Kentucky Coffee wood from Nebraska

[Frank Mussenden]

Hello,
This is my first post.
My question is in regards to turning Kentucky Coffee wood. Is it a quality wood for turning? I, cut one tree down over a year ago. A 16”dia by 16’ long clear log and crotch.
I, just slabed a piece a couple of days ago. It seems to be a very dense, hard and heavy wood. Any experiences with this wood would be helpful. Please post some pics or links to pics. I will be turning this wood after the 1st of the year on my Christmas present a
PM 3520B.
Thank you.

[Tom Steyer]

Frank,

Frank,

First, congratulations on the lathe - a great machine. I have not turned KCB but I have worked it for other purposes. I think your evaluation of this wood is correct, and suspect that it might not be a great turning wood, especially when dry. although it would probably yield a good looking project.

Are you new to turning? If so, I think something like maple or cherry or walnut might be better choices to start with. Are you aware that there is a turning club right in Lincoln that meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 7pm? Members range from newbies to very experienced, and you can get a lot of mentoring if you are interested. Email me at info@JTTurningTools.com if you want more club information.

[charlie knighton]

hope to see ya post in future, Tom suggestion is a good one

[David E Keller]

Welcome, Frank. I've not turned Kentucky coffee, but it reminds me a bit of oak which I don't really enjoy turning(unless it's burl). If you have access to a local club, I'd highly recommend it. The lathe is a good one... I love turning on mine.

[Rex Guinn]

Frank;
We turned some pieces of KY Coffey Wood last year for a BAW (Blue Grass Area Woodturners) project. It is not a great wood to turn. Lots of checking and cracking. I would suggest that you rought turn it. Then dry it for a few months before finishing. Or you may want to try a microwave to dry it. about 1 min. only then let cool for at least 30 min. Will take at least 10 cycles.

[Steve Mawson]

Frank,
First of all a big welcome. I have seen some posts of coffee wood here on the creek before. You might do a search to see what you could come up with. I want to second Tom's invite to the Great Plains Woodturners. We have a web site and the meetings are the third Tuesday of the month. You are certainly welcome to come join us. I will try to get the website updated soon. We have a few pieces of American Chestnut left that you might want to make something out of. Nice machine that you have to turn on. We like pictures of whatever you might make.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Frank welcome to SMC. I have turned some coffee wood and it is not bad to turn if you have sharp tools. It does have a tendency to be a little cracky. I would also rough turn it and leave it depending on size at least 1" thick for anything under 10" anything above that leave at least 10% of the diameter in thickness. I then coat the whole bowl with anchorseal and put it away to dry for a few months. It has worked well for me.

[John Keeton]

Frank, good to have posting - notice you have been lurking for awhile!! Congrats on the lathe, and I second all the comments on KY Coffee tree - not the best. Prone to wind shake, and cracking.

[brian watts]

i like turning KY.coffee wood i guess iam different.

[Frank Mussenden]

Hello guys and gals,
I didn’t expect such a fast response to my Coffee post, especially on Christmas day. But I love surprises, Thank you all. I went out to the shop last night and turned a small box for my wife from a small piece of coffee. The size about 1.625”w x 3.25”h, and it wasn’t bad to turn. At this time I only have full size Sorby tools. I used a 1/2” skew and a 3/8” gouge. The coffee has a beautiful grain pattern. When I got to the buffing wheel it shined right up but it slipped from my grip and the finial got caught it the wheel and got rocketed across the shop. I heard it hit the wall and saw it spinning on top of my table saw. I thought for sure it was toasted, dented or chipped. The top didn’t even come off. Dumb luck. I picked it up and examined it. Just a faint, slight chip on the bead on top of the finial. I LOVE THIS WOOD. I’ll post a couple pics. What’s the best size of pics for posting to this site. When the lathe arrives I will try something a lot larger.
Again thank you for the replies.

[Jill Williamson]

We bought some yesterday in San Diego. It was $100.00 for a piece about 2" tall by 1"wide and very burly.

[BILL DONAHUE]

Had not seem this original post. This is a piece of Kentucky Coffee Tree I posted here late last year. It turns very nice though this piece didn't have any "shake" in it. I used

patinating wax to highlight the grain

.2012-11-19 Kentucky Coffee Tree 014.jpg

[robert baccus]

I've never seen one but the book indicates it's one of them hard, heavy legumes (pea family) and is supposedly somewhat rare and desirable. The big beans, leaves, and bark all resemble Water locust and are all poisonous. Often referred to locally as "mahogany". Almost without sapwood.

[Jill Williamson]

We bought some yesterday in San Diego. It was $100.00 for a piece about 2" tall by 1"wide and very burly.

2 feet by 1 foot

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I've never seen one but the book indicates it's one of them hard, heavy legumes (pea family) and is supposedly somewhat rare and desirable. The big beans, leaves, and bark all resemble Water locust and are all poisonous. Often referred to locally as "mahogany". Almost without sapwood.

I have never turned it, but seen a few specimens, found a big bean with 5 seeds in it and planted them in my garden, 4 came up and I transplanted them into my backyard in London, you got to be pretty quick going as they have a central root that grows down real fast as I found out.

The leaves are double compound and you have to see them to believe the size of them, I got a picture here from one of my trees, cropped so you can see the large leaf that first goes up and out, then the little side shoots and then all the leave pats, if you don't look good, you'd think the main leaf stem is a twig, I do believe the wood to be pretty hard, but no personal experience, maybe some day

Kentucky coffee tree leaves.jpg USDA info Coffee tree.jpg