Accacia wood - advice please

[Acanthus]

Hi guys and galls
I have been offered a substantial log of accacia, felled last autumn. Does anyone have any experience with this wood, does it work well or badly.
The log is large, and I will have to spend a fair ammount of time and effort to move it, and would like some assurance that it is not just firewood.
Thanks in advance
David

 

[cornucopia]

Hello David

Acaia is lovely wood witha golden colour which mellows over time- its o.k to work with when green although i wouldint choose to hollow it end grain much past 6" deep - rock hard wood when dry

 

[Bodrighy]

Acacia is a lovely wood as George says. I have turned a fair bit having been given a tree last year and it turns beautifully. It may have been a different type to Georges as mine had loads of different colours in it, predominantly shades of red but was as said very hard. It seems stable and things I turned wet 6 months ago haven't moved a lot so grab it, well worth the time and effort.

pete

 

[myturn]

Grab that log and keep it!

The acacia I have turned was a lovely yellow/green colour with an open grain that stands out particularly well when hollowed into the end-grain with a nice curvy outer shape. If the outside shape were kept straight it would have looked quite uninteresting but curved it really highlights the grain nicely.

 

[jurriaan]

One of my favourite woods - works just fine when wet, a bit hard to turn when dry but lovely colors and it takes a real good finish. Don't forget to experiment with fuming - ammonia fumes will turn the heartwood a lovely dark brown (dry wood) to black (wet wood), while leaving the sapwood it's original white.

It also reacts with sweat to give you black hands, but that's a minor detail.

 

[gnu]

We used to grow acres of it when I worked as a tree nurseryman years ago and was called Robinia and was very thorny, a bit like mulberry or honey locust with a light green appearance. It is quite a hardwood, full or character for turners and carvers and a pleasure to use.

 

[Acanthus]

Thanks guys, I can't wait to get it home and turning on my lathe. Wish me luck.
David

 

[Finial]

If you're lucky it might have a bit of burr, that is marvelous for turning, tight grained and dark brown/gold in colour.

 

[woodyturner]

I have Robinia (Accacia) natuel edge bowl today and I have to agee it is a had wood and very stable wish I had more only one piece left well worth a go
Woody

 

[gus3049]

Fantastic stuff. If we are talking about Robinia, its called 'False Acacia' for some reason or 'Black Locust' in the States.

I have been astonished how resistant to cracking it is. We cut down a tree just three months ago. I have already turned several bowls from it and they resolutely refuse to either crack or distort in any way. Seems to dry out almost as soon as its cut. Several of the pieces of tree are still on the workshop floor, ends untreated in any way and show no signs of shakes at all.

As its so fast growing, the rings are wide and if you get a nice bit the colour can be spectacular as well. Usually a bit yellow though. Natural edge bowls are good too, the bark seems very stable, haven't had to stick any back on.

I wish all woods were this easy but, as already pointed out, it does get a bit hard and the tools need to be kept sharp.