Picked up a load of "firewood" from the Botanic Garden in Aberdeen yesterday. A lot of it is freshly felled laburnum, ranging in size from 4 to 6" diameter by 2 feet long up to 8+inch diameter by a foot or so. No shakes or cracks yet. It's more than I shall ever need, so if anyone in the area wants some of it in exchange for a donation to the Garden, pm me.
Some nice pieces of laburnum
- Thread starter dickm
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Random Orbital Bob
Established Member
you have to love it don't you..."firewood".....sacrilege 
nicguthrie
Established Member
Laburnum is one of my absolute favourite UK woods, and I've had some in the past from a local tree surgeon. From experience it does have a tendency to appear fine as it dries then crack suddenly, also a tendency to having rot pockets travelling along the very very centre.
I'd love to take some off you at a reasonable donation, but although I'm only about 60 miles away(Elgin), I have no transport of my own other than a bicyle, and one broken arm (due to an argument recently with said bicycle) which as you can imagine, is stunting my turning just a bit!
If you manage to get it to dry and use it, I'd love to see the results - will help push me to start turning again as sin as I'm back to two handed
I'd love to take some off you at a reasonable donation, but although I'm only about 60 miles away(Elgin), I have no transport of my own other than a bicyle, and one broken arm (due to an argument recently with said bicycle) which as you can imagine, is stunting my turning just a bit!
If you manage to get it to dry and use it, I'd love to see the results - will help push me to start turning again as sin as I'm back to two handed
My consultant vascular surgeon gave me this piece - he takes my limbs and digits and gives me bits of wood ...
:lol: :lol: :lol:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Anyone who has never turned it and lives in reaching distance, grab some - it's beautiful stuff to turn.
Lons
Established Member
Hmmm....I have 2 laburnum trees in my garden, wonder if the missus would miss one?
Hi Dick,
How far north of Aberdeen are you???
Peter.
How far north of Aberdeen are you???
Peter.
BearTricks
Established Member
There's a road near me called Laburnum Road. I assume the front gardens used to be lined with laburnums but they should probably rename it Pitbull Road these days.
I don't know about being easy to turn. I have a few blocks that just laugh at me and blunt my tools. I'm wondering if they're something similar but infinitely harder.
I don't know about being easy to turn. I have a few blocks that just laugh at me and blunt my tools. I'm wondering if they're something similar but infinitely harder.
Have already promised most of the laburnum that I collected, but have emailed the Curator of the Garden to book the rest of the laburnum that is in the heap. If I get more, will post on here again.
custard
Established Member
Good find Dick. In the Arts & Crafts tradition the really dark heartwood Laburnum was often paired with Holly instead of Ebony for stringing and inlay. Apart from Bog Oak the darker heartwood Laburnum is just about the darkest timber you'll find naturally in the UK.
Laburnum was also used at the end of the 17th century as veneered "oysters" where slices are taken through small logs so the end grain is exposed, like on this top,
There may however be a problem with toxicity. The seed pods are known to be extremely poisonous and some authorities claim every part of the Laburnum tree is poisonous to some extent.
So much as I like the look and tradition of Laburnum, I don't use it commercially in my commissioned furniture. I'm sceptical about the more scaremongering claims, but I still don't want the risk of someone with heightened sensitivity coming into contact with it. In my personal work however I do use it, but generally in smaller amounts for things like inlay and cross banding.
Laburnum was also used at the end of the 17th century as veneered "oysters" where slices are taken through small logs so the end grain is exposed, like on this top,
There may however be a problem with toxicity. The seed pods are known to be extremely poisonous and some authorities claim every part of the Laburnum tree is poisonous to some extent.
So much as I like the look and tradition of Laburnum, I don't use it commercially in my commissioned furniture. I'm sceptical about the more scaremongering claims, but I still don't want the risk of someone with heightened sensitivity coming into contact with it. In my personal work however I do use it, but generally in smaller amounts for things like inlay and cross banding.
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Reviving this thread because I picked up a further load yesterday. It's taken longer than I hoped to get it, so there are now some end shakes in the pieces, but as they are mostly 2 to 3 feet long, there's plenty of useable material there. Happy to drop some off in Northern Aberdeenshire, or, as I'm off that way next week, anywhere down towards Brechin.
Otherwise, I suspect the Mackay may be poised to swoop!
Otherwise, I suspect the Mackay may be poised to swoop!
