Tell me this is a BAD IDEA !!!!!!!!

[Clarence Martin]

Well, I was chopping down some trees in the backyard yesterday along the fenceline, and one of them was a big Sumac tree. Must have been 20 feet tall and a 8 inches around at the base of the trunk of the tree. I got her down , but the tree split as I was cutting it. Now, when it split, it show some pretty good figure in the center of the log where is broke off as I was cutting it . (Not to self, don't use a Reciprocating saw to chop down a tree!! ) looked a lot like a cross between Elm and Red oak for the grain figure. The color of the wood inside a nice olive green color.

Is this wood good for anything ? Turning ?????

Is it toxic to turn ???

[Dan Hintz]

Were there any berries on the tree, and if so, what color were they? If red, it's a non-poisonous member of the Sumac family... white/yellow is the opposite.

[Sean Hughto]

My experience is that it is soft like willow or aspen. Can be gone depending like most everything else on your expectations and needs.

[Len Mullin]

The problem with using a reciprocating saw to cut down a tree, is that the saw doesn't cut through the grain quick enough. It is possible to do the job with the recip saw, but, the end results are not always acceptable, or, what a person is looking for.
Len

[robert baccus]

The wood is very desirable and pretty. Turn it green as it gets very coarse when dry.

[Roger Tulk]

I have seen some very nice turnings done in sumac.