Crabapple wood

[Jim Heikes]

I'm putting the chainsaw to a 45 year old crabapple tree on my property (assuming it ever stops snowing here in New Jersey-looks like 10 more inches tonight...arghhhhhh). But I digress.........any experience out there turning crabapplenwood???:confused:

[Steve Vaughan]

Only experience I can offer is to get that tree cut now! And quick! It does not turn good at all while it's standing! Cut it now and then ya got something to do while it's snowing.

[Jim Heikes]

I love this forum.............experienced wood turners and top-notch comedians at the same time.............I sure am glad I subscribed!!!

[Cecil Walborn]

I have turning crabapple and turn very nice and beautiful wood color and patterns. You will have to get cut and sealed cause it will crack. Mine was not seal when i got it and it was crack bad. I turn some of it and filled the cracks with expox. and blue metal flake.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Jim, I'll 2nd Cecil's comment that like many fruitwoods it is more prone to cracking. Cut, slab and seal ASAP. Then Rough out very soon also.

Cut some spindle stocks as well as bowl/platter blanks. Crab apple is good hard wood for box making.

Frank

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have turned quite a bit of crabapple. Like the others have said cut it, seal it and turn it as soon as possible. It can be worse than apple with cracking but is some really nice stuff when turned.

[Jim Heikes]

Thanks to all for the replies.......sounds like I have a plan..................now if only the weather would cooperate.......and a last question.........preferred method for sealing properly??? It's tough being a rookie but I'm meeting a lot of great folks!!!!

[Matt Newton]

Anchorseal and lots of it. Cut the pith out of the log and then anchorseal all cut surfaces. Some say just seal the endgrain, but I would err on the side of caution.

[Tim Rinehart]

My $0.02...
I would say be sure you cut away a good amount (1" or so to be safe) on each side of the pith to get rid of tihat instability. Then, seal with anchorseal on the end grain and even on side grain sections. I would then put away in a shaded area to slowly dry out a bit while you play with some of greener stuff. Rough out some pieces leaving a good 10% of diameter in thickness, throw in a bag of chips...or try DNA bath for a couple days. Search forum on DNA...you'll get lots of info.
Other options include taking some pieces and cutting down to blanks with bark removed. I've had some stable woods crack out drying from the untreated sapwood areas under the bark, and wish I had just removed bark and sapwood on pieces I wasn't going to get to soon.
If this is a REALLY large tree...I suppose you could consider keeping some trunk sections intact...but you'll end up losing some otherwise good wood from the ends due to checking around the pith when you get to it.
I've had good luck with cherry and even dogwood by being patient and letting it dry slowly. Good luck...I've not turned crabapple...sounds fun.

[Jim Heikes]

Thanks again to everyone. I have done quite a bit of reading about DNA treatment.....sounds like the way to go.......by the way how is the weather in NC.........I've tried to contact Packard Woodworking for 2 days with no luck........

[Bill Hensley]

The weather is some snow with sleet and ice on top, just enough to make the roads crappy. Packard is over towards the mountains so they probably stayed home. Tomorrow should clear up some.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I've turned quite a bit of Apple and Crab Apple wood, never found any difference between the two, turn it while still fresh and green and without any splits in the wood.
If you turn the pieces in one go and brown bag them RIGHT AWAY, and place in a draft-free cool spot you should have no splitting, or at least very few.
Color tend to be a little on the red side compared to regular apple wood, but will be hard to tell apart after a year or two.
Here are a few pictures of Crab Apple wood turnings, (the wood turns like a dream)
177592 177590 177589 177591 177593

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ji - looking forward to seeing your Crab Apple gloat!

[Jim Heikes]

Thanks Leo

Those pictures are really nice. I can only hope my "creations" will look that crisp and clean!!!