Woodturning at 54a. #74 The Banksia Experiment

[@alansimpson596]

Thank you Keith. I haven't watched all of your videos but those that I've seen have been most enjoyable and creative. You did well with your first go on a Banksia Pod. My friend Baconsoda (Brendan) picked up first prize at our wood turning club about a year ago when he made a goblet out of a Banksia Pod. I've tried turning a pod once and it was very dusty but I'd be happy to give it another go. Looking forward to your next upload. Best wishes, Alan.

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Alan Simpson Thanks Alan. Brendan's a clever bloke allright. I just tried turning a small box out of the other pod I had,but it's pretty useless!! I might try another--one day :) Take care, Keith.

[@Sunny-rh1yp]

Never heard of the Banksia plant. Beautiful creation. Thanks for your knowledge and sharing your talent!

[@DanielVilarino]

Hi Keith! That, my friend, was a great turning! I have never turned Banksia Pods. Looks like a challenge and fun at the same time! Great job! Cheers! Daniel

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Daniel Vilarino Thankyou Daniel,but I think you would make a much better job than I did ! I tried it once,and that's enough :) Take care my friend, Keith.

[@DanielVilarino]

Keith Barrow I certainly doubt that, your ornament is really beautiful, and I think the epoxy filling gave it a nice touch. Cheers! Daniel

[@driftwooder]

Nice piece Kieth, I have been wanting to try one of these for a while now. So I may give it a try. It seems design change is unavoidable with these pods but that is where the fun is. Love you're videos, Keep them coming.

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Roy R. Thankyou very much Roy. Best of luck when you turn one :)Cheers, Keith

[@geofo60]

Now that would make a nice little box lid Keith. They are messy little devils, I made a mushroom lidded box from one last year, the second one is still on the shelf. Loved the Darth Vader meets Tommy Cooper bit with your mask/ shield on ...... Lmao !!! Great job mate, thanks for sharing. Geof Harris

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+geofo60 Hi Geof! Glad you enjoyed it! My second one will be staying on the shelf as well--right at the back where I might be able to forget about it!! Cheers, Keith.

[@gunterschone8402]

Beautiful video, Keith. The Banksia looks great.

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Günter Schöne Thanks,but I'm in no hurry to do another one!!!

[@katgore99]

Fantastic... You really meant it when you said anything that grows on trees...

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Kat Gore I'll try anything once!!

[@laurenevam6305]

great video and well done with the experiment. love the sign behind you at the start

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Lauren M Thanks Lauren,I prefer pets to kids!! :)

[@simonleach4375]

Good turning Keith, it seems like a right of passage to turn a Banksia Pod these days. I agree a brighter coloured resin might have helped but still a good little project , thanks for another good video.

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Simon Leach Thanks Simon,I'm still lying down in a darkened room after that one!!

[@PaulLockwood]

I think this is only the third one of these I have seen turned. Quite interesting. Well done!

[@chewy1684]

Never seen one of them before! Turned out nicely mate, looking forward to see what you do with the next one

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Chewy Thanks! You'll have to wait a while before I do the second one :)

[@TheLittleGardenShedWorkshop]

Hi Keith, I turned a couple of them last year, I'm still finding the dust from them around the shed, I started off making a small vase, and ended up with a tea light older, haha That was the end of my banksia fix, I’v seen something similar with all the holes filled with different coloured resin it looked very good, thanks for sharing, take care, Harry

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+The Little Garden Shed Workshop You're lucky,I started off with a Banksia pod,and ended up with something that resembles Mr. Blobby :) Cheers mate, Keith.

[@kobiekaasjager4822]

Keith it is a very cute box. That is a strange kind of thing that you used and it came out very nice.

[@johnfordham8133]

I liked the video, good job! Iv'e turned many Banksias. I fill the holes with colored powders and sometimes crushed, colored rock. I turn them into little jugs or bottles from the 1800s. You should do more videos!!! Thank You for sharing your work..

[@emoryh1339]

Enjoyed the video. Nice job. I am going to try and make a beer tap handle for the first time.

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

Good luck! If I never turn another one of these it will be too soon😄

[@Taughtskiiii]

I hate having trypophobia.. but I love watching your videos so I'm enduring it!

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

Many thanks! :)

[@vortex5428]

Hello Keith, It came out really nice...I like your channel... take care

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Vortex Thankyou :) It may be some time before I do another one!!

[@IanMaude]

Now I know where they got the idea for Mr Blobby :D Seriously though, well done on having a go. I'm not sure that one is on my list!

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Ian Maude LOL ! Maybe I should have painted it pink and yellow! It's not on my list to do another one :) Cheers, Keith.

[@MrLkelso]

I've seen these at woodcrafters! never thought they'd turn out like that!

[@anklebiterwoodworks2818]

Neat project. Cool experiment. Gonna have to try one myself at some point. Might use dyed alumalite resin.

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+AnkleBiter Woodworks Best of luck,and don't forget to video it :)

[@anklebiterwoodworks2818]

Will do!

[@JimsonMakes]

Nice job Keith, they are horrible things to turn. I have worked out a neat way of getting a couple of xmas ornaments out of one pod which I may make a video on at some point. All the best, Jim

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Jimson's Stuff I'll look forward to that one Jim! Rather you than me :) Cheers, Keith.

[@yuvallahav]

Man, everytime I see someone turn a banksia seed, I think of an alien egg, the kind that holds a face sucking alien parasite in it :) The filling worked perfectly! Thank you for sharing your experiment!! Yuval.

[@hesperhurt]

Interesting piece. 👍 Banksia can be tricky. Gave it a go myself a while back after seeing Martin Saban-Smith's video. I cut it into 4 lids for oak boxes and used poly resin and colour fleck as a filler. Did you consider using a different inlay material?

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Robert Venus Thankyou. I never considered using anything else,as it was my first one. I don't think I'll be in a hurry to do another one :) Cheers, Keith.

[@johnnyspropshop]

Just saw my first one in person, showed the wife and left it at the store. I'll pass on doing one as well, figure it would go as well as corn cobs that I tried. I've since added pressure pot and vac chamber so either would help for resin or stabilizing. Keep the videos coming, you do come up with some interesting turnings. You mentioned lathe shopping in another video, what do you have in mind?

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+John Fisher I don't blame you leaving it on the shelf! I'm after a lathe with revolving headstock,variable speed (which I have now),and possibly digital speed readout. Don't know what to go for yet,as they are all pretty much the same "made in China". the lathe I've got now is fine,but it is just a hobby lathe,and I sometimes ask it to do things it shouldn't!

[@johnnyspropshop]

+Keith Barrow I'd like the same in a new lathe, but figure I need to start maxing out and wearing out my current lathe and then decide how much lathe I need vs want. Good luck in your search.

[@PeggyStentzCasey]

Beautiful!!

[@tompalmer334]

i have never turned the pods they look interesting nice project Keith does it make a good Christmas tree ornaments

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Tom Palmer They're interesting allright!! I think they would make excellent Christmas ornaments. Cheers, Keith.

[@mickwilton7750]

Very nice Keith

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Mick Wilton Thanks Mick :)

[@andrewstevens1780]

That turned out ok with the epoxy and powder filler. I've only turned one banksia nut so I know how dusty and messy they are to turn. I have one left that I'm in no rush to turn.

[@rhondasisco-cleveland2665]

This would be a perfect thing to use the gold foil "inlay" with epoxy on. Have you seen those?

[@tazmaniandevil1503]

It would make a cracking lid for a box. I managed a mushroom from one pod and a lidded box from another. I have an idea for a kind of bowl, but just can't summon up the courage to give it a bash.

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Tom Speirs I haven't got the courage to try another one either :)

[@JS111952]

Keith, good video thanks for sharing. Question is the inside of the Banksia pod hollow - or - just holes where the seeds are? Do you think you could make a small box with a Banksia Pod? Just got me wondering while watching the video. Take care.

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+joseph stein Hi Joseph. Funny you should mention that,I've just made a small lidded box out of the other pod I bought. Not very successful,but it is pretty solid inside to hollow out with forstner bits. I just made a bit of a mess of the lid,too loose!!

[@Bramsshed1913]

Great job mate!, for something that I have heard say is a bugger to turn its an excellent result ! "who dares win" eh? :) haven't tried one yet but I'd give it agoTake care mate and hope to see you later in the year, Bram

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Brams shed Thanks mate! You've just got to try one!! Take care buddy, Keith.

[@aferetis2379]

What kind of epoxy is that? How am i asking for it? Thank you for sharing this video .

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Afer Etis it's called "z-poxy"

[@aferetis2379]

thank you very much! Is this a kind of epoxy? or a specific brand? if i dont find this very same can i use some other brand or type of epoxy? and one more question.. what type of colours did you add in it?

[@katgore99]

Just a thought could you do a chess board and do the details with the wood scorching thing?

[@LorraineMartin84]

that has got to be one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. but the final product was beautiful

[@claygirl6133]

What is a banksea? You could make a vase and leave the holes open on the outside. Your item turned out great though.

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

Thankyou. I did explain in the video what a Banksia pod is.

[@RealRuler2112]

1:50 - You sound like Kenny from South Park! :) It'd be interesting to make a box out of one of those things, but cast it in either epoxy or poly resin before turning. (Paging Peter Brown...)

[@TheWcjohnson]

looks good that it pops at you

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+Wayne Johnson Thanks Wayne :)

[@mummatoni9211]

I love to make these into a lamp with led light in the holes. Have no idea if this works

[@iansblog]

Looks like it makes a real mess, think I will give them a miss.

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+iansblog I don't blame you :)

[@ThePotFather]

trypophobia nightmare

[@KeithBarrowat54a]

+POTDAD Smackfad (Demon King) Yes,fear the holes!!!