Dogwood worth using?

[John Torchick]

I think I had posted about a dead dogwood tree in the backyard. My son cut it up and stacked it in the burn pile. I went out this morning and looked at the cutoffs. There are several ranging from 2 inches in diameter to about a foot in diameter. The photo is typical of the grain and condition. My question is it worth sealing and keeping for turning? Thanks in advance.

 

[Gary Beasley]

Ive had dogwood like that cut for pen blanks, very pretty wood. Try it out, wont waste much except time.

 

[hockenbery]

I think I had posted about a dead dogwood tree in the backyard...... My question is it worth sealing and keeping for turning? Thanks in advance.

Looks to be in poor condition. Cracks and punky. I use a screw drive test. If a flat bladed screw driver pushes into wood easily I deem it too soft to turn.
You might get some nice pen blanks cutting between the large cracks.
Maybe some larger blanks too.
If you can see big cracks there are likely smaller hidden cracks you don’t see.
Cracks are a safety concern.

Dogwood is an excellent wood to turn and quite hard.

This is a dogwood ball in a ball in a ball. Largest about 2.5” diameter.

 

[Bill Boehme]

It looks pretty far gone to me, but it won't waste anything but time to turn it.

There's certainly no point in sealing it since it's already dried out, full of cracks, and decaying.

 

[John Torchick]

I'll do the screwdriver test first. Then, if that proves OK, then cut and turn a piece to see how it does.
I could tell it was dogwood by its bark.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I'll do the screwdriver test first. Then, if that proves OK, then cut and turn a piece to see how it does.
I could tell it was dogwood by its bark.

It might turn out to be a real dog.

 

[Owen Lowe]

My question is it worth sealing and keeping for turning?

That piece, no. If you can find some branch sections without the white center speckling and light tan speckling (like seen in the lower half) it may be fine. In general dogwood is a very nice, tight-grained wood to turn that takes detail very well, so don’t turn down future opportunities.

 

[Charlie Knighton]

Make nice tool handles.....

 

[Breck Whitworth]

I love to turn dogwood, and like what was already mentioned it is a great wood to turn. I call dogwood a Ladies wood because of the beautiful pink hues I have gotten in the pieces I've made from it. But from the looks of the log/branch shown it may be a toss of the coin whether it will be worth it or not.

 

[Don C Davis]

I personally wouldn't be so quick to discount that piece of wood. I wood make a cut of about 2" off of the end of that piece and see what it looks like then, and perhaps the 'screwdriver test' then also. I have found a lot of pieces have better wood waiting just a few inches in--if that leaves a piece big enough to do something you want I would definitely do that--let us know what you end up doing!!

 

[John Torchick]

Got lots of dogwood to look at for the best pieces.
Bill, we might cease-and-desist as the jokes get worse as time goes on. At least you don't have to housebreak dogwood.

 

[Mark Wollschlager]

If you were to cut some of the solid wood out, it will be worth it.
Be wary of bringing it into the shop for any length of time. Cut it outside if you can.
There seem to be some bug holes, and you do not want an infestation in your shop.
I had some lovely dogwood trunk and branches that I luckily left outside of the shop for a couple of days.
There were little piles of sawdust all around the branches. That could have been an 'expensive' mistake.

 

[Ronald Plumley]

With the spalting visible, might it not be worth attempting to stabilize it with epoxy?

 

[John Torchick]

Mark, good reminder. Going to be busy for the next few days and will pick out some wood before it rains in a few days.

 

[Mike Brazeau]

I would try for a natural edge bowl , maybe some wood hardener needed. Those lines of spalting etc. would make an awesome effect, much like ambrosia maple effect in this orientation. Definitely try for some spindle wood. Here in Ontario Dogwood is the equivalent of an exotic in price. Near my cottage on Lake Erie there are native dogwood but nothing more than a few inches in diameter and you would risk your life if you took one down and got found out!

 

[John Torchick]

Mike, thanks for the photo. I'm still new at this turning stuff and am learning all the time.