Hackberry turning?

[Harvey Ghesser]

Can someone tell me if hackberry is worthwhile as a turning wood?

Thanks to all!:)

Harv

[Scott Lux]

I like it. I've got some that spalted too far and not worth salvage. But what I've turned I liked.

It used to be considered part of the elm family. It's been moved to its own lately.

[Al Wasser]

I've turned 2-3 chunks of it and really like it. I'd like to get a lot more of it. Some of it is creamy and some is quite colorful. It all turns and finishes well, at least in my view

[Harvey Ghesser]

Thanks for the opinions guys! I have some spalted hackberry that got. Just wondering what it might be like to turn.:confused:

[Jeff Nicol]

Harvey, I have turned a ton of hackberry and it can be very beautiful, lots of shades of brown to gray and creamy sapwood. It gets pretty hard when dry and sometimes smells a little odd (like the cat box) but the spalting can be very dramatic aslo. Have fun and good luck!

Jeff

[Rusty Smith]

My very first bowl was from Hackberry. As it was green and very wet it felt like I was cutting air most of the time. Great fun seeing those long curls flying through the air. Mine did not have any spalting but has some very sutle blue-greens and yellows running through it.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Spalted hackberry is a great wood to turn and you can get some really pretty pieces out of it.

[Richard Madison]

Ditto what Bernie said. Just don't leave it too long, as it may turn into funky.

[Cindy Navarro]

I really like turning hackberry. If it is spalted you can soak it in Minwax hardener and it helps it not fly apart as easily. It makes very beautiful pens and small bowls.

[Harvey Ghesser]

Thanks to all for your thoughts and recommendations!