Lots of Catalpa

I had to take down a Catalpa in North Denver yesterday. This was a big tree when I bought the property in 1984, but it has not flourished and just this week we noticed it leaning precipitously toward the street. The big log is 11" x 12" on the small end and about 8-1/2 feet long. A neighbor has a bandsaw mill and I'm thinking about asking him to slice it up for me for flatwork. The first section of trunk over the rotten part is about 15 x 24 on the small end and over 24" long, so I'm thinking big bowl or coring for it. I've turned Catalpa before. It finishes nicely, but is a rather boring wood. I have a few crotches, but don't expect much from even them. Has anyone had a good experience with this wood?

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Doug, catalpa has prominent grain in it much like ash, but the color is darker than ash......almost mid way between brown and cream color. It is lightweight and very stable for turning.....shrinkage is minimal as well as cracking. The booger with catalpa is sanding........it can be a bear, but if you get it done right, you can have very nice turnings from it.

Here is the 4th hollow form I ever turned, back a few years ago, and it is from catalpa.......the pic has been brightened a little to highlight the grain in it, as the original was under exposed.

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That prominent grain could look nice on certain types of flatwork, so good luck with it!

There was a Connecticut turner in the early 90's by the name of Joe Ferola that did a series of natural edge bowls using northern Catalpa.I saw some of his work at a meeting of the International Wood Collectors Society and it was outstanding

The smell just about drove me crazy. It was almost like some thing sweet was starting to go sour in it. It did have a bee hive in it when they took it down. The bowls were very light weight and didn't 'feel' right, and mine was more brown/tan in color. Haven't bothered with it since.

robo hippy

I've turned several pieces. Nice grain, but soft and very light. I turned bowls/platters, but doubt I would use them for anything but display.

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Originally Posted by Reed Gray

The smell just about drove me crazy. It was almost like some thing sweet was starting to go sour in it. It did have a bee hive in it when they took it down. The bowls were very light weight and didn't 'feel' right, and mine was more brown/tan in color. Haven't bothered with it since.

robo hippy

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I noticed the sweet smell, Reed, while I was cutting. Thanks for the warning about the sour.

That's a nice piece, Roger. I don't remember seeing it before. I think mine is more brown, but it may be because you changed the image. I don't remember a lot of sanding, but maybe that's because I have so much cottonwood and pine.

A couple catalpa plates, both roughly 14" diameter. The size and relatively low number of rings show how fast-growing the tree is. Lightweight and soft -- easily sanded. Quite porous as well.
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Catalpa is a good example of a "lost tropical"--evolved in the tropics with all it's characteristics but learned how to thrive in the temperate zone. Mullberry and Osage are other that come to mind. It is even durable wood as are the others.

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Originally Posted by Robert Henrickson

A couple catalpa plates, both roughly 14" diameter. The size and relatively low number of rings show how fast-growing the tree is. Lightweight and soft -- easily sanded. Quite porous as well.
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Those are nice, Robert. Very encouraging.

I have turned a few Catalpa pieces, I like the looks of the wood, it has a peculiar smell, to me it smells something like shoe polish, anyway that disappears when dry, turns just fine even though it is quite soft wood, oil will make it dark.

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Originally Posted by Leo Van Der Loo

I have turned a few Catalpa pieces, I like the looks of the wood, it has a peculiar smell, to me it smells something like shoe polish, anyway that disappears when dry, turns just fine even though it is quite soft wood, oil will make it dark.

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Thanks, Leo. That's a nice bowl and a very interesting grain pattern.