Cherry Laurel

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

One of the tree services called and offered me a 22" dia. Cherry Laurel. Anyone turn any or know anything about it. Thanks

 

[hockenbery]

I think it is a good wood for hollow forms, natural edge bowls, and twice turned bowls.
If you have trouble drying other wood this is one you may have trouble with too.

Turn it green, even walls, curves, control the drying and you will get nice results.
Be sure to cut the log sections through the pith and seal it as soon as you can.
Turn it within a few weeks.

 

[Tom Albrecht]

I think it is a good wood for hollow forms, natural edge bowls, and twice turned bowls.
If you have trouble drying other wood this is one you may have trouble with too.

Turn it green, even walls, curves, control the drying and you will get nice results.
Be sure to cut the log sections through the pith and seal it as soon as you can.
Turn it within a few weeks.

Hmm, how do you figure on wood that is "good for twice turned bowls" and a wood that is not good for that?

 

[hockenbery]

Hmm, how do you figure on wood that is "good for twice turned bowls" and a wood that is not good for that?

I think you can make a nice twice turned bowl from about any wood.
I favor the the softer hardwoods that are hard enough not to dent easily.
cherry, maple, sweet gum, camphor, walnut... are examples of those woods.
Osage orange, hickory, pecan are woods that are too hard.
Tulip poplar and willow will dent easily.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Hmm, how do you figure on wood that is "good for twice turned bowls" and a wood that is not good for that?

Here is a link to the Wood Database site that gives a very good basic explanation of wood shrinkage during drying. And here is a table on WoodCentral that gives the T/R ratio for many common species. The table doesn't list mesquite which has a T/R ratio of very close to unity which means that it can be turned to final dimension with very little movement so it really isn't necessary to twice turn it. There are a few species such as madrone that moves all over the place and might not be a good candidate for twice turning. I believe that Reed Gray turns madrone to final dimensions and then just lets it warp however it wishes. Some fruit wood is really bad about splitting and twice turning might not help much. I know from experience that plum is terrible about splitting and my solution has been to catch the splits as soon as I see them start to develop and hit it with thin CA. Plum is a beautiful wood and can be worth the trouble if it survives to a final product. Most domestic hardwoods have a T/R ratio that is close to 2 and mos3t of those species would benefit from rough turning green and final turning after they have dried.

Al's comments about hardness are so true. I have tried to turn dry live oak, bois d'arc, and hickory. Almost as much fun as turning concrete. 😀

Finally, if you have time to read, here is a paper from Purdue University, Department of Forestry & Natural Resources. The paper talks about wood movement in furniture, but the basics of wood movement apply to woodturning.

 

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

Let me get something off my chest. One of the annoying things about this and other forums is that people feel compelled to answer a post when they have no information about the specific inquiry. I asked if anyone had turned Cherry Laurel and how was it to turn. There where 4 resposes, all completely unhelpful. Some people have a need to lecture and become pedantic. I have been turning for 24 years, and sell 250-300 bowls a year. I don't need lessons in green turning or opinions on what constitutes hard and soft woods. Please just stick to the question. There, that feels better.

 

[Tom Albrecht]

Let me get something off my chest. One of the annoying things about this and other forums is that people feel compelled to answer a post when they have no information about the specific inquiry. I asked if anyone had turned Cherry Laurel and how was it to turn. There where 4 resposes, all completely unhelpful. Some people have a need to lecture and become pedantic. I have been turning for 24 years, and sell 250-300 bowls a year. I don't need lessons in green turning or opinions on what constitutes hard and soft woods. Please just stick to the question. There, that feels better.

Sorry to disappoint--- Sounds like you ought to start your own forum. Digression is a key to an interesting life.

 

[hockenbery]

@Paul M. Kaplowitz
I will try again......

I asked if anyone had turned Cherry Laurel and

I have turned 15-20 natural edge bowls from cherry laurel and maybe 1 or 2 small twice turned bowls.
And have seen at least 50 pieces turned from it by other turners.

how was it to turn.

It turns nicely for me.

 

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

Thank you Mr, Hockenbery. A straight answer that tells me what I needed to know.