Apple wood for turning

[Oznarda]

I have a few acres of derelict Bramley orchards that i am going to grub. Apart from the trunks there are loads of large straight suckers (10 years plus). Is any of this useful for wood turning, it goes as firewood or a big bonfire otherwise.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes. Coat anything of any size with pva sealer (or cheap pva glue) as soon as it is cut or it is likely to split. Find a turner locally? I expect what you think is good isn't and the converse.

 

[Dalboy]

The root balls should be good for some good turning shame that I am not driving at the moment

 

[dickm]

I have a few acres of derelict Bramley orchards that i am going to grub. Apart from the trunks there are loads of large straight suckers (10 years plus). Is any of this useful for wood turning, it goes as firewood or a big bonfire otherwise.

Awful pity to lose another old orchard. No chance you could rejuvenate it for fruit production, rather than giving another opportunity for import of inferior varieties of apple?

 

[Oznarda]

Thanks for the tips. Would love to keep the orchard but it is too far gone. I used to prune apple trees for a living but it would take years to get them back into production. You can't actually walk through the orchard, bits you can crawl through. Will post some pictures of some trees to see what you all think.

 

[AndyT]

Apple can be lovely wood - tight grain, interesting colour and it will finish to a glossy surface.
Commercially, it's not easy to get big quantities of consistent timber from. But it has specific uses other than turning. It's good for teeth in big gear wheels in windmills, for example.
But for many years it was the timber of choice for handles on the best saws, with beech being used on the cheaper options. So it might be possible to sell really quite small pieces, if you are able to put any effort into converting and seasoning some of it.

 

[Robbo3]

Any fruit bearing tree (in the UK anyway) makes for good turning wood, that includes those found in the hedgerow such as blackthorn & hawthorn.
Getting rid of their moisture without splitting is the main problem. I currently have some apple with the ends wrapped in cling film to try & temper the stresses caused by drying.

 

[dickm]

Thanks for the tips. Would love to keep the orchard but it is too far gone. I used to prune apple trees for a living but it would take years to get them back into production. You can't actually walk through the orchard, bits you can crawl through. Will post some pictures of some trees to see what you all think.

Any plans to replant? Still hope it's not just going for another patch of "executive detacheds", or arable.

 

[Oznarda]

I have plenty of room to season so will keep back some of the biggest pieces. Some of the trees are I have uprooted and left most of the main limbs on just cut all the brush off. I like the idea of some of it ending up as something other than logs, windmill cogs would be very different.

Seems to be a market for apple wood chips to go in smokers, bit more of a job but then I can sell it by the litre!

Replanting is not an option really. it won't be arable unless I cut it by hand and get a horse powered threshing machine in, would never got a combine anywhere near it as lanes are too small, would not want to either. Never going to be houses. Probably grassland for a few sheep and cattle.

 

[Beau]

Seems to be a market for apple wood chips to go in smokers, bit more of a job but then I can sell it by the litre!

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I realise it's an old discussion but might be of interest http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat ... twood.html