Bad Wood?

[Paul Rains]

Not necessarily bad wood, but are there any woods out there that you have tried to turn that have given you problems and should be avoided? Any within the great Commonwealth of Kentucky?;)

[alex carey]

There are some types of pine in California I absolutely hate to turn. It is really soft wood. There are pockets of sap and if you hit them hey make a huge mess. The finished product never comes out good. No idea if you have it in Kentucky.

Alex

[Scott Conners]

The Ipe I've worked with stank horribly and makes a very fine, noxious dust that is a known health hazard.

[William Bachtel]

Theres way to many good woods out there, why turn anything you don't like, for whatever reason. I dislike Oak for one, I just don't like it, but I have turned it , and the bowl turned out just fine. Pine is another one.

[Paul Rains]

I guess that would you don't like could be considered "bad wood", I am getting ready to turn oak, I made an oak bedroom set, so I want to turn bowl to match, I have put it off till now, because of graininess and others saying that don't like turning oak. We'll see....

[Paul Rains]

my spelling is awful - "would" - "wood":(

[Paul Rains]

Anyone turened this, i heard it was hard as rock?

[john taliaferro]

Anyone turened this, i heard it was hard as rock?
yes, it does make good tools. made a big club 20 years ago,still use it.i dont care for import wood,good stuff right here .

[Bill Bolen]

don't care for most of the pines. Red Oak is another I dislike turning...having said that the Red Oak does look good when completed but all I have gotten is rock hard...Bill..

[Jim Becker]

While I loved turning it, I avoid bubinga because it's the one species that makes me sick physically, even with "protection"

[Bernie Weishapl]

Don't like pine. Makes a mess and is hard to clean up. Hedge apple or osage orange is a very hard wood when dry. Sharp, sharp tools are needed.

[John Timberlake]

Worst I ever turned was some really dry red oak end grain. Never again.

[Steve Mawson]

Anyone turened this, i heard it was hard as rock?
It does get hard as a rock if it is dry. Always used for fence posts when I was younger on the farm, just go to the hedge row and cut what you need. After a few years mother nature would grow back what you cut.

[Curt Fuller]

Anyone turened this, i heard it was hard as rock?

If by Hedge apple you're meaning osage orange, it's some of the nicest turning wood I've ever worked with. Wild color when fresh but will gradually darken.

The wood I hate? Purpleheart!

[Terry Achey]

I agree with Curt. I've only turned Purpleheart twice and both times I found it to be too "stringy". The grain is so course that it just doesn't work well for smaller pieces.

Terry

[Brian Brown]

Locust is like turning a lava rock. But, it is well worth the effort. Very pretty wood. I don't especially like turning purpleheart. It is very brittle, and hard to get fine detail without chipping. I do turn it often, because I like the look. Zebra wood is chippy and smells like horse manure, but also beautiful. So I guess maybe I'm saying that the harder a wood is to work with, the better I like it. Strange!

[Jarrod McGehee]

the harder a wood is..., the better I like it. Strange!


That's what she said! :D:D just had to say it. sorry guys ha!

[Dewey Torres]

Locust is like turning a lava rock. But, it is well worth the effort. Very pretty wood. I don't especially like turning purpleheart. It is very brittle, and hard to get fine detail without chipping. I do turn it often, because I like the look. Zebra wood is chippy and smells like horse manure, but also beautiful. So I guess maybe I'm saying that the harder a wood is to work with, the better I like it. Strange!

+1 on on that!
I just roughed out a bottle stopper tonight with Honey locust and a lava rack would seem soft compared to what I experienced. Finally got it round after sharpening my gouge twice!:eek:

[Reed Gray]

Well, Cottenwood is the worst smelling wood that I have delt with, though some others are close. Osage and locust are wonderful, just have to be patient. Palm on the other hand isn't a tree, and I can only think of one good thing to say about it, I gave it all to a friend. He wanted it.
robo hippy

[Jeff Nicol]

Paul,

You got lots of answers that give you a lot to think about, but I for one just love turning Red oak! I think it is the easyist and most wonderful wood to turn. If I turn in green it will dry on the surface very fast and can be sanded after a little while. The grain and colors that are in it are so varible and beautiful you never know what you might get. Some of it smells pretty sour but I have smelled a lot worse! I think of the local woods to turn american/white elm is a tough one, meaning hard and stringy but very wild big grain. Most of the pines are hard to turn when wet as the wood is very soft and will tear easily, but once dry and ready to finish you can get some very nice spalting and the smell is always nice. Hedge apple is a great wood and tougher than tough I wish it grew here in north central WI. So give them all a try and you will find some you like and some you don't, but if a piece of it comes along that has that special look to it you will turn it anyway!

Have fun,

Jeff