Turning Larch

[Maylon Harvey]

Anybody ever turn any larch? And if so what is your take on it?

[Maylon Harvey]

91 views, no replys, ?????

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Maylon,

This is my 2nd viewing of this thread. I haven't turned larch.

[alex carey]

never even heard of it.

[David E Keller]

Sounds like something from a Dr. Suess book... I would not, could not turn a larch. I do not like them Sam I Am.

Hoping you post a photo of one so we'll know what it is

[Baxter Smith]

It is a deciduous softwood. Likes swampy areas. Fairly rot resistant and somewhat splintery. But all I've done is split it!:)

[Steve Schlumpf]

I've stopped in a couple of time now hoping to see some photos of something turned out of Larch. Never heard of it before. Bet Leo has turned a bunch of it!

[Gary Conklin]

Not mine, but found this on an image search.

http://woodturning-in-norway.com/Lerkskrin.JPG

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I saw my first larch 26 years ago while elk hunting and deer hunting with a friend who has an advanced degree in biology. I didn't know there was a coniferous tree that lost it's needles in the fall.

I haven't, however, turned larch.

[Jim Pinkerton]

I havn't turned any yet, but I have 2 larch trees to be cut down soon on my property, so I am sure I will try some in the future. The bark looks like white pine. It has needles, very short and kind of soft, but in the fall they turn yellow and fall off. The first time you see that you are sure the tree is dead, but come spring they grow back. My one tree has not had needles for 3 years .......I think I can assume that it is dead:D.
Jim

[Dan Forman]

Larch is also known as tamarack, one of the few deciduous conifers. Sorry, never turned it, though there is lots of it growing wild in the mountains around these parts. They turn gold in the fall before dropping their leaves. Very pretty sight.

Dan

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hi Steve :D
Never turned it Steve, it's a nice hard softwood, but with lots of resin in it, hard on sawblades for the buildup of the resin on them, also good for outdoor project as it is quite decay resistant, but too messy for me to turn it with all the nicer turning wood around :)

[George Guadiane]

I turned one small piece, one time. It turns like spruce/pine/etc.
Not sure how big a piece I would try to turn, but any wood is worth a spin (IMO) if it is solid... It's a chance to test your skills and make some shavings.

[Baxter Smith]

Also known as hackmatac.

[Maylon Harvey]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Surprised many have never heard of it. It's quite common here in western NY. Like Leo said it's very rot resistance and thus is used for fence posts. I remember my father showing me some once (fence posts) that he said he put in as a kid on the farm, and he was 66 at the time, and they still looked sturdy.
Gary, thanks for the pic. That grain in that looks just like what I have. Will post a couple of pics.
Leo, thanks for the heads up on what to expect.
I cut a couple of pieces yesterday from a tree that has been dead for a couple of years but still standing. Hopefully it has dried a bit.

[Fred Perreault]

I have friends on the Gaspe coast in eastern Quebec. I brought home some larch/tamarack.hack wood this past August. Had it milled up there from a large tree and sawn into 4" and 5" slabs, 3'-4' long. Also had some birds eye maple, which is quite available in that area. It was stacked in my Acura SUV, and crossing the border was not without issues, even though it was sawn and without bark, qualifying as "craft wood" under customs laws. I finally made it through without tariff or fees. The larch is a harder softwood, and used for flooring and such. I turned a few items from it, and it was stable and with broad grain, but not particularly attractive. I priced the items low as I was not all that pleased with them. They all sold quickly..... go figure. I will turn more of it as winter passes.
The Gaspe peninsula is very RURAL.. look it up in your Funk and Wagnalls
Fred

[jim price]

I've done some spindle work with larch (we call it tamarack) and I love the stuff. If you get a chance to collect some branch wood, give it a try. Beautiful, knotty stuff!