Turning aromatic ("incense") cedar

[Jamie Straw]

A friend just cut down a young incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens I believe). Anyone turn this ever? Rather resinous, if I remember the last time we cut any at home. Not sure if I should grab it or stay away.

 

[hockenbery]

A friend just cut down a young incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens I believe). Anyone turn this ever? Rather resinous, if I remember the last time we cut any at home. Not sure if I should grab it or stay away.

Turn a bunch of eggs and put them in your closet and drawers.

cedar irritates a lot of people.

I get a stuffy nose and some eye irritation when I turn eastern red cedar.

Al

 

[Jamie Straw]

Turn a bunch of eggs and put them in your closet and drawers.

cedar irritates a lot of people.

I get a stuffy nose and some eye irritation when I turn eastern red cedar.

Al

If I did turn it, I'd have to wear long sleeves and latex gloves.

 

[Jamie Straw]

Cracks easily, hard on tools?

So, I looked around the 'net. Sounds like incense cedar very prone to cracking. Possibly hard on tools. It's certainly not a major turning wood. Taking one more shot here to see if anyone has experience with it. A couple of the logs are big enough for bowls, so I could boil or soap. I used to have a ton of info about boiling wood, but it has disappeared with the old laptop. Have never soaped before. Any insights appreciated.

 

[Tom Cadwalader]

Tough on tools

Jamie I can't speak to the cedar in your neck o the woods, but our cedar in Northern Michigan ( mostly white cedar) is really tough on tools. They become dull very quickly. There seems to be a lot of silica in the wood and it dulls the tools real fast. A member of our club turns large bird houses and sometimes uses green cedar. He reports that he leaves his grinder running to save wear and tear in the switch
I personally get hay fever like symptoms from cutting and sanding any cedar.
Makes good planks for grilling trout, salmon, whitefish and walleye but even for that I prefer maple.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Had a chance for some large cedar logs and turned it down. I have cedar lumber in the shop (eastern red I think) that came from my yard over 10 years ago. Just do not have much use for it. Have turned some. It will tear out rather bad. Sands well and fast so best to start with 120 to 180. Is very soft so needs sharp tools. The dust is toxic to some and others develop the allergy later.
Finishing can be a problem. I did a flute box in red cedar over 25 years ago for my wife. The finish crackled and looks shriveled, I think it was some kind of rattle can lacquer. I have too much good wood to spend the time on it. Might try ........if I had no other.

 

[Jamie Straw]

Had a chance for some large cedar logs and turned it down. I have cedar lumber in the shop (eastern red I think) that came from my yard over 10 years ago. Just do not have much use for it. Have turned some. It will tear out rather bad. Sands well and fast so best to start with 120 to 180. Is very soft so needs sharp tools. The dust is toxic to some and others develop the allergy later.
Finishing can be a problem. I did a flute box in red cedar over 25 years ago for my wife. The finish crackled and looks shriveled, I think it was some kind of rattle can lacquer. I have too much good wood to spend the time on it. Might try ........if I had no other.

Yeah, I'm going to pass on it. Really don't need that much of a challenge, LOL. I am sensitive to cedar and walnut, known from my flat-WWing days. It's hard to pass up free wood, but....... Thanks!

 

[Jamie Straw]

Jamie I can't speak to the cedar in your neck o the woods, but our cedar in Northern Michigan ( mostly white cedar) is really tough on tools. They become dull very quickly. There seems to be a lot of silica in the wood and it dulls the tools real fast. A member of our club turns large bird houses and sometimes uses green cedar. He reports that he leaves his grinder running to save wear and tear in the switch
I personally get hay fever like symptoms from cutting and sanding any cedar.
Makes good planks for grilling trout, salmon, whitefish and walleye but even for that I prefer maple.

Oh, dear, didn't know about the silica level. For sure, not interested in having to sharpen more -- I'm not that fast yet!

 

[Gretch Flo]

Oh, dear, didn't know about the silica level. For sure, not interested in having to sharpen more -- I'm not that fast yet!

I have done some red cedar and hated it. Every sandpaper marks shows. Some of the red bleeds into the white. Need to keep fingernails short. too. Probably not good for bowls (odor). Years ago I bought some candlesticks from ? Bermuda, and had to eventually hide them in a chest as i couldn't stand the odor after a while. So if you have to hide them anyway, why not just put a piece of wood in the drawers!!!!!!!Gretch

 

[JimB]

I've used cedar for years as my main wood for Christmas ornaments. I stay away from the sap wood (sticky stuff ).
They are turned thin so not a problem with cracking. The bottom piece is thin also, so cracking is rare there.
So don't toss the wood, your will smell better also.

Jim Bliss

Picture shows up small ,here's a link http://www.fredmiranda.com/hosting/showphoto.php?photo=79761&sort=1&cat=500&page=3

 

[Toby Bouder]

Cedar makes a pretty nice bowl.

 

[Ted Moore]

I just turned some aromatic cedar bottle-stoppers today.
Did sharpen before the final passes on all of them, but just out of habit, not necessity.
I like working with it, makes the shop smell good.
In the past I did an urn for a guy's mother, that is where the scraps came from.
I should post some pictures in the gallery.
Just my $0.02.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Picture shows up small ,here's a link http://www.fredmiranda.com/hosting/showphoto.php?photo=79761&sort=1&cat=500&page=3

I love your geese and cedar waxwing pictures on FM. Your ornaments are definitely unique and quite striking. Perfect flowing curves.

I just turned some aromatic cedar bottle-stoppers today.
Did sharpen before the final passes on all of them, but just out of habit, not necessity.
I like working with it, makes the shop smell good.
In the past I did an urn for a guy's mother, that is where the scraps came from.
I should post some pictures in the gallery.
Just my $0.02.

I also love cedar, but if I turn too much of it or don't use proper dust protection, I pay the price with a whopper of a headache and stuffy sinuses.