Is Holly useful for turning?

[woodfarmer]

I have just located a trailer load of holly, but not sure what it would be useful for. mostly in 1.5 metre lengths 20-40cm diameter.

 

[Robbo3]

Yep. Lovely stuff.

IIRC has to be stored (might just be whilst drying) upright to keep its white colour.

 

[AndyT]

+1. Really hard, tight grain which will turn thin edges and fine details. As good as boxwood. Not easy to dry without splits. I've had good results with small diameter branches kept round, for handles etc.

 

[Spindle]

As good as boxwood

Well almost :wink:

Nice tight even grain that takes detail well - the down side is it's rather plain, not having a great deal of figure. Well worth taking the trouble to season though as said it is prone to splitting. It's white colour is a nice contrast when used in conjunction with other woods.

Regards Mick

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

+1 to care on splitting. I've had terrible trouble trying to prevent holly from splits early in the drying process so I recommend apart from the obvious sealing of the end grain that you keep it at least 6 inches over size on either side so you have plenty of waste when you come to turn it after its dried.

 

[marcros]

it must be about the whitest of timbers isnt it- for inlaying etc?

 

[NikNak]

No its terrible.... best to send it all to me and i'll get rid of it for you free of charge... :mrgreen:

 

[tekno.mage]

Holly is a wonderful wood to turn, very fine grained and can be very pale in colour. Having said that, it is one of the worse woods to try and dry without splitting. I've just acquired a large van load of freshly felled holly, some of it about 8 inches in diameter and in long lengths - should be loads of small bowls and boxes in that lot but.... From past experience, probably not, but there will be a lot of lightpulls, crochet hooks and other small items. It's a good wood for green turning - especially if you like the final item to distort a lot.

 

[Dalboy]

I agree a nice wood to turn. I have some stood at the moment and have kept them in long lengths.

I have turned a small piece from wet and it has distorted rather than split

 

[tobytools]

Nice stuff holly, and hard. Even not beautiful when spalted.
I've seen holly used as inlay and it's stunning.

Good for turning.
TT

 

[gasman]

My favourite wood for inlay - straight grained you can bend it a lot and it comes up really white
Mark

 

[renderer01]

Hello All,
I agree with almost all above, its lovely wood but needs care to season, and even with care can be lots of firewood or as someone pointed out very small items like light pulls spoons and spurtles.
I disagree that its without figure and rather plain, unless its kept as white wood, if you store it for a month or 2 in leaf littered woodland and allow it to spalt, it is stunningly beautiful, both colour and pattern. Its one of my favourite woods but I never use it as a white natural wood for a white wood I would rather use a maple type of wood ie sycamore.

Rend.

 

[Spindle]

I disagree that its without figure and rather plain, unless its kept as white wood, if you store it for a month or 2 in leaf littered woodland and allow it to spalt, it is stunningly beautiful, both colour and pattern.

Or

Unless you spalt it holly is a pretty plain and figureless wood :wink:

Mick

 

[tekno.mage]

Not all unspalted holly is plain and figureless - I've had some pieces with very pretty, if subtle, figuring. Oddly, I've just been splitting some holly for firewood - most was either rotten or too twisty and knotty to be useful and found some bits near to where an iron nail had been which had turned bright pink with green streaks! Needless to say, I've squirreled these away to dry as they might make some amazing looking small items - unless they just dry to a dull brown, of course.

 

[Dalboy]

If you find that when you turn it that it is a bit plain then this gives you the opportunity to have a go at texturing or adding colour.

This is the first piece of holly I turned I used it to experiment with colour even though it was not that good

 

[woodfarmer]

Many thanks to all of you for your advice, Maybe I will have a go at getting it.

I had a chance of some boxwood when I went for the Yew, but did not know the French for boxwood then. looked it up when got back Ouch!