Catalpa question

[Charles Hans]

Has anyone turned Catalpa wood and how does it work up on the lathe?
A friend had a tree cut and gave me a chunk to try and after cutting a couple of blanks it looks like it has an interesting grain pattern in there.
Chuck

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I have never heard of it. I would love to see pics of your finished product though!

[Jim Becker]

Catalpa is popular for turning around here, although I haven't worked it myself.

[John Shuk]

I haven't personally turned it. I have seen many bowls made of it and they are nice. It is popular with woodcarvers. I think that you can get a crisp edge. That being the case I would think that it would be a pleasure to turn as well.

[Doug Shepard]

I have never heard of it. I would love to see pics of your finished product though!

Jeff, they're not real common around here either, but if we have them in MI, I'm guessing WI has them too. The tree's are those ones that drop what looks like a brownish-red dried out pea pod (about 12" long and 1" wide) in the fall. Don't know if that helps.

[Jim Becker]

Another distinguising feature of Catalpa are the REALLY HUGE leaves. Those, combined with the bean-like sead pods are a good indication that you have this wood. It's rather open grained wood, too. It's unusual to find way up north Range is to Indiana, according to my Audubon guide. Oh, interestingly enough, it's a member of the Begoinia family!

[Charles Hans]

Thanks for the information everyone.They grow quite large here in Ky, I have seen some three feet in diameter. I'm going to give it a whirl and see what comes out. I'll post a pic if it's presentable. Also, in the summer they have Catalpa worms that get on the leaves and fishermen use them for bait. sort of like a tobacco worm. ;) .
Chuck

[Aaron Kline]

Catalpa is a beautiful wood and it works wonderful with hand tools. The sawyer I go to says it is a good substitute for chestnut, but I don't know, I've never seen chestnut wood. It is beautiful and finishes great, too.

[Gary Max]

I would think that it is way to light to compare to chestnut-- maybe just the color of the grain.
I agree about making bait---my uncle even bags the worms up and stores them in the deep freeze. Makes a good catfish bait.

[John Shuk]

I did somme work on a raod called Catalpa Street once. I hit it at just the right time. The trees were all flowering. They have the most beautiful white flowers. They are a common landscape tree becasue they grow quickly in full sun providing lots of shade. I have a couple on the lower part of my property but the are kind of choked by vines. I'm working on getting them healthy though.

[Jim Becker]

John, those flowers are supposed to be very nice...white with orange streaks and purple dots or something like that!

[David Fried]

They grow in Connecticut. One in my front yard and two more down the block. Those giant bean-like seed pods make quite a mess. The flowers are pretty.

[Ernie Nyvall]

There are a few that grow in northeast Texas, but we never thought about cutting one down. The big leaves fed huge green caterpillars that we used for fishing. We called them catalpa worms. Back in the woods though, our pronunciation was cataba worm.

Ernie

[Bart Leetch]

I wonder if it would be possible to get some of the seed pods. We have fairly moderate weather here on the island maybe I could grow some here.

[Dave Smith]

Hi Bart,

I have seen a lot of catalpa trees here in Longview, WA. I assume you could get them from a nursery since I have seen so many growing in yards. When I lived in Northern Indiana we used to collect the catapillers that feed on the leaves for fish bate. I know they grow in Southwest Michigan so you would not have to worry about it being too clod where you live. Let's just say that the winters in Michigan can do sever harm to a brass monkey.

Dave Smith

Full of useless information in Longview, WA.

[Blake McCully]

Charles,
I've turned catalpa. It turns real well. I've only turned dry blanks no wet or green ones. One note, the odor when you turn is very, shall we say, distinctive. To me it kinda smells like old coffee grounds mixed with wet cigarette ashes. I personally, as well as LOML, don't find it very pleasant at all.

Aside from that, I like it and as I said above, it turns well.

[Sparky Paessler]

Charles

I haven't turned Catalpa but have done some flat work with it. I made a box to store my dovetail jig in. You can see it here dovetail box (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=4993)

[Steve Stube]

I remember seeing the older fellows near the nursing home sitting in lawn chairs around the Catalpa trees, I thought they were sporting canes but perhaps they were fishing poles:-)

The flower is very nice but the trees are pretty messy. I think they may be sexed but I wouldn't know which a guy would want, male or female. If you can have the flower without all the seed pods would, in my opinion, be the best deal. They are fairly common around here but not in my yard, thank you.

[Jim Dannels]

Catalpa wood is pretty light in weight, if that is a concern in a project.

[Bill Turpin]

I will have some catalpa bowl blanks for trade at the Swap Meet.

Bill in WNC mountains

[Blake McCully]

Bill,
May I assume by your location, WNC Mountains, that you are in western North Carolina? If so, where are you located? Our youngest son and his family live in Winston-Salem. Are you any where near there?

What swap meet? Did I miss something, or fall asleep at the wheel :confused: