I just resawed some of this stuff and the pungency about blew me out of the shop. I’ve had a big hunk of it in my shop for years. The surface oxidizes and loses it’s odor very rapidly. But resawing some 1/8″ by 8″ pieces for a bent laminated back rest was enough to make me open up the garage door, even though it was cold outside. I glued up the backrest with several plys of walnut in the middle for strength. Has anyone worked with camphor? My moisture meter said that it’s moisture content was around 25% although it’s a pinless Wagner and needs to be calibrated for species, and the book didn’t list camphor. There’s no way it could have that much moisture having been drying in my shop for at least 4 years. I used Titebond III, seems to be holding, I haven’t incorporated it into the chair yet , thought I would ask around first. Bill
Edited 4/14/2007 9:17 pm ET by Lindau
Edited 4/14/2007 9:18 pm ET by Lindau
Replies
Bill, I've worked with some camphor before. It's one of those woods that some people have an allergic reaction to. In turning bowls, I need to wear long sleeves, the dust gives me a slight rash for about a day.
But it's pretty stuff, and insect resistant, as you can tell by the smell. I'm not sure on glueing, but it does feel a little oily. Originally its from Asia, and here in FL we have them from being planted and used for decoration years ago. I understand it's looked for by some cabinet makers, and is up the scale for bf prices.
I keep saying that one of these days I'm going to approach a land owner and ask to take his tree if he wants to get rid of it. They get really big, the limbs aren't very straight, and the trunk branches out just above the ground. But I've seen the trunks get over 4 feet in diameter, and usable limbs can be 18" or more.
Hi creekwood ,
On an aside note : Products that contain Camphor in them have been banned in B.C . and I believe Canada as well . They are considered a carcinogen .
I went to a pharmacy in mainland Vancouver B.C. and asked for Campho Phonic ( sp ) it was used for canchor sores in the mouth many years ago , they looked at me like I was a criminal or something .
dusty
Edited 4/16/2007 1:08 am ET by oldusty
Didn't know about the ban. I have a bottle of it, and use it on minor cuts and scrapes. Germs must not like the smell, either. I don't think I'll ever use enough of it to get a questionable exposure.
Jerry
"There's no way it could have that much moisture having been drying in my shop for at least 4 years." No kidding! How thin was the piece you used the meter on??
In my furniture store years ago, we had a large camphor chest, probably brought from China in the early 1900's. Pretty strong stuff.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
For true Camphor, cinnamomum camphora, set your Wagner to .45 to .50--though the specific gravity is listed as varying widely from .35 to .50.
Set your Wagner for .59 specific gravity if it is East African Camphor. I use East African Camphor in burl form often. It's not a true Camphor, but sure does smell like it! True Camphors can be allergenic, but I have never had a reaction to EA Camphor.
As for drying, both are a slow drying wood. Depending on how it was sold [sealed with shellac, ends with wax, etc.
Take care, Mike
Mike, the Wagner that I have has a little book with a chart. You find the wood that you are measuring on the chart, look at the column that shows what the meter read, and then go to the next column to find the adjusted and supposedly true moisture content. So there isn't a place to enter in the specific gravity. Do you happen to know a less obscure wood whose sp is close to camphor? There is a chance that wood would be in my little book.
The piece was 4 feet long, 4 1/2" thick and 9" wide. It came sealed with shellac, but I dressed a couple of faces several years ago.
I'm guessing this is where Campho Phenic comes from. My mom used to rub it on my chest when I was a little boy and had a cold.
I bought this piece from Gilmer, online. I've been to their site since and they always have pieces of it for sale.Bill
Edited 4/15/2007 11:56 am ET by Lindau
Hi Bill--Ah, Gilmer. Then it is E. African Camphor. They are fairly close to me...they get too much of my money <g>. The EA Camphor moves through Gilmer fairly quickly and so much of it is very wet.
Ok. For a 59 spg, try Silver Leaf Maple, Big Leaf Maple, Pacific Maple. Just not Red Maple or Rock Maple.
Douglas Fir is .53, Chestnuts range from .48 [American] to .54 [Sweet C. in the UK]...Ah, I see Paper Birch is .62. Aspen is .45. Spruce is .47...
One of those should get you there! For what it's worth, once cut into veneer, EA Camphor dries out pretty quick. Sticker it well with lots of weight else it'll move way out of flat. Problem is that once cut into veneer, you cannot test the moisture reliably, so give it a week or two in a dry warm place. I use a desk in my office. That room is dry, but not as warm as the rest of the house.
Take care, Mike
Mike, as sometimes happens, I act before I think. I've already glued the backrest up. Eventually, I'll cut the 8" piece of 4 ply laminate ( camphor front and back, with two pieces of walnut in the middle, each ply 1/8") in to 2" backrests for my rockers. I did wait a day after resawing before I glued, there was very little cupping, maybe that's a good sign.
What have you used this burl for? Thanks for the sp info. Thanks to everyone that responded. Bill
Hi Bill,
Mostly for panels used in jewelry boxes and a couple larger display cabinets. Here's a small box of Bloodwood with a EA Camphor burl panel. Not a great picture, but that's not why I shot it.
http://wenzloffandsons.com/temp/boxes/slides/box_0004.jpg
The panel will get garnet shellac and the whole will get subsequent layers of Qualasole.
If I had gone back and reread the thread, I would have remembered you already glued it up. I don't think it'll be an issue. The stuff is fairly porous and the glue should enter it well.
Take care, Mike
Another Gilmer buyer! Wow, this is too cool. I thought it was my own little secret. ;-)
According to their website the Camphor they sell is S.E. Asian.
Hey! Another Gilmer buyer here. It's a great place! In fact I'm planning on swinging by there this afternoon on my way home from work to look around and maybe buy something. I buy almost all of my exotic wood from Gilmers.
I bought some lower grade Camphor Burl from them a while back and recently made a small jewelry box for my oldest daughter with it. The scent does wan after a few days, but it really is very pungant! I used Titebond II and it seemed to work just great.
I use it over here in Australia. The trees grow like weeds and people hate them in there yards so they chop them down. But I llike to use it for bases for boxes. It smells like vicks vapor rud to me. But I actually like the smell. It does fade after a little while. But all you need to do is sand it or cut a fresh layer and it comes right back.
http://www.kalafinefurniture.blogspot.com
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