Fruit Trees?

[Ted1]

Hi, new here, great forum! I need to cut down some old trees in my yard. A peach, an apricot, and an orange. I've heard of apricot being used for pens and bowls, but haven't heard of the others. Will it be worth harvesting and drying any amount of the orange or peach? Should I use any specific drying methods? (I plan on experimenting with DNA for some new elm blanks) I can also trim apple, magnolia, live oak, pecan, fig, mulberry, and sycamore. Any thoughts on any or all?
Thanks
Ted from Sacramento California.

 

[Mark]

I'm new to this, but I'd say go for it.

I have a few pieces of an old Apple tree and several pieces from a Honey Locust tree, I'm drying now. I don't know if anyone would ever care for a pen made out of these woods, but right now I'm turning anything I can just for the learning experience and to see what it looks like. Welcome to the IAP.

As for drying, I cut the pieces I wanted and coated the ends with some latex house paint I had in the garage. They have been sitting on newspaper for about three months in my basement. There are probably much better ways to do it, but I used what I had at the time. I'm certain someone here can tell you the correct way to do it. Good Luck and enjoy.

 

[steveotm]

I have found any fruit wood a pleasure to turn..............:biggrin:

 

[ersRFP]

Ted, shoot me an pm. We are both in Sacramento so maybe I can help you out.

 

[drjpawlus]

Yes, they are beautiful woods. I have used grapefruit, orange, tangerine, all uniquely colored and patterned. Now the peach, never tried it which would make me want to try it even more.

 

[markgum]

Grapefruit, and orange make some great looking pieces.

 

[workinforwood]

I just trimmed my peach tree and scored a few small pieces. Fruit woods tend to go crazy with cracking and warping and twisting while they dry. You want to dry them extra slow. I paint the ends and then put them in a paper bag. So it can breath, but barely. This will dramatically increase the dry time. I'll leave the wood in the bag for several months, then take it out and let it sit in the attic for another year. It's no hurry..it's free wood that you will forget about and then stumble back upon. Just mark on it what it is and when you cut it. If some of it trashes itself, no big deal. There is sure to be some salvageable wood when you are done.

 

[Russianwolf]

here is a Mulberry pen.

Turns beautifully

 

[knifecut]

Don't leave the logs whole/round. The drying will cause large cracks. At least cut the logs in half lengthwise.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I recently did a pen from peach wood that I used in a pen swap... they wood was great to work with and made a beautiful pen. I've also worked with apricot some year back... not had a chance to use orange yet though... free wood is always good, if for nothing else, it can be good practice wood.

 

[hunter-27]

I've turned all of the above except peach, very worth harvesting.

 

[Padre]

I did apple, peach and pear. All came out nice.

 

[elody21]

Hi, new here, great forum! I need to cut down some old trees in my yard. A peach, an apricot, and an orange. I've heard of apricot being used for pens and bowls, but haven't heard of the others. Will it be worth harvesting and drying any amount of the orange or peach? Should I use any specific drying methods? (I plan on experimenting with DNA for some new elm blanks) I can also trim apple, magnolia, live oak, pecan, fig, mulberry, and sycamore. Any thoughts on any or all?
Thanks
Ted from Sacramento California.

YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You should cut some blanks for bowls or boxes. Any fruit wood it great to turn!
Alice