Bradford Pear; who would have thought?

[Allen Linton]

My Daughter-in-law lost a Bradford Pear to high winds here in utah. A very fast growing--weak tree, they come down often. However as a newbie to turning I take any wood I can get, if for nothing more, just to practice with.

Some obsevations with Bradford Pear (Pyrus Calleryana): 1. Each branch comes with some structural issues, some can be worked around, some worked out and some ruin the piece :mad:. 2. Very pretty wood if you catch the right cut. 3. sapwood is very light.

162223 162224 162225

In any case I wonder if others have experience with this wood and offer these examples for comment.

Allen

[David Christopher]

Allen, those are very nice....your pear looks better than the stuff that I had, mine was very plain

[Steve Schlumpf]

Never turned Pear but it sure looks like it has a lot of potential for hollow forms!

Sure looks like some great wood to work with! Have fun!

[James Roberts]

Allen, while I have no experience turning Bradford Pear I understand that it is great to work with and produces some beautiful grain. I look forward to a time when I get a chance to work with some. Perhaps I could turn some pieces on par with what you have offered up here. Very nice.

[Tom Hamilton]

Allen, thanks for sharing your BP pieces. Bradford is one of my favs because it usually has bugs and disease inside and that creates all kinds of wonderful character.

A little BLO will bring out the honey/butterscotch/caramel color. Grab all you can and enjoy.

Best regards,

Tom
Chapel Hill Turning Studio
Douglasville, GA

[John Keeton]

Allen, those are some nice turnings. I have a little bradford pear, but have yet to turn any.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Allen....very nice. I was gifted with some bradford pear while visiting in Houston a few years ago. It was wonderful to turn. Wished I had more!

[Allen Neighbors]

Nice one, Allen. I have a piece in my refer kiln, that I'm hoping I can get something nice out of. You did well! I like that vase in Pic two the most!! And if I had that little chalice in Pic three, I'd drink out of it! :D

[Mike Cruz]

I have some Bradford Pear. Was wondering what it would look like. Thanks!

BTW, those are beautiful!

[Donny Lawson]

Bradford Pear gets throwed away around here on almost a daily basis. It does turn very well and has some great lines in there. I hate to see it thrown away like that but a man can only bring home so much. My wood pile is growing and growing. I need a shop badly so I can work on this wood problem.
Donny

[David E Keller]

Nicely done. Bradford pear is one of my favorite woods to turn. It's not always as figured as what you've shown, but it's an absolute pleasure to turn.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Haven't turned any Bradford pear but those are some nice turnings.

[Thomas Canfield]

Bradford Pear is one of my favorite woods to turn. Turning green it will really sling water and does have a tendency to crack and check. I have turned some small goblet and vases while green and taken to finish including sanding. Working the thin wood seemed to dry it out from the heat. I was lucky and got a couple of 19" D sections at the base and trunk branch sections and those had interesting grain and ended up with a little bark remaining. I helped cut down a BP just to get the wood and shared most with local club members (I did keep the larger pieces over 9" D) and they were glad to get the wood. Don't pass it up. The wood in the fall or winter before the sap rises worked better for me and could be turned with bark natural edge.

[John Beaver]

The Bradford Pear I have worked with was very easy to turn and had a beautiful color, although quite plain. It warped a lot during drying and one piece did crack. I would recommend rough turning it a little thicker then usual to allow for the movement.

[Philip Duffy]

Yes, the trees blow down here in VA, just like yours. I have 3 logs in my pile right now and have been turning this stock for months. Wonderful wood for turning, even if folks say it is not dramatic. It has lovely color variations and a soft subtle feel when finished to a smooth level. Great wood for many applications, including historic model builders favorite.

[Tim Rinehart]

I have played around with traditional thread chasing using the hand held chasing tools, and finding wood that holds a thread well is elusive. Bradford pear, and I suspect some other fruit tree woods, have a good structure to support threads.
If you have any thoughts on thread chasing by hand, hold onto a couple pieces of this that you can either make a small box from, or just make an 'insert' from the wood to place into another wood for it's threaded area...think donut shaped when done and inserted into another wood.

Aside from that, I also like that the pear takes a sanded finish very nicely, allowing most any finish to look superb on it with minimal coats.

[bob svoboda]

Pretty wood and some nice turnings.

[Bill Buchanan IN]

Pear is one of my favorites . . gorgeous grain and color in my humble opinion. 3 coats Waterlox is my preferred finish for pear. It truly is a joy to turn green.