The Woods
Being a wood turner starts out by scrounging for wood. Little of what is needed can be purchased at a supply store. Generally wood for turning has to be harvested green and then sealed, prepared and properly stored and seasoned to be ready for use. Searching for great woods becomes a passion, even in some cases perhaps an obsession.
I use a variety of woods, and the goal is to secure woods that are interesting and have character.
Most of the wood I use is salvaged from trees that had to come down for other reasons. There is joy in giving the wood another life that continues as a useful and artistic piece. This is a special gift both to the turner and to the ultimate owner as capturing a piece of life that continues.
I use a variety of woods, and the goal is to secure woods that are interesting and have character.
Most of the wood I use is salvaged from trees that had to come down for other reasons. There is joy in giving the wood another life that continues as a useful and artistic piece. This is a special gift both to the turner and to the ultimate owner as capturing a piece of life that continues.
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My most commonly used woods are
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California Black Oak
California black oak is a deciduous tree growing in mixed evergreen forests, oak woodlands, and Coniferous forests. California black oak is distributed along foothills and lower mountains of California and southern Oregon. It is light in color with a darker red heartwood and can grow to very substantial sizes.
It has a strong bark, finishes with a smooth tight grain and is exceptionally well suited to turning durable utility bowls or artistic gallery bowls.
California Native Americans preferred California black oak acorns over those of other species for making acorn meal. This acorn was a staple food for many Native American groups. Native Americans recognized the importance of fire to this oak, and purposely lit fires in oak woodlands to promote its health and ensure their food source It has seen little harvesting for timber. In earlier years, its only use was to feed the boilers of donkey engines bringing in the valuable pine and fir logs and later in providing power for the steam engines of the deep gold mines. Much of the area around the northern California gold mines saw the Black Oak cut down for fuel for the mines and miners. Most stands today are second growth having regenerated from the stumps of the original natives.
It has a strong bark, finishes with a smooth tight grain and is exceptionally well suited to turning durable utility bowls or artistic gallery bowls.
California Native Americans preferred California black oak acorns over those of other species for making acorn meal. This acorn was a staple food for many Native American groups. Native Americans recognized the importance of fire to this oak, and purposely lit fires in oak woodlands to promote its health and ensure their food source It has seen little harvesting for timber. In earlier years, its only use was to feed the boilers of donkey engines bringing in the valuable pine and fir logs and later in providing power for the steam engines of the deep gold mines. Much of the area around the northern California gold mines saw the Black Oak cut down for fuel for the mines and miners. Most stands today are second growth having regenerated from the stumps of the original natives.
Burls
A burl is a tree growth in which the grain has grown in a deformed manner. It is commonly found in the form of a rounded outgrowth on a tree trunk or branch that is filled with small knots from dormant buds.
A burl results from a tree undergoing some form of stress. It may be caused by an injury, virus or fungus. Some burls grow beneath the ground, attached to the roots as a type of malignancy that is generally not discovered until the tree dies or falls over. Such burls sometimes appear as groups of bulbous protrusions connected by a system of rope-like roots. Almost all burl wood is covered by bark, even if it is underground. .
In some tree species, burls can grow to great size. Burls yield a very peculiar and highly figured wood, prized for its beauty by many; its rarity also adds to its expense. There are a number of well-known types of burls that are highly valued.
Burl wood is challenging to work with hand tools or on a lathe because its grain is twisted and interlocked, causing it to chip and chatter unpredictably. This "wild grain" makes burl wood extremely dense and resistant to splitting, which made it valued for bowls and artistic turnings.
I am fortunate to have access to burls of Buckeye, Box Elder, redwood, black oak and madrone. Every piece turned from a burl is absolutely unique and cannot be duplicated.
A burl results from a tree undergoing some form of stress. It may be caused by an injury, virus or fungus. Some burls grow beneath the ground, attached to the roots as a type of malignancy that is generally not discovered until the tree dies or falls over. Such burls sometimes appear as groups of bulbous protrusions connected by a system of rope-like roots. Almost all burl wood is covered by bark, even if it is underground. .
In some tree species, burls can grow to great size. Burls yield a very peculiar and highly figured wood, prized for its beauty by many; its rarity also adds to its expense. There are a number of well-known types of burls that are highly valued.
Burl wood is challenging to work with hand tools or on a lathe because its grain is twisted and interlocked, causing it to chip and chatter unpredictably. This "wild grain" makes burl wood extremely dense and resistant to splitting, which made it valued for bowls and artistic turnings.
I am fortunate to have access to burls of Buckeye, Box Elder, redwood, black oak and madrone. Every piece turned from a burl is absolutely unique and cannot be duplicated.
California Bay Laurel aka Myrtlewood
Bay Laurels are a large tree native to coastal forests of California and slightly extended into Oregon. Its pungent leaves have a similar flavor to bay leaves.
A somewhat confusing situation arises with it's name, the same species having multiple names. The scientific name is Umbellularia californica. In Oregon, this tree is known as Oregon Myrtle, while in California it is called California Bay Laurel, which may be shortened to California bay or California laurel. It has also been called pepperwood, spicebush, cinnamon bush, peppernut tree and headache tree, and mountain laurel.
The dry wood has a color range from blonde (like maple) to brown (like walnut). Oregon myrtle wood is considered a world-class tonewood and is sought after by luthiers and woodworkers. Bay Laurel turns wonderfully, cutting cleanly under a turners gouge, and wonderful rich brown tones create pleasing effects with this durable and stable wood. Both bowls and kitchen utensils are commonly turned from this wood.
A somewhat confusing situation arises with it's name, the same species having multiple names. The scientific name is Umbellularia californica. In Oregon, this tree is known as Oregon Myrtle, while in California it is called California Bay Laurel, which may be shortened to California bay or California laurel. It has also been called pepperwood, spicebush, cinnamon bush, peppernut tree and headache tree, and mountain laurel.
The dry wood has a color range from blonde (like maple) to brown (like walnut). Oregon myrtle wood is considered a world-class tonewood and is sought after by luthiers and woodworkers. Bay Laurel turns wonderfully, cutting cleanly under a turners gouge, and wonderful rich brown tones create pleasing effects with this durable and stable wood. Both bowls and kitchen utensils are commonly turned from this wood.
California Buckeye (Burl)
It is a large shrub or small tree growing to 4–12 m tall, with gray bark. It typically is multi-trunked with a crown as broad as it is high. The California Buckeye has adapted to its native Mediterranean climate by growing during the wet winter and spring months and entering dormancy in late summer. To survive California Buckeye grows a massive root system that is twisted and turned as a large burl.
It is the burl of the Buckeye that is desirable for turning as it is highly figured, stable, colorful and varied. Burls typically weigh several hundred pounds, and require significant effort to first dig them out with substantial equipment, then transport and process to the point where they can be turned.
Buckeye burls produce stunning vessels, bowls and turnings with intricate grain patterns, with blue and black streaks from spalting.
It is the burl of the Buckeye that is desirable for turning as it is highly figured, stable, colorful and varied. Burls typically weigh several hundred pounds, and require significant effort to first dig them out with substantial equipment, then transport and process to the point where they can be turned.
Buckeye burls produce stunning vessels, bowls and turnings with intricate grain patterns, with blue and black streaks from spalting.
Big Leaf Western Maple
A true native maple, big leaf maple is the only commercially important maple of the Pacific Coast region. The wood is used for applications as diverse as furniture, piano frames and salad bowls. The wood of big leaf maple is browner and more colorful, often with darker streaks than eastern maples. Highly figured wood is not uncommon and is used for veneer, stringed instruments and guitar bodies.
Bigleaf maple wood is excellent to turn, with very fine grain. It is useful for utility bowls and implements as well as decorative gallery pieces. Due to its strength and tight grain a skilled turner can create so called "knife-edge" bowls who delight in being remarkably thin and light.
I also have been fortunate to have a number of big leaf maple burls that are stunning.
Bigleaf maple wood is excellent to turn, with very fine grain. It is useful for utility bowls and implements as well as decorative gallery pieces. Due to its strength and tight grain a skilled turner can create so called "knife-edge" bowls who delight in being remarkably thin and light.
I also have been fortunate to have a number of big leaf maple burls that are stunning.
Silver Maple
The silver maple also called creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, water maple, or white maple—is a species of maple native to eastern North America in the eastern United States and Canada. It is one of the most common trees in the United States. It adapts to a wide range of climates and has been extensively planted as an ornamental in the interior valleys of California.
It is a hard dense wood that turns readily, and is capable of being turned thin into "knife-edge" bowls, or hardier utility bowls. Sometimes the bark can be left attached to create interesting natural edge vessels. The sapwood is bright white, almost iridescent, and the heartwood often darkens with color. Silver maple sometimes has very intricate and interesting dark streaks, called spalting which are arrested decay caused by insects. Such wood is highly sought after.
It is a hard dense wood that turns readily, and is capable of being turned thin into "knife-edge" bowls, or hardier utility bowls. Sometimes the bark can be left attached to create interesting natural edge vessels. The sapwood is bright white, almost iridescent, and the heartwood often darkens with color. Silver maple sometimes has very intricate and interesting dark streaks, called spalting which are arrested decay caused by insects. Such wood is highly sought after.
Box Elder Burls
Box Elder is a species of maple, native to North America that is fairly widespread. It is a small, usually fast-growing and fairly short-lived tree that grows up to 80 feet tall. It is of interest to turners due to its coloration. The sapwood of Box Elder is typically a pale white, sometimes with a yellow/green hue similar to Yellow Poplar. The heartwood is a grayish/yellowish brown, frequently with red or pink streaks. The red coloration is due to a pigment found in a fungus (Fusarium negundi) that commonly afflicts the tree. Much of the reddish coloring becomes a more subdued pink or brown/gray upon drying.
Box elders also generate burls frequently and they are highly prized.
Box elders also generate burls frequently and they are highly prized.
Coastal Redwood and Redwood Burl
This species includes the tallest trees on Earth, reaching up to 379 feet in height and up to 26 feet in diameter at breast height. Redwood being harvested today is second growth managed redwoods. For a period of time that ended about 2000 there was extensive salvaging of redwood logs, called sinkers, that had become water saturated and had sunk to the bottom of northwest California rivers. These sinkers came were cut decades ago before harvesting of virgin redwood was stopped. A small amount of this tight grained wood is still available occasionally.
Straight grained redwood is of limited interest to turners, but occasionally interesting redwood burls become available that have remarkable figure, color and grain. Much of the burl if of size goes to veneers, but occasionally when we're lucky a turner can snag a few pieces for turning.
Straight grained redwood is of limited interest to turners, but occasionally interesting redwood burls become available that have remarkable figure, color and grain. Much of the burl if of size goes to veneers, but occasionally when we're lucky a turner can snag a few pieces for turning.
Pacific Madrone
The photo at left is a Madrone root burl that has been salvaged from a northern California river where it was submerged for many years. This weighs in at about 600 lbs and is both highly figured and colored with characteristic pink streaks. There will be many interesting pieces being turned from this one burl.
Pacific madrone, is found on the west coast of North America, from British Columbia to California Coast Ranges but also scattered on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is also known as the madroño, madroña, bearberry, refrigerator tree or strawberry tree. In the United States, the name "madrone" is used south of the Siskiyou Mountains of southern Oregon/northern California and the name "madrona" is used north of the Siskiyou Mountains according to the "Sunset Western Garden Book".
It is generally a difficult wood to work with as it splits and twists significantly when drying. Often to help stabilize the wood we take green pieces cut roughly to turning blank size and boil them in water for a couple of hours, and then seal them with wax and let them cure slowly. Even then the loss is sometimes high.
Highly sought after madrone burl is a different story and can be beautiful and stable.
Pacific madrone, is found on the west coast of North America, from British Columbia to California Coast Ranges but also scattered on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is also known as the madroño, madroña, bearberry, refrigerator tree or strawberry tree. In the United States, the name "madrone" is used south of the Siskiyou Mountains of southern Oregon/northern California and the name "madrona" is used north of the Siskiyou Mountains according to the "Sunset Western Garden Book".
It is generally a difficult wood to work with as it splits and twists significantly when drying. Often to help stabilize the wood we take green pieces cut roughly to turning blank size and boil them in water for a couple of hours, and then seal them with wax and let them cure slowly. Even then the loss is sometimes high.
Highly sought after madrone burl is a different story and can be beautiful and stable.
Sierra Live Oak
Sierra Live Oak, is an evergeen oak, highly variable and often shrubby, found in areas of California in the United States. It also occurs south into northern Baja California in Mexico. It generally occurs in foothills, being most abundant in the lower altitudes of the Sierra Nevada. Typically the trees grow in multi trunk clusters and large diameters are uncommon.
When turned green it is typically possible to hold the bark on and produce interesting shapes and forms. Bowls from live oak are very hard and durable and readily can be expected to last for generations.
When turned green it is typically possible to hold the bark on and produce interesting shapes and forms. Bowls from live oak are very hard and durable and readily can be expected to last for generations.
California (aka Claro) Walnut
Northern California walnut, is endemic in California from near Fresno and reaching the San Francisco Bay area.
It is a large tree, 30 to 60 feet high, with a single erect trunk commonly without branches for 10-40 feet. Specimens commonly reach five to six feet in diameter near the base of the tree. This tree is commercially important as a rootstock for English walnut orchards all over the world
This species is commonly called claro walnut by the lumber industry and woodworkers. It is highly figured with a rich brown color and striking grain patterns, especially in the crotch areas, where large limbs meet the trunk. It is used in small quantities to make fine furniture and gun stocks, and sold as slabs to make large natural-top tables because of its durability, good working properties and swirling, iridescent figure.
Some confusion exists about the nature of claro walnut because it is commonly used as the rootstock of orchard trees. The section below the original graft is claro walnut wood, while the section above is the lighter-colored English walnut. Occasionally it is possible to take advantage of this by making the change in color of the wood a feature of a piece.
It is a large tree, 30 to 60 feet high, with a single erect trunk commonly without branches for 10-40 feet. Specimens commonly reach five to six feet in diameter near the base of the tree. This tree is commercially important as a rootstock for English walnut orchards all over the world
This species is commonly called claro walnut by the lumber industry and woodworkers. It is highly figured with a rich brown color and striking grain patterns, especially in the crotch areas, where large limbs meet the trunk. It is used in small quantities to make fine furniture and gun stocks, and sold as slabs to make large natural-top tables because of its durability, good working properties and swirling, iridescent figure.
Some confusion exists about the nature of claro walnut because it is commonly used as the rootstock of orchard trees. The section below the original graft is claro walnut wood, while the section above is the lighter-colored English walnut. Occasionally it is possible to take advantage of this by making the change in color of the wood a feature of a piece.
Fruitwoods -- Cherry, Pear, Crabapple, Apricot, Olive
California abounds in orchards and ornamental plantings of fruit woods. Some are particularly well suited for turning.