How is Ponderosa Pine to turn?

[Lisa Gilbert]

I don't even have my lathe yet -- tomorrow, weather permitting! But I still have questions!

Anyway, God has seen fit to supply me with an unlimited amount of Ponderosa pine (we live in a forest, and it's ALL Ponderosa pine). Not only that, but I have 6 cords of dry stock (my husband prefers to call it firewood) stacked outside. But is it any good to turn? There is also a terrible problem with Rocky Mountain Pine Beetle here, but the interesting thing with those particular bugs is they carry a fungus that stains the wood blue in streaks. It seems like that could result in some interesting turnings. You know, take something lousy and turn it into something good.... We've lost plenty of trees to those darn things, so it would be nice if the wood were good to turn -- if not, it still burns fine.

[Richard Madison]

Lisa,
The best wood is free wood, until proven otherwise. Most pine is not considered good "turning wood", but with blue streaks, you may have discovered something special (and marketable). Meanwhile it is good "practice wood". Please show us some of your work when you are ready to do that.

[Gary DeWitt]

Soft wood, so expect the following:
Use only very sharp tools. I mean sharp enough to shave with!
Have patience with extensive sanding, possibly starting with 60 grit.
Turn art, rather than utilitarian objects, since this wood will not be as durable as hardwood.
All that said, some really beautiful stuff has been turned from pine, and it will at least be good prototype wood.

Enjoy your turning. Some of the best pieces posted here were turned from wood that needed epoxy just to hold together long enough to finish and not explode off the lathe!

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Lisa, like oak, there are those who shy away from pine of any kind. I would; however, encourage you to venture into it. I turn Southern Pine here in Texas and there are similar aspects as well as differences. Here is what I would do if I were in your shoes. Try the firewood stuff out just to get a feel for it. Be sure your tools are extra sharp, especially if the wood is old and dry. Pine is easier turned wet but resin can be a mess to deal with. When you are ready to get serious about turning it, for like bowls and larger items, then look for a tree that the Beatles are working on and you can see the sap drained out on the ground. If you cut that tree you will find that the wood is still fairly wet and that the sticky resin will be much less of a problem. Look on the tree for the areas where a branch comes out as you will have some very interesting grain and figure in those areas. Follow the standard process for cutting bowl blanks or other blanks and seal the ends with Anchor Seal. The following thread contains a picture that may give you some idea of how I store my blanks:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=48196
My experience is that latex paint does not work well on pine as an end grain sealer.

Here are a few sites that may be of interest that display Ponderosa Pine turnings and carvings.
http://www.kestrelcreek.com/Critique/Phil_Brennion.htm
http://www.woodturnedart.vcn.com/bowls.html
http://www.delmano.com/exhibitions/2005/mainExhibitions/TurnedWoodampScu/artists/mFrank.htm

[John Hart]

Some of the prettiest stuff I've seen made from Ponderosa, are the thin-turned pieces that are soaked in oil, creating an awesome transluscence. Lamp shades, table lamps, desk lamps. Makes good hats too!

[Mike Ramsey]

Ditto what John said. There are a few turners who turn nothing but
Ponderosa Pine.

[Mark Pruitt]

Lisa,
Not only is it "turnable," there is also nothing like the smell of freshly cut pine! Sure beats the smell of that Oak that Chris Hartley keeps inhaling.:p (I'm one to talk, I've been doing a little Oaking myself! sorry, Chris!):D

[Jim Becker]

Well known artist and past president of the AAW Phil Brennion works a lot in Ponderosa Pine...you can get a lot of the same character as Norfolk Island Pine with oiling with PP, too.

Here's a piece that Phil turned that is in my personal collection--I bought it during the charity auction at the AAW Symposium in Orlando a few years ago.

54094

[Dan Gill]

I remember an issue of Wood magazine a couple of years ago in which William Macy (the actor) turned a nice bowl out of Ponderosa Pine infected with the beetles. It turned out quite beautiful.

[Bill Boehme]

Lisa,

Ponderosa pine, like most wood, turns better when it is green, especially if it is heartwood. Since you are familiar with it, I don't need to tell you how hard the heartwood is on thoroughly dry ponderosa. Pine has plenty of resin in the wood which will gum up the cutting tip on your tools, so you will need to stop frequently and clean it with a rag dipped in mineral spirits or turpentine. It is a beautiful wood that is definitely worth turning, but may be a bit of a challenge to a beginner.

And, don't forget, it can always be turning wood first and then firewood again.

Bill

[Steve Schlumpf]

Lisa - with 6 cords of dry stock I figure in about a month you will be the resident expert on Ponderosa Pine! Have fun and remember that it is only wood and there is more where that came from!

[Jim Becker]

I remember an issue of Wood magazine a couple of years ago in which William Macy (the actor) turned a nice bowl out of Ponderosa Pine infected with the beetles. It turned out quite beautiful.

I vaguely remember the piece, and it may be likely that Phil Brennion provided the wood as he did an interview with Bill for WOOD Magazine about in that time frame.

[John Rene Lastre]

I remember an issue of Wood magazine a couple of years ago in which William Macy (the actor) turned a nice bowl out of Ponderosa Pine infected with the beetles. It turned out quite beautiful.
I am not sure how useful this is for my first post but the article (in pdf form) can be found with a simple Google search at http://www.meredith.com/2004CreativeExcellence/hollywoodspin.pdf

[Jim Becker]

John, thanks...that's the article I was referring to. Phil, that I mentioned before, is the one working with Bill in the article.

[Lisa Gilbert]

You guys have been a ton of help! Chris, thank you for going into detail about how to deal with obtaining good blanks. I was just looking at my woodpile(s), and right near the bottom of one are at least a dozen 8" or so logs with lots of streaks all the way through them. They look promising to me. Don't know if they'd be too dry or not. We cut them the summer before last, so they're dry enough to burn, but probably not rock hard yet. After I saw that beautiful bowl made out of beetle wood, I told my boys next time they tell me we have another beetle tree, I'll say, "Woo hoo! Hope it's a big one!" My husband is at Woodcraft as I type, picking up the lathe. We're going to get son #1 mandrels, pen kits and blanks for his 14th birthday (Sunday). I know, it's a self-serving gift, but he won't mind.

[Lisa Gilbert]

Use only very sharp tools. I mean sharp enough to shave with!

'Fraid this one is kind of lost on me -- maybe I'll ask my husband if he'd shave with them! :p

All kidding aside, I appreciate the advice.

[John Shuk]

My buddy took ellsworth's master class this past summer and came back in love with Poderosa Pine. He called it his new favorite wood. I saw the work he produced and it is very nice. Not much sap which seems to be the biggest drawback of most pine.