Weird Woods

[MichaelMouse]

The guy delivered a lot of cherry in this year's stack, rather than the large stuff they're usually only too eager to get rid of. Big stuff's buried pretty deep, but I whipped a small chunk off the top with the intent of making some mushrooms and maybe a goblet or two to build the stock back up. I've turned a bunch of cherry, but this figure is a new one on me. Speckled cherry. The upper left is a vase I did from the small end, the goblets are three days ago, and from further down, between branches. I'm speculating that the spots are a feature of juvenile wood. Anybody else turn speckled cherry? It appears to be P pennsylvannica rather than P serotina judging from the bark, though on young limbs they're pretty similar. Going to grab another chunk for a barkless turning, since there are a lot of trimming scars on the remaining parts of the stick.

Went to help the neighbor, and while I was there lopped off a couple chunks of small hemlock on his firewood deck. It's pretty much as I remember, stinking, full of shakes, and crushes earlywood easily at steep angles. Anyone ever turn Tsuga canadensis , the eastern hemlock? If so, does it get any better as it dries? Right now I'm about ready to pitch the other pieces into the woods. Gets one chance bark up after dinner, and better be handsome enough to justify the stink, or out it goes.

Sorry about the head turner, but as you can see, no spots in him or a couple other pieces of broader form.

 

[Frank Kobilsek]

Micheal
I know you guys will punish me but last December I bought a cherry board 14" wide and a light 2" thick that had eyes like birdeye maple and alot of little pitch pockets like your cherry. The pitch pockets popped out when sanding so I filled them with tourquise dust. The board made (4) 14" platters and a couple small bowls and many other smaller pieces. This stuff was very pretty and the platters sold quickly, at least the two that made it to shows. Mom stole one and there is a blank left that my wife has dibs on.

Enjoy
Frank

 

[dkulze]

What you got there, Michael, is cherry with lots of pitch inclusions. What happens is that the tree is in a stressed environment that results in damage to the bark, whether insect, bird (woodpeckers love to peck holes and then get the bugs that go in them), or disease, that results in bark damage. Cherry (and alot of the other pitted fruit trees like peach and plum) seal this damage by secreting pitch. Cherry in particular secretes a dark red pitch that looks kinda similar to ruby laquer. As the tree grows over this, you get those great little dots of pitch.

It can really add alot of character to a somewhat bland piece of cherry. If you're really lucky, some of the inclusions will be quite large and contain voids that are edged with what looks like red amber. These make for spectacular display vases and bowls.

Cool beans,
Dietrich

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

I see the same thing in Mahogany every so often. I never knew what caused it.

I always told people that the tree got hit by steel birdshot at some point and if you look close you can see the outline of the bird. It's amazing how many people think they can see it.

Ed

 

[MichaelMouse]

With no sapsucker marks evident, I'll discount that. Pitch they might be, though that tends to run in thin lines parallel to the annual rings in the local cherry and is very black, localized to the heartwood. As you can see, I haven't sanded them yet, though a couple are dry enough to do so. I'll use some power sanding over some spots to see if they burn like pitch, though.

I have seen "eyes" in cherry short of burl figure as well, but rather than dispersed eyes like maple, they seem to go direct to the cancerous-looking lumps.

 

[Mort]

Eastern Hemlock

Same problems that you have/are experiencing without the stink. The eastern hemlock I turned was cutoffs from a post and beam construction co. The wood was fairly dry.