Spindle tree...

[nickds1]

Just had to take most of one down and log it...

Very dense... Is it good for anything? (Apart from spindles, toothpicks and skewers, that is...)

 

[Adam W.]

It sounds like an interesting wood for carving.

 

[MARK.B.]

Giggle say's it is very good for carving as it is fine grained but not very durable

 

[stuckinthemud]

Best wood there is for bows. When you say "logs" what length/thickness are we talking?

 

[nickds1]

Best wood there is for bows. When you say "logs" what length/thickness are we talking?

Regrettably they're only about 18" max - the contractor who was removing the bulk of the tree cut it up before I got there - bit annoying though - we had to use a contractor as it was a specialised felling as the tree had fallen over a road.

 

[Adam W.]

What diameter are they ?

 

[nickds1]

Varies: from maybe 3" to 10"+

 

[Adam W.]

The larger diameter stuff would make some nice carving wood.

 

[accipiter]

From the "Treegrowing" website using Google:

Quote: "Spindle produces a fine-grained, easily split wood. It is not particularly durable but has been used to make spindles (hence the common name), knitting needles, skewers and toothpicks. It is also very good for carving.

The charcoal produced from spindle wood is of very high quality and is used by artists.

The whole plant is poisonous."

So carving.... and charcoal... ?

 

[stuckinthemud]

Just love it when someone takes really rare timber and chops it up for firewood

 

[nickds1]

Just love it when someone takes really rare timber and chops it up for firewood

Blame it on the contractor, not me!! He was told to leave it... It is what it is... Little point in "if only..."

Anybody in the Tunbridge Wells/Cranbrook area want a bit, you're welcome...