Hemlock for bowls?

[Stefan Antwarg]

I have a friend who has a hemlock tree that just fell. He offered some to me, but the only use I would have for it would be bowls or firewood. Will this work well for bowls?

Stefan

[Bill Grumbine]

Hi Stefan

I wouldn't use it for bowls OR firewood. Well, I would use it for firewood as kindling only or if I had a bonfire outside. It is soft, it is sappy, and there is so much in the way of hardwoods just lying around almost anywhere we look here in PA that to go with something like hemlock is going to be frustrating and messy.

Remeber the water spraying off the lathe? Think sap.

Bill

[Kurt Aebi]

Stefan,

Up here in New England, we mainly use Hemlock for rough-cut privacy fencing. Cheap, easily obtained. lasts pretty long and has that "Rustic" look people like. I am definitely with Bill - Way Too Sappy to turn - good outdoor fencing and barn sheating and that's about all.

[Maurice Ungaro]

I have a friend who has a hemlock tree that just fell. He offered some to me, but the only use I would have for it would be bowls or firewood. Will this work well for bowls?

Stefan

Umm...let's see....hmm...hemlock for bowls? Sappy? Juice flying off of the lathe? Look to ancient Greece for the appropriate application of hemlock as a foodstuff, or vessel.

In other words....no thanks!

Maurice Ungaro
Stay away from the Oleander leaves too.

[Paul Downes]

Hey, there are a lot of barns in the yooper land built 100 years ago from hemlock and they still look good today. I happen to have a 1000 bf of 1" random width that will some day be a privacy/jail for the little kids fence. There is a usual problem with some of it having wind shake, but those cast off pieces make good kindling.

[John Shuk]

I have some Hemlock I plan on turning a lamp out of for a friend. I may be off base but I've been told that the soft woods are ok for between centers type stuff but the wide grain doesn't do well for bowls. The stuff I have isn't dripping sap the trees were pretty well dying when they came down so they weren't all loaded up with the stuff.

[Dale Thompson]

Hey, there are a lot of barns in the yooper land built 100 years ago from hemlock and they still look good today. I happen to have a 1000 bf of 1" random width that will some day be a privacy/jail for the little kids fence. There is a usual problem with some of it having wind shake, but those cast off pieces make good kindling.


Paul,
The term "Yooper" is familiar. The metropolis of Pewamo is not. Where are you located in "Yooper Land"? :confused:

Dale T.

[Paul Downes]

Paul,
The term "Yooper" is familiar. The metropolis of Pewamo is not. Where are you located in "Yooper Land"? :confused:

Dale T.
Alas, Dale, I currently reside whit da udder trolls beneet da bridge. Pewamo is a bump in the road between Grand Rapids and Lansing. I married into the U.P. and perhaps, by the grace of God, might retire there. 'There' is near Houghton, out toward the end of the earth, toward Freada. We jokingly call Pewamo a 'megatropolis' cause we had a mall. (They sold the pole barn 'mall' last year) :mad: , :D :D :D