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General Category => Brag Forum => Topic started by: tux_linux on November 27, 2011, 06:57:32 pm

Title: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: tux_linux on November 27, 2011, 06:57:32 pm
Hey!

Yesterday I found a nice board at my home store - some Kiri-Wood!

Now Kiri isn't well known:
Kiri is an Asian wood. In Japan is a tradition, where you plant a kiri tree when you get a baby-girl. The tree grows quite fast (about 2yd. per year). So when the girl is grown up, the tree is also big enough to cut it and make a kimono cabinet for it.

What counts more for us, Kiri is a really light, soft wood. comes in great quality, hardly any marks. The color is lighter than poplar, the grain is light and hardly even notable. Nice to cut, doesn't hardly even dust. Due to the soft structure you can't cut fine things from it.
Kiri wood is weather resistant and it's a great wood for outside stuff.

Now where to get some?
Kiri got a new fashioned name "Paulowina", which is related to the latin name of the tree family. Don't ask me why. Kiri is the original, well known name for this wood.

For the Germans/Europeans here: You can get Kiri at the OBI home store. comes quite cheap, great quailty.
For the US: Check here paulowniatrees.org (http://www.paulowniatrees.org/links.htm) for a retailer.

so now to the bragging thing. I have cut big 20cm / 8" ornaments from it. Was planned to be a test and came out really great. I will use this wood for some of my summer projects. I can imagine a lot of nice things for the garden....

(http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/kiri/BigOrnament_001.jpg) (http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/kiri/BigOrnament_001.jpg)  (http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/kiri/BigOrnament_007.jpg) (http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/kiri/BigOrnament_007.jpg)  (http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/kiri/BigOrnament_008.jpg) (http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/kiri/BigOrnament_008.jpg)  (http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/kiri/BigOrnament_009.jpg) (http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/kiri/BigOrnament_009.jpg)  (http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/kiri/BigOrnament_010.jpg) (http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/kiri/BigOrnament_010.jpg)
click on images for big view
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: scrollgirl on November 27, 2011, 07:02:13 pm
These are really nice, Torsten! 

:)  Sheila
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: newfie on November 27, 2011, 07:37:39 pm
nice work Torsten
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: navymancdf on November 27, 2011, 09:51:12 pm
those are really nice i like the wood too. now going to see if i can find a retailer here in NV. thanks for sharing

corey
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: Dan26 on November 27, 2011, 10:31:41 pm
Neat stuff. And great ornaments too!
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: Marshall on November 27, 2011, 11:16:56 pm
These turned out sharp Torsten , never heard of this kind of wood - but if it's a soft wood I can see more being made from it . The Baltic Birch works out far but if this Kiri is that soft It would be better and easier to cut for sure ............MB
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: wombatie on November 28, 2011, 12:44:41 am
You did a fantastic job on those, well done.

Marg
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: tux_linux on November 28, 2011, 02:18:20 am
Marshall, it's really soft! and lite. You might think of a lite Balsa wood, but much finer grained.
The wood in the photos is 3/4" and I did cut it with a #3 - went through it like butter. Could have also used a #1, but there was no need for that as one cannot cut it to thin.
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: SheGold on November 28, 2011, 02:47:38 am
Lovely work Torsten... Thanks for sharing them with us... Sheila
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: Marcellarius on November 28, 2011, 05:19:18 am
very nice patterns Torsten, and the wood looks very nice.
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: Russ C on November 28, 2011, 08:00:57 am
They look fantastic, nice work. Thanks for sharing.  :)
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: daliclimbs on November 28, 2011, 08:11:07 am
They look awesome!
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: frankorona on November 28, 2011, 09:24:32 am
Very nice jobs, congratulations
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: BilltheDiver on November 28, 2011, 11:50:49 am
inspiring Torsten!  If I ever get caught up on the furniture and gifts I am making for Christmas I will have to give those a try.  Of course I can't get the wood here, but I will find a substitute.
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: tux_linux on November 28, 2011, 06:46:49 pm
Bill, you might find the wood also in your surrounding.
Mine is grown in Europe. The tree can deal good with the weather here and has no problems with vermins/beetles/insects of any kind.

Check the link and ask your wood dealer.
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: dgman on November 28, 2011, 08:12:18 pm
Beautiful ornaments Torsten! Thanks for the info on the wood.
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: KarlB on November 28, 2011, 08:41:06 pm
I've seen this wood come through our shop as edge joined and finger jointed.  It can be used for beams and columns.  We used it for painted beams on a couple of jobs.  Very easy for two people to hang 10' x 12" x 12" beams made of paulownia.

Karl
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: Keefie on November 29, 2011, 04:13:10 am
They look really nice, but I've never heard of Kiri wood
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: Danny on November 29, 2011, 10:31:08 am
Hey Torsten....  Couldn't believe I was reading all about the PAULOWNIA tree in your post.  Wow!  Bought one two years ago and to be honest it is not living up to its rep. with fast growing in my back yard.  Probably doesn't like where I planted it.  LOL  Mines called a Royal Paulownia.  Cool....
                                                                Danny  :+}
Title: Re: Kiri wood Ornaments - go big!!
Post by: tux_linux on November 29, 2011, 11:28:13 am
*lol* Seems like the grwoing speed is related to location and temperature.
I just read that the wood does not warp, twist, or crack and that the tree is fire resistant.  :o

Seems to be a fine thing.