Ever turn camphor.

[gear jammer]

Friend is in FL and  binging me some. Never tried it before. Says it has a sweet smell.  He is also bringing me some Russian olive from Neb. I have never tried it also.

Any words of wisdom on either one. Thanks

[packerguy®]

Russian Olive is the bomb. Hands down my favorite wood. The color is amazing.

Camphor has a very distinct smell. Never turned it, but it works well.

[guido]

Camphor --  starts off with a pleasant smell .. but after about 30 minutes it severely affected my allergies .. had to stop completely for a day .. then used fans to push the air out and bring in fresh air.

I will point out that the pieces I had where about 20% moisture level.

Don in Medford

[Gary G™]

FL camphor smells like Vicks menthol
I love the smell and it's a beautiful wood albeit soft.
Usually has figured grain and looks like multi-colored mahogany or mango.

[czarcastic]

The Missus loves when I turn camphor. Yes, it smells like Vicks or more specifically like "Campho Phenique".
Easy to turn and usually has some beautiful coloring.
As mentioned, a little soft but nothing that a sharp tool can't overcome. It's pretty sturdy and I've had luck turning it pretty thin.
Takes finish fairly well. I usually use a clear varnish or lacquer when I want to keep the colors "real" but it also can be treated in a similar way to Norfolk Island Pine to get a "translucent" look on a thin-walled vessel with Danish Oil.
Enjoy. Wear a respirator if you find yourself sensitive to the smell... I personally am not affected by it negatively.

[Arlin Eastman]

I had the pleasure to get a camphor burl that was 4x4x8 and it was fantastic looking.  It is what they make the oil from and my wife loved the smell.  I made two boxes out of it and have not sold them yet.  If I can borrow a camera I will take a picture of them.

To let you know they keep the smell in them for a long long long time and 9 months later it still has a strong odder.

[clovishound]

Yep, camphor turns well. It is pretty wood. The smell is intense. It is not unpleasant per se, just very, very strong. Wife liked the smell also. Then again, she wasn't as up close and personal to it as I was.

If someone likes the smell, give them a bag of the shavings to put in a potpourri container.

[chips ahoy]

Turn a potpouri dish, fill it with shavings and put a pewter lid on it.

Mel

[skizzo]

We had a huge camphor tree in the front yard of my previous house and I turned hundreds of small items out of limbs and branches every time I trimmed it out.  I love the aroma, but it'll sure clear your sinuses.  The wood is a beautiful light brown and moderate tone.  Camphor and Sycamore are my favorite domestics to turn.

[iclark]

I have some fully waxed camphor spindle stock sitting in my shop: 3"x3"x12"

Any suggestions for something that would benefit from using camphor in that size range. Somehow, pepper or salt mills or flower vases just do not seem right for camphor.