Dead tree, wood rescue

[Roly (So Cal)]

Hello turners, one and all, I just joined the forum and am glad I have found another place to ask questions and look at quality items posted by skilled turners. I have just cut up a fallen tree from my neighbor's yard. It has been dead for years, and I often wondered if any quality wood might be among those dried up limbs. Wow, what a find. I thought this might just be a bunch of fire wood, but I can't allow this multi-colored, bug-eaten, bark-covered treasure trove to be added to my firewood pile.

In the last week, I have probably turned a couple of dozen natural edged bowls, lidded containers, ring holders, candy bowls and a few toothpick holders. All different, and I always have a piece chucked up, ready to have some fun when the moment arrives, between my Honey-Do chores. I was just wondering if anyone else has enjoyed endless turning blanks found in this way. It looks like these will last me a long time, as they make great gifts, especially when I dump out a box of turnings and tell them to take their pick!

Roly Nelson, Lake Elsinore, Calif. retiree making turned wood-spoke wheels for my all-wood little 4 x 8 ft teardrop trailer.

 

[Bowen Turner]

HI Roly,
Ruth here.....it was the tear drop that gave you away! Ya mean you dropped a tree and didn't invite your 'fellow' turners from the Inland woodturners a look in!!!! Well, I don't know if I will share your table at next years xmas bash!!

I was thinking of contacting the forrest service to see if there was any felled/burnt wood to have...are you interested in joining in a chain saw day if I track any down?

Ruth in Riverside CA

 

[TEK]

Hello turners, one and all, I just joined the forum and am glad I have found another place to ask questions and look at quality items posted by skilled turners. I have just cut up a fallen tree from my neighbor's yard. It has been dead for years, and I often wondered if any quality wood might be among those dried up limbs. Wow, what a find. I thought this might just be a bunch of fire wood, but I can't allow this multi-colored, bug-eaten, bark-covered treasure trove to be added to my firewood pile.

In the last week, I have probably turned a couple of dozen natural edged bowls, lidded containers, ring holders, candy bowls and a few toothpick holders. All different, and I always have a piece chucked up, ready to have some fun when the moment arrives, between my Honey-Do chores. I was just wondering if anyone else has enjoyed endless turning blanks found in this way. It looks like these will last me a long time, as they make great gifts, especially when I dump out a box of turnings and tell them to take their pick!

Roly Nelson, Lake Elsinore, Calif. retiree making turned wood-spoke wheels for my all-wood little 4 x 8 ft teardrop trailer.

Roly,
I’m guessing from your description that the wood is spalted. That is some of my favorite wood to work with, because of the crazy patterns the fungus makes in it. Be sure to use your dust protection when working with it. Breathing the dust from wood with fungus in it is supposed to be a greater health hazard than normal dust. Breathing dust of any sort is not a good idea.
I was fortunate last summer. They were widening a road a few miles from my house. They let people cut up the downed trees. I got a years worth of firewood and a bunch of turning wood from that. I got some Box Elder, Maple, Osage Orange (Bodark to some), Walnut, and wood I haven’t identified yet. I buy some exotic woods for small pieces and accent pieces. I use kiln dried Maple for my platters with logos on them. Most of the rest of my turning is done with green wood that I have gathered from various sources. My favorite pieces came from my sister-in-law’s apple tree. I made her a christmas tree ornament out of some of it. Have fun with your found wood and be safe!

 

[dkulze]

Roly,
I get pretty much all my wood from the local tree lot. It's the place were various abourists dump their logs for a fee and they grind them for mulch or split them for firewood. Huge piles of hundreds and hundreds of logs ranging from branches to 6" diameter monsters. I take them pretty things and they let me wreck their liability insurance by climbing around on their lot with a chainsaw. They also bought $350 worth of small stuff from me for Christmas made out of their own wood. Welcome to the scroungers club. It's the only way to turn.

Cool beans.
Dietrich