Catalpa Wood??? What say you???

[joseph j shields]

Anyone every work with catalpa wood???

I was thinking about using for a table top.

Here is what it looks like....

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l161/ejpeek/Crosses/DSC00179.jpg
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=180467282261

[Brian Effinger]

I've turned it, but never used it for flat work. It is a light weight wood, and it dents easily, so a tabletop may not be the best use for it. Of course that is just my opinion.

Brian

[Karl Card]

sure do like the grain in that wood..

[Cody Colston]

I've turned it, too. It cuts like butter when it's green but gets pretty hard when dry. That broad grain pattern is typical and I've even had some with a bit of curl in it.

I think it would make a beautiful table top and would probably hold up okay with a tough polyurethane finish.

[Jim Rimmer]

Beautiful grain, but a table top full of it might make me dizzy.

[Jeff Willard]

Smells funny too.

[Paul Atkins]

I have a bunch from a tree in my yard. Seems pretty stable as it sat in the yard for many years and only had one heartcheck. I was going to use it for drawer sides. Yeah, smells funny.