Turning Magnoila?

[Greg Coleman]

The church I attended as a youngster had a HUGE magnolia in the cemetery. I remember it well as the shade was wonderful during hot summer revivals. Some time during my adventures in the U.S. Navy it became unstable and had to be taken down. The church community really misses that tree.

A couple weeks ago I was gifting some wood to a young cousin. He turns game calls and has become quite good at it. As I talked to his father I mentioned that I had made pens for another church staff from a walnut tree that had to be removed. He asked if I would turn some items from the old magnolia that used to be in the cemetery. I told him I would be honored to do it if I only had some. His eyes lit up and proceeded to pull a chunk of the trunk from his garage. It is 14" round and 18" or so long. It was even coated with Anchorseal. He even gave me the rest of a 5 gal bucket of the Anchorseal.

I slabbed off a chunk yesterday. 3-1/2 x 3-1/2. My plan is to turn a pair of candle sticks. The wood inside is a light cream color with hundreds of worm/bug holes. Prolly what killed it. I don't see any active ones, but plan to have my buddy in the pest control business place it in the next house he tents.

My question is what are the turning characteristics of magnolia? Any thing to watch for? Any ideas for items besides candlesticks? Are there any woods of similar characteristics that I can practice on? Any help is much appreciated.
Greg Coleman

[Bill Bulloch]

I turn a lot of Magnolia and don't know of any "special" characteristics you need to watch for when turning. In some of the wood you may find gray streaks, which I think are ugly and distract from the piece. I try to cut around them when possible.

You can turn any peice you like out of it. Just turn the candlesticks and see what the finished product looks like and then let your imagination soar. I am currently turning a segmented bowl out of Magnolia and Bradford Pear. I am hoping that the creamy color of the Magnolia and the pastel orange of the Pear will give a light calming look.

If you are ever down here in Central Georgia, stop by and I'll give you some logs with very little gray in them.

Have fun.

[Dennis Ford]

The magnolia that I have turned was easy to cut, attractive and did not crack. The sap wood can be bland but with spalting, worm holes or heartwood it is dramatic wood.

[Donny Lawson]

I've got some bowl blanks cut and ready to turn but just haven't had time lately to work with some of it.I walk by it every time I'm in the shop.Hopefully I will get to it soon.It looks like it will turn easily.
Donny

[Greg Coleman]

Thanks guys for the advice. I printed some drawings from another thread for some candle sticks. I'll post my results.

[GLENN THOMAS]

Greg,

I'm just now getting a chance to respond the the reply you left in my post. The two pieces I showed in my post are the only two pieces I've made from magnolia so far so I don't have as much experience with it as some of the other guys. I plan to try a lot more with it as it was really easy to work with and it seems like it may be more stable than other woods as far as cracking. I tried to ebonize the vase with vinegar and steel wool before using the ink and instead of turning black it turned a chocolate sort of brown. Of all the woods I've turned I would say it was most like working with cherry.

GT