I have access to dozens of live orange trees. These trees have 20" to 24" diameter stumps that are 3' to 4.5' tall. both valencia and navel varities. I must harvest within the next four days. How is the wood for turning or for lumber. Anyone with any experience, I would appreciate hearing about it.
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Orange lumber
- Thread starter Ira Matheny
- Start date
Citrus
I can tell you about Florida citrus wood which can be turned green with good results and in some cases has blackline spalting. But you may be elsewhere so good luck.
I can tell you about Florida citrus wood which can be turned green with good results and in some cases has blackline spalting. But you may be elsewhere so good luck.
I turn orange, lemon, and grapefruit, and like them all. Since they have turned most of the citrus groves around here into housing tracts it is not as available as it once was, but I make a point of looking around for sources.
The wood of all three has a fine, even grained and a pale cream color. I much prefer to turn it green. It works OK dry, but is a lot harder. Green turned pieces do distort some as they dry out. I have made a lot of boxes from limbs and almost never have problems with the pith checking.
I usually finish with sanding sealer and wax to keep the light color. A few coats of tung or Watco oil will give a nice satiny finish but darken the wood a lot, especially as it ages.
Definitely worth a day of chain sawing and hauling.
Jan
The wood of all three has a fine, even grained and a pale cream color. I much prefer to turn it green. It works OK dry, but is a lot harder. Green turned pieces do distort some as they dry out. I have made a lot of boxes from limbs and almost never have problems with the pith checking.
I usually finish with sanding sealer and wax to keep the light color. A few coats of tung or Watco oil will give a nice satiny finish but darken the wood a lot, especially as it ages.
Definitely worth a day of chain sawing and hauling.
Jan
For those who would want to preserve the nice yellow color of citrus, it's better if the log is harvested in the winter. Citrus is great stuff to turn whether yellow or spalted, is a fairly hard wood and holds detail well if carving. It can be stable and if turned green and to the finished / even thickness, the pith can be included without cracking.
Well I havested some trees today. When cutting the second tree, my chain saw blew............totally gone.
I got the two logs on the trailer and anchorseal on all cuts. I will be taking them to the sawyer tomorrow.
Depending upon what I find, I may return next Saturday for another 8 or 10 logs. It is a 330 mile round trip.
BTW the logs we 15" 'D' x 7' and 17" 'D' x 11'
I found there to be a mild 'cucumber' smell to the freshly cut logs. The wood was very fine and with gentle graining.
Ira
I got the two logs on the trailer and anchorseal on all cuts. I will be taking them to the sawyer tomorrow.
Depending upon what I find, I may return next Saturday for another 8 or 10 logs. It is a 330 mile round trip.
BTW the logs we 15" 'D' x 7' and 17" 'D' x 11'
I found there to be a mild 'cucumber' smell to the freshly cut logs. The wood was very fine and with gentle graining.
Ira
Citrus lumber, [Valencia Orange]
The citrus lumber was mostly cut into 4/4 with a couple of chunk, crotches, and two very small burls. I checked on Aug 1 and found it to already be at 8%MC.
I have had one pen turned by another turner. Looks Super!. Great job Wayne!
I have started using for other turning projects. I laminated with Black Locust and have turned a bottle stopper. Thin strips of citrus with hunks of Black Locust. Finished with two heavy coats of Tung oil and a buffing with carnabu wax [Did I spell that correctly?]
I may try a small bowl or vase. However, my turning skills are very tentative, at best. I just have turned about a dozen small project since obtaining a new lathe last month. It had been 30 years since my last lathe project.
I will be trying a flat board project later this year. Unsure what, but the wood has my attention. Suggestion helpful.
Ira
The citrus lumber was mostly cut into 4/4 with a couple of chunk, crotches, and two very small burls. I checked on Aug 1 and found it to already be at 8%MC.
I have had one pen turned by another turner. Looks Super!. Great job Wayne!
I have started using for other turning projects. I laminated with Black Locust and have turned a bottle stopper. Thin strips of citrus with hunks of Black Locust. Finished with two heavy coats of Tung oil and a buffing with carnabu wax [Did I spell that correctly?]
I may try a small bowl or vase. However, my turning skills are very tentative, at best. I just have turned about a dozen small project since obtaining a new lathe last month. It had been 30 years since my last lathe project.
I will be trying a flat board project later this year. Unsure what, but the wood has my attention. Suggestion helpful.
Ira
Richard Baker
RIP
Great save Ira. Hope you can save some more of that wood. Maybe you can round up another turner and chainsaw to help out.
8% Mc???!!!!!
Wow. I'm impressed with the drying rate!! Your relative humidity must be incredibly low!! Did you get a lot of twist/warpage?? Thirty years is too long. Get out there and sharpen those turning tools & give it a go! Black locust isn't exactly forgiving if you're trying to hone your skills, especially dry locust. Chips pretty bad IMHO.
Wow. I'm impressed with the drying rate!! Your relative humidity must be incredibly low!! Did you get a lot of twist/warpage?? Thirty years is too long. Get out there and sharpen those turning tools & give it a go! Black locust isn't exactly forgiving if you're trying to hone your skills, especially dry locust. Chips pretty bad IMHO.