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Sasafrass

Sassafras

Greg, Let it spalt and this is what you get. [Wish I had More!! 😀 ]
 

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Large Sassafrass are hard to find but worth turning. At least it will make the shop smell great!

Seems like 99 percent of the sassafrass grow as shrubs with 6" diameter being rare but a few grow to trees some reaching 4 feet in diameter or more.

Be aware that it is one of the softer hardwoods. In my estimation about the density of the softer mahoganys and probably just a bit harder than Tulip Poplar.

In my opinion the softness makes it better suited to non-functional pieces. A finished salad bowl will dent fairly easily perhaps even with your fingernail like tulip poplar. But then those dents from life will add character.

Also an advantage in the non-functional pieces is that it is relatively lighter in weight than most hardwoods and will feel lighter than the same piece turned from cherry for instance.

happy turning
 
Thanks Mark and Hockenberry,
I have a chance for a chunk 3 ft. dia. by 3 ft long. I had no idea how this would turn. I will now be able to try this stuff.
 
Small Caution

Greg,

You might do well to work with a dust mask when you start. Some people are sensitive to Sassafras. You don't want to find out the hard way that you're one of them.

Mark
 
I think it has a wonderful smell when turned green.

I can't think of any similar smell.
I don't know how describe it other than a slightly sweet spicey smell.

It smells like sassafrass. Probably tastes just like chicken.

If you cut it with a chain saw or bandsaw you will find out or just put a tiny bit on the lathe and make savings.
 
Well, considering it is where root beer came from, it's a little like that in odor (but less licoricy). We used to burn small pieces in the wood stove when we wanted the house to smell nice.

Dietrich
 
Root Beer?

Isn't sassafras used in making root beer? Smells like it to me when I scrape a green branch to id what I've got. There isn't much else that smells like that and has those almost always characteristically lobed leaves.
 
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