Huge , Heavy Pine Cones.

[William Young]

greatdane2 was so kind as to send me these two cones from Campbell River , BC .
Thanks greatdane2 (sorry I don't know your real name)
Thanks a bunch for sending them . They just arrived in the mail this afternoon. I know they are way too big for pens but should work out for bottle stoppers or whatever they look suitable for when I get down to the core. .
I have never seen anything like them . Between the two they weigh 3.5 lbs and the pop can is there for reference of size.
I have no idea what the core of them is going to be like once I band saw off all those very hard outer parts. They are so hard that they remind me of slate shingles .
If I am able to make a few nice turnings from them I will surely send you one.

Those points on the ends of the scales (or whatever they are called) are very strong and sharp. One of those falling out of a tree onto someones head would cause severe damage if not death.

W.Y.

[greatdane2]

I got them east of LA in a big storm, they were bouncing of the road. I grabbed 2 and got back in the truck. You are right those succers could kill. I think they are torry pine.
Alan.

[bearfretworks]

Wild looking cones and good on you for sharing!

Now William, just let me know if you want me to freight collect you a 400 lb hunk of Box elder crotch................

[William Young]

Thanks Alan.
I have never heard of torry pine . They must be big trees to produce cones like that.


Barry.

Now William, just let me know if you want me to freight collect you a 400 lb hunk of Box elder crotch................

As long as it's all in one piece. Don't want to put anything small on my little 10" mini lathe . Hee Hee . . Ho . . Ho . .

BTW, Alan has opted for a different kind of my turnings rather than something made from the cones. That's fine with me because I don't know how soon I will be able to tackle those big cones. I might need to get a new band saw blade to cut them.

W.Y.

[William Young]

I did a search on big pine cones and apparently the Coulter and Digger pine cones are even bigger than the Torrey pine cones like I got.
Then there are also the sugar pines but they don't have the talon-like scales of the Torrey or Digger or Coulter.
Apparently all varieties of those pine trees are native of the California area.

Here is some interesting facts about them along with a picture of a Coulter pine cone.

Coulter Pine Photo

W.Y.

[Ramjet]

It seems a a shame that the scales couldn't be incorporated into the pen some how . They would look nice with a xmas center piece . Good luck figuring that one out .
Campbell River eh . My son just moved to Victoria from Camobell River ..Cheers.
Roger

[William Young]

Rojer.
At the moment I cannot imagine anything that the scales could be used for as far as turnings on a lathe but I might save a box of them in case I come up with an idea for their use.


Talons sure is the right name on the ends of those scales . They are very hard with extremely sharp points. Leather gloves will certainly be required for cutting the scales off of the core.

One thing that comes to mind is key holders/hooks and to epoxy some scales on a decorative piece of wood either scrolled into a pattern saying KEYS or otherwise . To do this the points would have to be rounded off because they are dangerously sharp the way they are.

Here is a closeup picture I took of the talons on the ends of the scales .

[turningnut]

William,

You could always use them for the talons if you scrolled a full size eagle!!!

Mike

[Ramjet]

They almost look like breaking waves . Could go on a plaque of some kind ? Place them around the edge of one of your bowls . Feet for coasters ? Knecklace and earings . What are those tongue thing's and other parts of the anatomy people hang rings from ? Nose ring . Something will come up . Cheers
Roger

[William Young]

Got some good suggestions there Roger.

As for the last one

What are those tongue thing's and other parts of the anatomy people hang rings from ? Nose ring . Something will come up . Cheers

I would love to ram some of those razor sharp points of those talon like pieces into their lips or ears or nose and see what they look like then. They look ridiculous enough now as it is so they might as well have a little variety .
It might even make them look more KOOL

W.Y.