Bradford Pear

[Gary Whitt]

Anyone ever worked with it?

A neighbor of my parent's cut one down (24").
I had them save the first 12 feet from the trunk.
That is the biggest bradford pear tree I've ever seen!

[Jim Becker]

I've turned it and it works nicely. Like any fruitwood, drying it "flat" can be challenging, but it should work very nicely for furniture, too, once dry and milled. That is a big one...should be wonderful, even for natural edge furniture a la Nakashima!

[Bob Hovde]

[QUOTE=Gary Whitt]Anyone ever worked with it?

Bradford Pear is wonderful for turning bowls. It cuts like butter when green and polishes up to show wonderful grain. If you leave inclusions, they dry differently and make a very interesting contrast.

Bob

[Tom LaRussa]

Anyone ever worked with it?

A neighbor of my parent's cut one down (24").
I had them save the first 12 feet from the trunk.
That is the biggest bradford pear tree I've ever seen!
I don't know about the Bradford variety, but James Krenov likes pearwood a lot. http://www.crfinefurniture.com/1pages/grads/jk/jkwelcome.html

Please air dry it, as cooking it will ruin the subtle colors of the wood.

[Ted Calver]

Gary,
I've turned a lot of it and it's one of my favorites. I spent the better part of yesterday making bowl blanks from some large Bradford Pear that came down in a storm 2 years ago. The logs have been anchorsealed and stored outside under cover but I still was amazed at how little end checking had occured and at the lack of insect damage. Good stuff!! Hope you enjoy working with it.
Ted

[Keith Christopher]

[QUOTE=Gary Whitt]Anyone ever worked with it?

Bradford Pear is wonderful for turning bowls. It cuts like butter when green and polishes up to show wonderful grain. If you leave inclusions, they dry differently and make a very interesting contrast.

Bob
I readan article about someone who turned green fruit trees and them put them in the microwave (sure hoped he scanned them for metal before and after turning) to heat them a little where he could shape the wood, and once it cooled it would be in some amazing shapes.


Keith

[Todd Burch]

Pear costs about $17/bf around here if I remember correctly. I got a 15" tree trunk several years ago that I sawed into boards. It's ready to use now!! I have about 28/bf.

The aged patina on just the bare wood is awesome. Great snag!!!

Todd

[Gary Max]

I guess I am not getting something---we got two Bradford Pear trees in the front yard--I aint ever seem any fruit on them. So is it a fruitwood tree or is it a false-pear tree???

[Todd Burch]

My understanding is that Bradford pear is a pear-less pear tree. An internet search would probably yield you more information than you could absorb.

[Gary Max]

That what I thought---it is a ornamental not fruit---thanks Todd

[brent lenthall]

Tons of Bradford Pears in TN. As a landscape treee they grow very fast, are symetrical and have nice white flowers. The downside is that they branch out very low and split with most strong storms. I have three in my yard.

[Gary Whitt]

Thanks for the input.
I'll cut some up and dry it.
I'll give away some to some turners in the area.

[Tom LaRussa]

That what I thought---it is a ornamental not fruit---thanks Todd
Gary, Gary, Gary!

You simply MUST get with the PC program!

It's not an ornamental tree at all.

It's a "reproductively challenged" fruit tree. ;) :p