



I think I was the first to use the term in this thread. What you describe is exactly the effect I was trying to describe with some of the duck calls I have turned from sugar/hackberry. Ever changing appearance and the effect of 'depth' in the finish. If there is a better word for that, I'll consider using it.


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## JimGo (Mar 24, 2006)

John,
I thought this was timely - http://www.pennstateind.com/store/e-10251.html


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## JohnDrayton (Mar 25, 2006)

Since my question about Holly generated a great deal of intrest and several requests to share it,when I get some time will cut it up and offer it to members, not for money but maybe for trades.  Since I got it free and will get more when ever I want it., wouldn't feel right selling it.  Probably will be some time before I can get it cut up in manageable sizes, then will let members know. Mountian man in north Ar will probably be the first, he said he would be down in this area and will come by and get some.


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