Is Gum Wood Worth Turning???

[jpscroller]

Got the Sycamore tree down today that had beed dead for about a year, and I think it will be fine. It is somewhat spalted and the wood looks good, not rotten. Now my next question.

A friend of mine had a tree the was blown down during a storm. It is really big-- 18" diameter or larger. I am not sure what kind of tree it is. He thinks it might be Gum. Is is worth turning and what does Gum look like? We cut it and the heart is irregular shape and darker than the contrasting outer portion. On a 18" log, the darker heart portion is 4-6" and irregular in pattern. Sorry for the stupid questions, but I know you guys have the answers. I tried to look at some wood identification stuff on the internet with no luck, so thanks for the help.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[dkulze]

Gum turns really nice and that heartwood can have some beautiful colors in it. Take all you can get and mill it into log halves with the pith cut out and the ends sealed.

Have fun,
Dietrich

 

[Jeff Jilg]

Best way to get trees identified is thru leaves and flowers. Any pics?

And these aren't dumb questions...that's what the forum is for!

 

[jpscroller]

There were no leaves so that doesn't help. When I got home today with the 8-9 logs, I sealed the ends, and hope to get a firm identification tomorrow. Someone mentioned that if it is Gum, it can be spalted. Does anyone know how to do this, and is it too late since I sealed the ends?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Mr. Don]

gum tree

I spalt logs by setting them on end on moist ground for about 60 days, then flip end for end for the same amount of time. If you have waxed the ends, saw off about 2" from the end that will contact ground. This works for me quite well on various woods. There are no "dumb" questions....just dumb answers. Good luck. Nice wood.

 

[Vernon Oberle]

Color contrast

Turn the gum with both the sapwood and heartwood in the piece, it really makes a nice contrast. I have heard so many people gripe because you can't split it or the gum balls make a mess in the yard, but it sure turns nice.

Vernon

 

[Matt Meadows]

Lol, sure you can split it, my friend who is a logger has a big old hydraulic wedge that says you could split a phenolic log if ya wanna...


I have a big sweetgum that needs to be cut down on my aunts property, maybe I oughta go git it.....

 

[mrGeeze]

easy way to tell if its gum

look all around the base of the tree out to the drip line where it stood.
there will be gumballs.

 

[Ed Koenig]

Spalted Sweet Gum

Jeff,
I was given several sweet gum logs about two years ago. They lay in the same spot for a year before I decided to cut them up. Was I surprise at the spalting that had occured and how beautiful the wood was.

This is a piece turned from that wood.

 

[underdog]

Geee Ed...

It doesn't hurt that you made such a pretty form out of it either....

 

[jpscroller]

Ed,

That vase is cool. I took the Gum logs I got and I sealed some and put a couple on end in the woods behind my shop with some spalted wood shavings at the base. I did the same with some sycamore logs. Hope they all turn out nice. Thanks for the inspiration!!