Conifer

[n0legs]

Afternoon all, just a quick question.
Is conifer any good for turning ?
We have a large conifer in the garden that the good lady hates, I think in the spring we'll do away with it. I have no idea of the species. Earlier I measured it and for about 5 foot its over 6" in diameter.

 

[Neil Farrer]

Some like it, some have found pieces of coloured wood, purple in it, some have tried in vain to burn it (spits everywhere) most take it to the green recycling dump.

When wet spews resin everywhere makes a hell of a mess and stinks.

 

[Spindle]

Hi

I once tried turning some non specific conifer timber green, what a mistake , the sap / resin went everywhere and congealed in sticky patches - I was finding gloop for weeks afterwards.

I've turned Douglas fir, Scots pine and 'shed' pine with good results, (sharp tooling and rubbing the bevel will produce a finish that needs no sanding).

And of course - Yew is a conifer.

Go for it but if it's unseasoned be warned.

Regards Mick

 

[chipmunk]

I've heard that, contrary to expectation, Leylandii is actually pretty good to turn. It makes quite nice hollow forms and is pretty stable.

I hate turning Monkey Puzzle with a vengeance but it has to be done :wink: ...but if you think that wet sap from conventional conifers is horrible - try monkey puzzle bark/sap.

Jon

 

[renderer01]

Yep I would agree with other comments made here, some softwood is decent to turn and not actually soft at all by the way, as has been said yew is a softwood and can be extremely hard.
You could always log it and split it and leave it to part season. My wife likes leylandii turned because it gives a lovely smell in the house for weeks or months and it does finish ok. But the sap and resin are not pleasant lol, if you wear glasses buy some methylated spirit you will need it.

Rend.

 

[n0legs]

Thanks all
I think I'll give it a go.
I'll chop it and dry it for a bit before getting it on the lathe, I'd better load up on the meths as well :lol:
I'll do a little WIP when I start.

 

[MARK.B.]

If you are going to cut it down then do it now as the sap content will be at its lowest during the winter and will increase again in the spring.Even though they are a evergreen they still semi shut down in the winter. Have just cut down 3 decent sized leylandii and they had far less sap in them than a couple that i cut down in august from the same garden. They will burn really well in a log burner ( if burning on a open fire a decent firescreen is a must) Best to leave for at least a year or longer if you can if cut in the spring/summer before burning or you will get a heavy build up of soot (Santa dont like a mucky chimney)and it can be a sod to split larger pieces (hydraulic log splitter is a help) .Have never done any turning so i dont know what its like to use on a lathe..

 

[Zeddedhed]

Pretty much all conifer wood is excellent for getting fires going when dried and split. In Canada they call it 'fat wood' I believe. We use it to get our wood burner going when things are a bit cold and damp and once lit it goes like a rocket - sometimes literally.

 

[Bodrighy]

Yew and Leylandii aren't conifers. Being picky LOL. Most conifers, as said tend to be full of resin but if you get really old pine it can be OK. Needs to be dry and well seasoned though. Leylandii, when dry is lovely to turn and can have some beautiful colours in it. Monkey puzzle turns OK but needs sanding to get a good finish as it tends to rip off the tool however sharp they are.

Pete

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Leylandii is a cypress and bears cones, hence it is a conifer. Yew is classed as a conifer because of it's evolutionary relationships, although it doesn't bear cones.

 

[Bodrighy]

Leylandii is a cypress and bears cones, hence it is a conifer. Yew is classed as a conifer because of it's evolutionary relationships, although it doesn't bear cones.

I stand corrected regarding the leylandii, yew however is debatable and it depends on what botanists you ask. Whatever makes no difference, both are lovely woods to turn, based on personal experience LOL.

pete

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

My competition entry for December is turned from an old Christmas tree from three or so years ago. It was very knotty, but OK to turn with very sharp tools. Whether it will ever have salt & pepper in it is anyone's guess.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A bit of old xmas tree is fine when you spruce it up a bit.

 

[Spindle]

Just what it's fir

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Oh dear... I wooden have expected bad puns on this subject....