Tree Limbs for Woodturning?

[Lyndal Fisher]

Can I use a hardwood tree limb, properly dried and trimmed, for small turning projects? I was wondering about the concentration of growth rings at the center either being a weak spot or just plain undesirable. I want to use mesquite, which is quite available in West Texas as a tree, but pricey as lumber ($8/bf).

[Jerry Marcantel]

Why not? It's wood, isn't it????? I've made salt and pepper mills, salt and pepper shakers, lidded boxes, flintknapping tool handles and numerous other projects with limbs and branches.... Jerry (in Tucson)

[Deane Allinson]

Use it green or dry it yourself. Once you turn a limb you will be on the lookout for trunk sections from then on! It turns like a dream green or dry, and very stable and minimal warping or cracking except for around the center of the limb or log.
Deane

[Jon Shank]

Yep, And it's fun! I'm pretty new to the turning thing, but the first thing I did was go grab a limb from a tree we're cutting down in the front yard (Bradford Pear). Startled the heck out of me when the non-round started whacking against the tool, but once I got used to it and adjusted my technique appropriatly it's easy and fun. Just turning down to round is a nice heavy handed cathartic good time (appropriately careful and all that of course). Makes for a great ,short time in the shop, turning fix and then I just leave whatever it is in the lathe to play with next time I'm out there (play is still the best word for it, work, productive, create aren't all that accurate as yet) Green cuts easier, really green will spray you with some water at higher speeds, dry is just a little harder but all good. Make sure you turn the piece by hand after mounting it up to check clearance on the tool rest etc before you start the lathe spinning and advance your tools cautiously. The first time you get a catch on a good knot it will certainly remind you of the beginners rule of laying the tool on top of the work and carefully sliding back and down to catch the bevel.
http://www.curtumevexas.com/images/Synghyn/Turning/Roughing.jpg

And Deane is right, you start to notice every tree that gets cut down in your neighborhood, my wife's already sick of stopping to grab something. On the up side we've gotten to know some of our neighbors better.

Happy turning
Jon

[Dennis Ford]

Limbs work fine for turning. Mesquite is stable enough to use the whole limb and sometimes not have it crack. Most woods will need to have the pith removed. Due to reaction wood, it makes a difference how you cut. See attached sketch, cutting along the green line will give better results than cutting along the red line.

[Lyndal Fisher]

Thanks, guys. Looks like just go for it! Which is a basic of woodworking anyhow.

Lyndal

[Thomas Canfield]

My neighbor took down the majority of an Ornamental Pear on Monday leaving about 8' of trunk to help remove the roots, but he has promised me the trunk and root ball. I got some of the larger wood which was only about 6" diameter which I cut and sealed for bowl blanks, but the wood looks very much like Bradford Pear and so far has not checked like Bradford Pear. I cut and sealed the wood Tuesday and turned 2 bowls thick to 10% D thickness to dry, and one natural edge down to about 3/16" thicness. Today, I went back and got some of the other wood down to about 3" D and cut it for end grain work, turning to peel the bark, and sealing the ends on about 25 pieces 3 to 6" D and about 8" or so lenght. Should be some good end grain material starting in fall with smaller diameter, unless I give it away to other club members.

All I can say is don't get too picky with free wood, but you don't have to turn all you find. I actually walked past some Hackberry yesterday, and saw it again tonight.

[Kelvin Burton]

Tom,
I can't believe you passed up some free wood! :D Sounds like you are pretty much back to your old habits though!