How's willow for turning?

[Lawrence Tarnoff]

My neighbor's huge weeping willow tree came down today and I can have as much of it as I want. I've never worked with willow. How's it for turning?

Larry

[Dennis Ford]

I do not really like turning willow. It is very soft and some-what stringy. Plain, straight grain willow - I pass; if the willow has curly or crotch figure, it can be beautiful and is well worth the trouble.

[Harry Robinette]

I've turned some Willow and Dennis is pretty much right. Higher speeds very sharp tools and small cuts is what I used. But it's still stingy.

[Doug Ladendorf]

I have some willow from a big tree of ours that came down in Sandy. I cut some into large chunks as I would line to make a bowl or something from it but haven't tried yet. It is very soft and I don't have high hopes, but the thing that stood out the most when cutting it up was how stinky it is. Pew!

[Pat Scott]

The wood can be pretty when finished, turning a slight orange color. But it is VERY soft. If you're thinking of making a utility bowl that will be used, it will dent or show marks much easier than a harder wood. If you're making a fruit bowl or something, it should be OK. Cottonwood is generally thought to be a soft wood, but I place Cottonwood farther up the hardness scale than Willow is.

+1 on the sharp tools. It sands quickly and easily because it is so soft.