How is Pecan for turning?

[Richard Madden]

I was offered some large Pecan logs today, and I've never turned any. How is it? Pretty sure free wood is good wood, just curious to hear from those who have experience turning it.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Pecan turns well. I just rough turned some 8 X 8 pieces for canisters. Really turned nicely. I would take all you can get.

[Nathan Hawkes]

It turns well; just know that it IS a hickory species; its hard. Keep it sealed until you're ready to use it, and turn it thin or it'll crack.

[Sean Hughto]

As Nathan says, it's hard. Be ready to take smaller bites and sharpen more often, but the results are very good. You can go thin and still have a very strong bowl.

[Dale Winburn]

I love turning pecan, and as others have indicated, it is very hard. When sold as lumber, it is mixed with hickory.

Last year I got a large (100 +/- year old) pecan tree that had been blowned down by a wind storm and have many rough turned bowls dry and ready to finish, and have already finished several bowls of different sizes, below is a sample.

Happy turning,
Dale Winburn

[Allen Neighbors]

Wet pecan, turned thin, and allowed to warp, is the way I like it.
I'm to the point that I won't turn a piece of dry pecan anymore. There's just too much other good wood to turn, in my books. I've heard it referred to as "pecancrete", and I know why.
But, if you like it, it's Great!!

[Steve Vaughan]

Pecan is great to turn, and is a beautiful wood, especially with the wormholes! I just posted a bowl on here somewhere the other day of a pecan bowl I turned. I roughed a bunch, that was easy turning. But once dry, they've been pretty to turn as well. End grain is killer to deal with dry, green, it's still a chore, but worth it all in my opinion. I just recently also finished turned a vase about 8" tall with about 1/8" walls. I can tell you this, it was a good thing I rough turned it to depth, because dry, it wasn't gonna go any deeper!