[OP]
Member
Hey guys I have a chance to get some ailanthus and some dogwood logs. I dont know squat about the ailanthus and dont even know if it would be suitable or not. The logs are about 20-24" in diameter though. The dogwood is smaller of course but again I dont know if thats a decent turning wood or not. Im getting these logs from an arborist I know and the trees are not harvested for lumber but rather had to come down for one reason or another. Anyone use either of these before??
Thanks!
Jim
If at first you don't succeed, look in the trash for the instructions.
Moderator
Jim - a quick search found these:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ight=Ailanthus
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ight=Ailanthus
Steve
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i have never turned ailanthus, but have turned 1 piece of dogwood.
some dogwood have been dying recently from drought, i did a small bowl maybe 3-4" across, very tight grained, sort of pinkish brown, no spalting in the piece i had
i have heard that depending on the soil that dogwood has streaks of color, the piece i turned was uniform in color
piece was done in 06
Last edited by charlie knighton; 12-31-2008 at 4:31 AM.
Member
Jim, If you are anything like me and a lot of others here at SMC, a good deal on wood is hard to pass up! If it is free don't hesitate and take it all!! I have a buddy who owns a tree removal service and I get all the wood that I can handle and then some! I have a 33" at the base and 9' long butternut log waiting for me in my poleshed from him!! I think some big platters are in order for me!!
WOOD IS WOOD AND TURNING WOOD IS WHAT WE DO!!
Have a Happy New Year!!
Jeff
To turn or not to turn that is the question: ........Of course the answer is...........TURN ,TURN,TURN!!!!
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Member
Dogwood is nice to turn. I have a few pieces left from a tree that I harvested that are a very pretty pinkish color. I posted a pic of a chisel handle I turned recently out of dogwood on the neander forum, if you want to see. It is quite hard when it's dry.
Where did I put that tape measure...
Member
If its anything like the dogwood grown in British Columbia its great turning wood. I regret getting rid of my stash when I moved to Australia - didn't want to risk the customs here.
It's all fun and games till someone loses a nut.
[OP]
Member
AH shoot Steve sorry about that but I threw this post up before I even thought of doing a search myself. Right after I posted this I did a search and found Leo's ailanthus bowls. I jumped the gun here sorry!! But thanks for the reply!!Originally Posted by Steve Schlumpf
Jim
If at first you don't succeed, look in the trash for the instructions.
Member
Hi,
Leo turns Ailanthus and I've always marveled at that. Here in the VA mountains, the tree is a pest that defies killing. It smells horribly and if you get it on your hands you regret it so..... Dogwood turns very nicely indeed. Having said what I said about ailanthus , I wouldn't pass it up and would ask Leo how he does it.
Regards
Hilel
No one has the right to demand aid, but everyone has a moral obligation to provide it-William Godwin
Member
i was not familar with ailanthus and it was not listed in my tree book (an instant guide to trees) but searched wikipeidia:
Ailanthus (derived from ailanto, an Ambonese word probably meaning "tree of the gods" or "tree of heaven") is a genus of trees belonging to the family Simaroubaceae, in the order Sapindales (formerly Rutales or Geraniales). The genus is native from east Asia south to northern Australasia.
They are fast-growing deciduous trees growing to 25-45 m tall, with spreading branches and large (40-100 cm) pinnate leaves with 15-41 long pointed leaflets, the terminal leaflet normally present, and the basal pairs of leaflets often lobed at their bases. The small yellow to greenish flowers are borne on branched panicles they turn reddish later in the year and eventually brown they stay on the tree for a long time; the male flowers have a strong odour. The odour tends to resemble the smell of strong cat urine or the spray of a male cat. Also, touching the leaves leaves an unpleasant smell on the hands. The fruit is a samara drawn out into a long wing with the seed in the middle. The wood is fine grained and satiny.
Member
I turned a couple of mallets (one for me, one for my dad) out of dogwood that I rescued from the dead-and-removed tree pile here at the park. I am quite fond of the color and the "substance" of the wood. Heavy but not too heavy.
Contributor
Jim dogwood is excellent to turn and if it is free grab a bunch. The other I have not turned. I had a friend tell me the same thing Hilel said. It smells pretty bad and you don't want it on your hands. Never did ask him why.
Bernie
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Lee Valley sells (or used to sell) dogwood shuttle blanks that they found in a warehouse somewhere. They were originally intended to make shuttles for looms. I have purchased quite a few of the larger size for making tool handles and I really like the wood for that purpose. I have never had any of a dimension suitable for anything but spindles.
A fellow I work with had an ailanthus come down in his back yard last June during a storm. I got a few log sections and roughed out a bunch of bowls and over the last couple of months have finish turned most of them. I can't recall the odor being particularly offensive, but that may just be me.The wood is not all that hard compared to ash, oak, or hard maple but is harder than poplar or soft maple. As with most woods with a bold, open grain tear out can be an issue.
A few samples:
Good Luck!
Bob
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