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Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria)
- Thread starter Michael Marchlik
- Start date
I've never turned it but, with that color I bet it will have some superb character! Be sure to post some pictures!
It turns like osage, maybe a little easier, but unlike osage, the color doesn't fade to dark brown. At least the little trinkets I've made are still yellow but maybe not as bright as they used to be.
We don't often get smoketree out west so this was unusual. It was more of a bush than a tree and this was part of the root ball. It's only 6" X 3.5" has warped significantly as it dried.
I never turned it, but as it is a light weight wood and in the Sumac (Rush) family, it is probably very similar, Sumac is light weight and turn well, just do not use an oil finish on it, as it will suck up the oil and get a dirty dark color DAMHIKT.
Leo, your experience is different than mine. I agree that it turns easily but as I had numerous voids I only thinned the walls to about 3/16ths. For finishing, I used tung oil which quickly soaked through to the inside and required the normal 3 coats to saturate. It didn't significantly darken but did bring out the swirls in the burl. I then buffed with Beale system as I'm not a fan of shiny.
Chittam is another name for the American smoketree wood. Other parts of the world have larger plants than our native bush-like tree,
Like I said I did not turn that wood, but turned wood from the same family, and it looked bad with the Polymerized Tung Oil on it.
The other thing that could make a difference is that yours is basically root wood, and is probably different, anyway your piece, hollow form looks very nice.
I find it amazing that such soft and light wood turns so nice, like Catalpa, it is also a soft wood but turns just fine
I live in Southern Ontario and we have a couple of Smoke Bushes. I saved some branches I had trimmed, probably no bigger than 2”. Turned this Mushroom a few years ago. Beautiful grain that ultimately turns various shades of browns. I probably applied Danish Oil and then Myland’s Quick Build.
Attachments
I did cut one down when I built my house and shop. It didn't have the yellow color. I still have a chunk with some small burls on it....
There is a tree out here that is called chittum, also known as cascara. The old timers used to peel the bark on it and sell to the chemical companies as a laxative, thus the name..... Pretty yellow and orange colors, and kind of smells like pumpkin when turning it.
robo hippy
There is a tree out here that is called chittum, also known as cascara. The old timers used to peel the bark on it and sell to the chemical companies as a laxative, thus the name..... Pretty yellow and orange colors, and kind of smells like pumpkin when turning it.
robo hippy
Tom Gall
TOTW Team
Oooooohhh! Drool, drool ....
I remember the smoke tree shrubs in Europe, as they where used in some peoples gardens as a special looking piece.
I never seen what the wood looked like and didn't care much for the looks of the plants.
Apparently most of the pants sold in a garden centres are the European type, some of the info on these plants and names go back a long way, short piece of it here for those that have an interest for it.
I never seen what the wood looked like and didn't care much for the looks of the plants.
Apparently most of the pants sold in a garden centres are the European type, some of the info on these plants and names go back a long way, short piece of it here for those that have an interest for it.