New found wood question

[Jake Debski]

Has anyone successfully been able to turn a stump from a double stem tree? This is not a crotch section but two separate trees that have grown together. My gut tells me it will come apart on the lathe, so before it gets tossed into the fire wood pile I'm gonna ask all the Noobahs, Poobahs, etc. what they have experienced or are familiar with. 😀

 

[Mark Mandell]

Has anyone successfully been able to turn a stump from a double stem tree? This is not a crotch section but two separate trees that have grown together. My gut tells me it will come apart on the lathe, so before it gets tossed into the fire wood pile I'm gonna ask all the Noobahs, Poobahs, etc. what they have experienced or are familiar with. 😀

It wasn't pretty. Even though I thought I had it stabilized with CA . . . .
🙄

 

[MichaelMouse]

As with any branch, the bark that use to feed each of the trunks goes all the way to their common origin. My single attempt involved an epoxy, but it wasn't enough. If you can get a substantial portion of their common origin into the piece you can get some gorgeous figure, but you'll have to work to hold any bark.

Open-grown cherry seems especially prone to multiple trunks. Is this cherry? If so, I'd turn the two pieces anyway.

 

[Jake Debski]

Open-grown cherry seems especially prone to multiple trunks. Is this cherry? If so, I'd turn the two pieces anyway.

No MM, this is pasture ash. On the periphery of many old pastures multiple stem trees are common. The backside of my yard was an old pasture. I have several double stem ash there. Each stem is around 8" in diam. This makes the stump quite large in proportion to stems. I may try splitting the stump at the join, hoping for some nice figure.

 

[Frank Kobilsek]

Come apart pretty quick

Jake

Mine two tree crotch look alikes have come apart shaortly after being cut into bowl blank slugs. Within a few days. I ussually will create slugs, seal them and then rough turn at my leisure. Cherry trees grown wild have fooled me a couple of times. Turn and learn

Frank

 

[underdog]

I've got an ornamental plum that's sorta like this. If it's not raining, I may cut it down this weekend.

Just wondering the best way to go about it?

 

[MichaelMouse]

No MM, this is pasture ash. On the periphery of many old pastures multiple stem trees are common. The backside of my yard was an old pasture. I have several double stem ash there. Each stem is around 8" in diam. This makes the stump quite large in proportion to stems. I may try splitting the stump at the join, hoping for some nice figure.

Presuming it's white ash of some sort, as black ash favors soil that's too wet to farm except for maybe onions.

You would get better figure if it were branch and trunk. Above where a branch joins the main stem you get wood which is initially compressed as each tries to increase in diameter, forcing the point of juncture out. Eventually, as the branch develops laterally, you lose the compression above, and start it below. Once the branch dies, you just get a loose knot!

On multiple trunks it's common to see them both flattened and expanded where they finally met, and the bark lasts a long time in between. Get as far below this expanded flat section as you are able, if that's what you see. In a contest of equals, you won't get the figure you get from a branch and trunk, though you may get some compression from leaning away from each other. Best situation for you would be if the farmer trimmed them back early on, forcing them to sprout from the stump. Produces some interesting strains down there. Check for aspen, which does this a lot.

If they came from separate seeds, of course, there will never be a common point, even though they are flattened against each other. Our fence trees are mostly cherry, planted by birds perching on the wire, or elm, which produces so many airborne seeds that a few of them have to sprout anywhere the grass is long enough to trap them and the soil remains untilled.

 

[David Somers]

Here's a thought? Has anyone ever tried binding the two trees together for the turning process, in addtion to using CA? I was imagining perhaps big nylon wire ties? They could be snugged up on one section of the wood while you turn the other, and then once one section is done apply some ties to that and remove the first. Might give you enough support to let you shape the outside and the interior. Larger diameter hose clamps might also work if you padded them so they don't dig into the wood. This wouldn't work for some shapes, but it might help in some instances.

On a totally unrelated note.....I just saw that this posting pushed me into the new Super Member category. I hope nobody is confused by this and thinks that I have a clue just because I am chatty! I have all of 4 bowls to my name so far. Caveat Anagnostes! Reader beware!!

 

[MichaelMouse]

I suppose one might do a Nakajima on it if there was a good reference surface to rout the key across a gap. With the mechanical hold provided by the dovetail and the help of the glue, should work. Might not look too bad, either.

Just don't have the courage to try it, personally. I'd have to make sure my key was in entirely sound wood. Maybe after the snow melts.

 

[Jake Debski]

I suppose one might do a Nakajima on it if there was a good reference surface to rout the key across a gap. With the mechanical hold provided by the dovetail and the help of the glue, should work. Might not look too bad, either.

Just don't have the courage to try it, personally. I'd have to make sure my key was in entirely sound wood. Maybe after the snow melts.

It could work but it would need to be done on both sides of any blank. That in itself would present problems. Go for it, if it doesn't become shrapnel you have your signature piece. 😀