Robin N Cromer, Mawson, ACT

Boxed around Huon
Huon pine, European walnut, MDF, red suede leather
255mm d x 110mm h

Materials:
The Huon pine was collected from the banks of the Picton River in Tasmania in 1981, under a Craftsman’s license obtained from the Forestry Commission of Tasmania for a fee of $6! The timber was taken back to Victoria on the ferry and has been used for many projects over the years. I still have some left for a few more projects. The walnut shows good fiddleback grain and was cut at about the same time from a dead tree at the site of an old farmhouse in Gippsland. Before the tree died, the site had become a popular picnic spot known as ‘The Walnut Tree’ for staff and their families of APM Forests, which had purchased the farm. Some borer holes are evident in the walnut. Both timbers bring back special memories so being able to combine them in this piece is particularly pleasing.
The method of construction was mostly done on the lathe. For a finishing touch, an insert of Huon pine was fitted and glued into the walnut finial. Sections were removed to create legs in the base with a coping saw, sanded off using a Dremel and finished off by hand. An insert of 3mm MDF was turned for the base and a ‘cross’ made of Huon pine to serve as a divider. Red suede leather was glued on to the MDF insert and the divider.
Glues used in construction included epoxy resin (with manganese black powder) to glue the walnut insert into the lid and the Huon pine detail in the finial. PVA was used to glue the suede to the MDF insert and the cross divider. Spray-on glue was used as a temporary measure to hold the MDF on a backing board for tuning a circle.
Finish:
All completed sections were sanded down to 1200 grit using a power sanding disc on a hand drill and treated with Orange Oil to penetrate the wood. Final finish was with solid wax (3:1 beeswax:carnauba) held onto the turning wood and burnished with a soft cloth.
Concept:
I was keen to make a bold statement in a turned box with these two woods that bring back such special memories. Relatively large turned boxes are not often seen in exhibitions or for sale, so it was a challenge to try to make the concept work. Turning the item certainly produced vast amounts of shavings so it is somewhat wasteful of timber. My aim was to contrast the dark fiddleback walnut with the rich golden colour of the Huon pine and this has been successful.

Photos: Robin Cromer