Pics of Texas Madrone

[Raif Harik]

Hi I posted a while back about how to cut up some wild shaped Texas Madrone.
Here are some initial pieces I've turned. Mostly end grain as I haven't had the guts to cut up the bigger pieces yet.
The stuff is pretty wet, and I'm pretty impatient. You can see the one little cup is all misshapen, but I kind of like it. As long as it doesn't crack up I'm cool with it.

 

[robo hippy]

Any chance you can post a picture of the tree? I am curious to see how it compares to the Pacific Madrone. Ours is a laurel type of tree, keeps leaves on all year long. Turns like butter, warps insanely. There tends to be lots of reds and purples in it.

robo hippy

 

[Dennis J Gooding]

Hi I posted a while back about how to cut up some wild shaped Texas Madrone.
Here are some initial pieces I've turned. Mostly end grain as I haven't had the guts to cut up the bigger pieces yet.
The stuff is pretty wet, and I'm pretty impatient. You can see the one little cup is all misshapen, but I kind of like it. As long as it doesn't crack up I'm cool with it.

I would echo Robo’s description of Pacific madrone. If I had to choose just one wood to turn for pleasure (not necessarily profit), it would be madrone. Turned green, I have used it for dozens of fun projects ranging from bird house tree ornaments to vases to natural-edge bowls to several wearable hats. The secret is to keep it thin and to avoid large cross-grain flat areas so that the large circumferential shrinkage does not cause cracking. Large round bowls are another matter. You need to leave more than usual wall thickness in the rough turning stage to allow for shrinkage, which ups the likelihood of cracking during drying. A common solution is to boil the rough-turned bowl for a couple of hours before setting it out to dry slowly.

 

[John Torchick]

Raif, those are beautiful turnings. I'm influenced by contrasting colors and bold grain. Thanks for sharing great photos.

 

[robo hippy]

Dennis, Madrone is my best selling bowl wood. Every one here does Myrtle and Big Leaf Maple. Few do Madrone. Dale Larson boils all of his Madrone, which is most of what he does. I like the warped ones. I do tease Dale about how wrong it is of him to sell round Madrone bowls. I have a source for logs, and generally get about 20 to 30 inch diameter ones that have plenty of color.

robo hippy

 

[Raif Harik]

Well, I don't have any pictures of a Texas Madron, as I've never seen one. I mentioned in an other post they are very rare and only grow in one county in texas. They do not get nearly as big as y'alls maybe 20' . Here are the pictures of my "trunk" This was considered a pretty good size specimen. There is often old dead wood encased in new growth which is what gives the high contrast in the pieces I have above.

 

[Michael Lyle]

I am not a wood scholar........That said.......I have never heard of
Texas Madrona....or Madrone, or Madron.
I have heard of Pacific Madrone....much of it in Washington
up and down I-5....in Wa. state....
your wood looks like
Texas Ebony.....or resembles Texas Ebony.....

So my question is what made you think it is A Madrone???

 

[Raif Harik]

Lol, no it's most definitely not Texas Ebony. Texas Ebony is awesome wood but nothing like this. It's hard as nails and dry as mesquite.
This is Texas Madrone. Which is what led me to that conclusion.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbutus_xalapensis

 

[Michael Lyle]

Thanks Raif.......

Wood Database had no listing...for arbutus xalapensis that i could find.

would you like to part with some of your Arbutus Xalapensis?

 

[Raif Harik]

No, I mean maybe, if you lived in Austin. But I don't have a whole lot and it is pretty hard to come by. That said my "dealer" does seem to keep coming across it. If you are serious, I can let you know if he comes across more.
Raif

 

[Michael Lyle]

Thanks again Raif!!!! for the offer

I don't really need any more timbre as my shop is too full....now.
You know what I mean I am sure....

stay safe