Bradford pear wood

[john davey]

Is this a good wood to turn. Just saw a facebook post from a friend who lost theirs already in this damn storm (hurricane Sandy). Looks like there is about 4 feet still standing in the ground to the first branch about 7 inches wide. Not a huge amount of wood but I figured I could make their kids something from it since they are going to miss the tree. I hear these trees fall early and split so I was wondering if is was a very stringy wood not good to turn??? Sadly I believe this storm is going to claim allot of trees that are not ready to be turned yet :(...Thanks, John

[Richard Jones]

John,

One of my favorite woods to turn. Not stringy at all. Cuts like butter...........

[Scott Lux]

Great to turn, finishes nicely, takes detail really well. Trivia: Much of MC Escher's work was prints from blocks carved in face-grain pear. He preferred face grain because it was available in larger pieces (and more affordable) than end-grain, which was the preferred orientation for detail carving.

[Jim Burr]

Never seen anything bad come out of BP...great wood!

[Mel Fulks]

I know it was popular in the 18 th century and some times ebonised and used for picture frames. Anyone know if it was also used natural color? I looked for info before and have not found much.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Just be sure to remove the pith in your work, because it checks like crazy when wet.

[Thomas Canfield]

Bradford Pear is one of my favorites and I'll help cut down a tree for the wood. I did find some large trunks a couple of years ago and turned several large bowls. I have done some salad bowls recently that were sanded to 400 and then flooded with Grapeseed Oil or Walnut Oil a couple of times. This past weekend we had a family reunion and a 16.5"D x 7" H bowl was used for the salad. I had lots of compliments and requests after some kin saw the bowl. Just wish I could find more of the large diameter.

BP is also good for end grain boxes if you let the wood dry before turning. The shrink during drying makes turning boxes green almost out of the question. I have also seen limb wood used for stem goblets where the pith is off center and out of the stem.

Last work of caution - watch out for the sap slinging out of wet wood. It does not seem to rust everything like oak and other woods, but does have a little red to the stain.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great wood to turn. Make sure the pith is out as was said.

[john davey]

Thanks to all. The tree is at my Godsons house and I need to get up to see him for his birthday. I will help his dad cut it away and grab the trunk. Like I said it is not a big tree and it snapped off at about 4 foot off the ground. That 4 foot section is around 7 inches so I have some small bowl blanks and other small stuff. The rest is just 2 inch and smaller branches. Small tree that Sandy took to soon :(...

[Dan Hintz]

No real damage up this way, as far as I can tell. Guess I won't be restocking my supply any time soon :-/

[Donny Lawson]

Bradford pear is a great wood to turn. It turns easily and looks good.