Silver Maple for turning?

[John Miliunas]

A buddy of mine saved some chunks of a Silver Maple they took down at the place he had been renting. This stuff is BIG and still very green. It's not regular Maple, but has anyone tried it for turning? If so, any special instructions, tips, hints, etc...

[Jim Becker]

Turn away! Anything is fair game when it comes to spinning it on a lathe...especially when the "price is right"!

[John Miliunas]

Turn away! Anything is fair game when it comes to spinning it on a lathe...especially when the "price is right"!

"Anything..." Jim? Have you ever tried spinning some green Willow? A) You literally get a "shower". B) The stuff is so dern thready, I couldn't find a way to smooth it out. I hear the Silver Maple is pretty soft, but hopefully the fiber it's made of, is a bit more cooperative.

[Steve Clardy]

Then turn some, let dry for a few days, turn again, etc. This will gradually let some of the moisture out. Silver Maple is beautiful wood. Steve

[Jim Becker]

"Anything..." Jim? Have you ever tried spinning some green Willow? A) You literally get a "shower".

We turned green poplar at David Ellsworth's three-day seminar at his studio..."shower-city"...(deep in the woods)

I have a whole tree of green willow across the street if I ever have the time to go cut it up before that property sells. The current owner "gave" it to me, but other priorities have kept me away. The biggest attraction is it has a lot of burls on it...

[John Miliunas]

We turned green poplar at David Ellsworth's three-day seminar at his studio..."shower-city"...(deep in the woods)

I have a whole tree of green willow across the street if I ever have the time to go cut it up before that property sells. The current owner "gave" it to me, but other priorities have kept me away. The biggest attraction is it has a lot of burls on it...

Don't know, Jim. Maybe the burls will be less thready. Maybe there are different "flavors" of Willow. All I know is, the piece I had didn't work up nice, at all. It DID, however, produce some beautiful, long curls flying off the lathe! I just love watching those come off a green piece.