Ever worked with Arbutus?

[Rob Littleton]

I get this length of Arbutus from my mother in laws yard in California. Really neat wood.

It was about 34 inches long and dead straight. It grows straight and has a purple tinge to the bark. I have never worked with it but someone asked me to turn them a handle for his kegerator (beer fridge thingy that holds a keg. Has a tap on it). I sure am glad I used this wood. It is awesome. Not only does the bark have a purple tinge but so does the wood. A nice hard wood too. Not sure if the pics show it real good. I drilled out the bottom and epoxied a bolt in it after I ground the corners off the bolts to make it round. Man, there aint much I can say I do that I can look at and think it's awesome, but this piece I sure can.

Thanks for looking.

[Jim Becker]

That really turned (!) out great, Rob! I was intrigued when you asked about this wood via IM last night...now I know what it really looks like! Thanks for posting.

[Joe Blankshain]

Looks Great Rob! Like your stamp(?) for id as well. Hope to see you at the WW show in Nov.

[Mark Singer]

Arbutus is the stawberry tree....a beauty! I don't know much about the wood

[Rob Littleton]

Arbutus is the stawberry tree....a beauty! I don't know much about the wood

This is true......

a couple of facts about the tree

Arbutus unedo - Strawberry tree, Irish Caithne or Suglair
Family - Ericaceae
Description - Shrubby tree with laurel like evergreen leaves and warty red berry that looks like a strawberry.
Height: 12m. Max age: not known.
Habitat - In immature oak woods and developing woodland, rocky place.
Natural Distribution
Native to South West Ireland especially near Killarney and in Mediterranean, believed to be relic from before last ice age.
Timber - Pink fine grained and very hard..
Food and Drink - The strawberry like berries are edible but with unpleasant flavour although birds like them and spread the seeds.
Related Species
Arbutus andrachne (Cyprus Strawberry Tree) and Arbutus menziescii (Pacific Madrone) have a similar appearance and fruit and have been planted as park trees and shrubs.

[Corey Hallagan]

Very cool project and even cooler piece of wood. Thanks for the info on it. Never heard of it before. Great job on the tapper handle.

Corey

[jerry cousins]

we have lots of this around here - far northern ca - and over the years i have milled a bunch. it's a very unstable wood - no real grain pattern - which is why you can take a huge round and shatter it with a maul - while making great fire wood.
it really is pretty when you open it up - a watermelon red. we cut some into 1x4 - stickered - sealed the ends - but them in a cool shady place - 1year later it was a mass of twisted boards. xpect to lose 60-70 % if you do it yourself. but i have seen some manufactured madrone flooring which is quite beautiful.

jerry