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Thread: Banksia pod

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Indiana
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    Banksia pod

    Bought a banksia pod at Rockler. After getting it round and getting through a coating of red velvet, most of it was light tan color and very fibrous, not the hard dark color. All I could get out of it was a toothpick holder. This may be the worlds most expensive toothpick holder. Anyone else have this problem, maybe it is theForrest Gump box of chocolates.
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    When all is said and done--more is usually said than done.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Fort Pierce, Florida
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    I've only done a couple, but no such problem although the center can be small sometimes. There are about 170 species of Banksia, so that might easily account for differences.
    Retired - when every day is Saturday (unless it's Sunday).

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    Blairsville GA
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    Steven, they can be a challenge and getting one that will yield much can be a bit of a crap shoot. I've got lucky in the past buying sight unseen from Rockler, but find the best ones for larger projects are from AustralianBurls, the Whoppers, as they are referred. Bad dog burls also carries them, but I have no experience with theirs. Here's what you can do with a whopper... http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...sia-Peppermill
    keep in mind, the largest diam of any section of the pod is influenced by any depressions along the length. Ideal pods have good symmetry of shape along the length.
    im playing around with a banksia peppermill today, doing a crush grind version, look for it to be posted in coming days.
    Last edited by Tim Rinehart; 01-18-2015 at 10:37 PM.
    Laugh at least once daily, even if at yourself!

  4. #4
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    Dec 2010
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    Republic, Wash. State
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    But! You have a unique tooth pick holder. Allan
    C&C WELCOME

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Greater Hendersonville NC
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    1. Have obtained Banksia seed pods from Bad Dogs and very pleased with them (no affiliation)
    2. Had good luck in making pepper grinders (the kind where the mechanism screws on to the top).
    3. Google images for turned banksia seed pod for other ideas.
    Last edited by Bruce Pratt; 01-19-2015 at 8:50 AM. Reason: typo

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Lakewood, CO
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    Allan took the words out of my mouth: what a cool looking toothpick holder you ended up with!

  7. #7
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    Sep 2010
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    Clinton Il
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    Steve looks good to me is that the natural colors or did you use dye on it?
    Mike

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Redding, CA (That's in superior Calif.)
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    832
    I think that you got it to come out pretty good. You were limited by the size but made good use of what you had to work with. I also bought one from Rockler but haven't done anything with it yet. I'm going to try and make a little vase and put one of those glass test tubes in it. That way my wife can put some small fresh flowers in it or buy some fake ones from Michaels. If it comes out okay, I'll buy some more from the sources mentioned above. Thanks for sharing, Steve.
    Project Salvager

    The key to the gateway of wisdom is to know that you don't know.______Stan Smith

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit, MI
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    It looks pretty good to me too! I know what you mean about looking for something to keep in the center. I have started with big pods and had to keep turning through inclusions or depressions until there was little center left -- certainly not enough for the original plan. Tagua nuts are the same way.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Indiana
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    1,136
    Mike, I put my home brew oil finish on it. 1/3 blo, 1/3 gloss poly, 1/3 mineral spirit
    When all is said and done--more is usually said than done.

  11. #11
    Really cool and unique toothpick holder Steven! Thanks for sharing your home brew too!

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