Russian Olive

[Caius Merlyn]

I was wondering if anyone here has any experience using Russian Olive in modelling. A search of MSW showed only one build but for some reason he gave up on the russian olive and switched to apple. It has a fairly porous grain but is hard and is a rich brown that finishes beautifully. I've turned a few pens out of it but I'm not sure of its suitability for shipbuilding. The tree I have in the yard is constantly being cut back and I have a good supply of dried 3-4" branches ready for milling down and there is a good chance that the whole tree will get taken down in the near future. I'll never make that many pens in 10 lifetimes and hate to waste such a wonderful wood.

[Jaager]

It looks open pore, similar to Oak.  The write up = irregular grain.   These are not desirable characteristics for wood that shows. 

A display base.  A case.   Hidden parts.  Jigs.   Tools.  Tool handles.

I would not waste the wood,  but I would NOT use it for planking, frames that show, uncovered deck beams, bits, coaming, etc.   Irregular grain could be a disaster for davits and catheads, top parts, masts and yards.

If you use paint, it is better to use a wood species that does not require a pore filling step in surface prep.

[Caius Merlyn]

Thanks for the reply Jaager. I hadn't considered the structural aspect of a porous wood. It is a pity though. Be sure I will find a good use for it!

 

I do have a modelling Plan B: a nice big crabapple trunk from the yard that's been drying in the garage since last summer and just needs to be milled into planks.

[Jaager]

Crabapple !   You should find it a joy to work with.   Other than a possibility that  fungus could get to it before it is seasoned, I don't see any down side to using it.

[SaturnV]

Just found this thread after being away from the forum all summer. I'm the one who switched the Russian olive (ro) wood out to crab apple. My ro stem started chipping away whenever I bumped it so I switched to a stronger wood. The ro only appears to have pores like oak when first cut but once fine sanded and stained it takes on a smooth and solid chocolate brown. It is strong for beams like decks and even as planking. It just does not hold up to being cut into points.

I'm using it for all of the decks inside of my full build of the Triton. Stay tuned for my posts as I get back into the model after being away all summer playing with rc trucks. I'll try and post some up close pictures of the ro wood once sanded and finished.

Caius, didn't your pen turning come out nice using ro wood?

 

 

Richard

[SaturnV]

Let me add to the above description:

If you heat it or outright burn it, it stinks worse than a skunk. You want to aggravate a bothersome neighbor? Throw some ro in your fireplace!

It has two different colors in the younger pieces - a yellowish white outer layer and the chocolate brown inner layer.

The ro around my area has thorns.

The ro in my area has shaggy peeling bark.

I will agree that it has distinctive tree rings but the rings are wide. For the small pieces we use in models an entire part can be cut from a single ring so that you only have one shade that shows.

 

 

Richard

[shiloh]

Here it is not trimmed so it grows into ever spreading, impenetrable, thorny brush.

jud

Edited December 20, 2015 by shiloh

[reklein]

We have a lot of RO here in north Idaho.Not much good for anything but cover for birds and wildlife in the coulee bottoms and riverbanks. Too coarse in my opinion for model work. Bill