lanaisthehbomb

Hi there, I am relatively new to turning and I am trying to find out what type of wood this is. The first picture is of the first piece I turned of this particular wood with in a month of it being cut down. It had been in a bag during that time. The next pictures are of the same wood about 5 months after being in a bag, it seems to have changed color quite a bit. The guy who cut it down said it is carob, but every wood turner I have talked doesn't think it is. Any ideas?


Alex

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knotscott

My first guess is maple, but that's all it is...a guess. Nice work.

Daren

Welcome to the forum, nice work. I'll take a stab at it, sweetgum ?

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Handyman

Welcome to the forum. My most uneducated guess would be Birch.

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lanaisthehbomb

wow three guesses so far and all of them different. If it helps I am in Southern California.

Any idea where I could go to find out what type of wood it is.


alex

Mitch Cholewinski

Lanais
Not sure of the type of wood, but the turning is very nice and well done. You did well. Mitch

lanaisthehbomb

thanks for all the nice words. Sadly my lathe just broke down again for the second time with the exact same problem which means I gotta wait a couple weeks to get back to turning. :( I have a General International Maxi Lathe VS and the Variable speed has stopped working. I got the headstock replaced once and now the problem happened again. Anyone heard of this happening?

Alex

KevinK

Hi

Never heard of that happening, have you talked with General Canada, they are pretty good and stand behind what they make, I have one of their lathes, but made in Canada, however their international stuff still has a rigourous quality assurance process and I am sure they will help you fix the problem.

Regarding the wood, do you know where the wood was harvested, do you have any pieces with bark on it?

Thanks and good luck, by the way, nice work

Kevin

Handyman

Yep. Bring it to Darels shop, he can tell yea for sure. He might be big and hairy, but he knows wood.

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lanaisthehbomb

The first time the lathe broke I talked to them and they sent me part to replace it but they sent part with crazy wiring that don't connect to my lathe. My dad who works in electronics at boeing couldn't figure it put either so I don't think it was just me being stupid. So far I am not pleased with them very much, they told me they replaced the headstock with a newer model and maybe they just messed that up. We'll see.

Here are two pictures of the wood where you get an idea of the bark. The problem is this piece has been in a bag for 6 months and has a ton of mold and mildew on it. It is actually hard to hold onto because it slips and slides so much. The wood is from Redondo Beach CA which is in southern California.

Alex

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Daren

I don't see any bark . I am sticking with my first guess, spalted sweet gum. It is not native to your region...but it is an ornamental that is tolerant and checking a dendrology page I use often (http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/map/zonemap.cfm) it is reported in your state. What I see outside and inside looks exactly like the sweet gum I used to spalt and turn.
This may sound like an odd question but the answer will tell give me a clue. Did it smell like beer when you turned it ?

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lanaisthehbomb

YES, it had an alcohol smell to it.

alex

Daren

Well the 3rd time I say it I might just convince myself , sweetgum, it spalted in the bag.

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gecica

this is gum wood, do they look alike?

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TexasTimbers

I am in the sweetgum camp too. Gecica, it sounds like you know the guy who cut it down. Ask him to describe the leaves. Ask him if they looked similar to a maple leaf. Also ask him if he noticed the tree having "spiny balls". Many down here call them "Porcupine Eggs".

Most people will tell you there is no use for the balls. I know of two uses actually. One is practical, and the other a practical joke.

Practical Use: Place the balls in the bottom of your plant pots for use as the drainage medium, instead of rocks. This way, each year when you dispose of the non-perennials, you don't have to separate the rocks from the pete/dirt, wash, and bag them for next year or toss them back on the driveway. With gumballs you just throw the dirt and gumballs in the compost pile altogether.

Practical Joke Use: Fill a large mason or pickle jar full of gumballs, add a colored liquid like tea etc. seal the jar, and label it "Porcupine Eggs". You will be shocked at how many people will say "Wow! I never saw the eggs before look they even have the quills already!!!"

It's up to you if you want to tell them truth or let them go away a little bit "smarter".

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lanaisthehbomb

after seeing that picture I dont think its sweetgum.

alex

thekctermite

I like the porcupine egg idea.
I have two of these awful trees in my yard...my niece likes to put the spiny balls in peoples' chairs, shoes, gloves, etc.