Muscadine Grape Vine

[bitshird]

I finally got a 13.3 MM drill bit, to make a few Churchill's I had laying around then I started looking for something to turn, Well I had cut up some vine a few days ago, my band saw sucks, so I started turning down this 2"x 6" chunk of vine, I got it turned down to about an inch then drilled it, found a few worm tracks a few small pin holes and some wild grain, got the tubes in so now wait until tomorrow morning to finish turning them, I have to figure out a way of squaring some of this stuff up so I can soak it in PR, some is so checked it's nearly in two pieces, and some has several wide checks crossing each other, this will make some striking worthless wood blanks, I was surprised at the density of the vine, it's about as hard as cedar, maybe a bit harder but more porous, I'll post a picture tomorrow when I get it turned.

 

[stevers]

Like to see it. I don't see much vine turned. Always looking for something new.

 

[Paul Downes]

Yer swipein one of my mystery woods. i have turned a few wild grape pens. They have some promising looking wood. I just cut a thick vine the other day and was thinking about soaking some fresh cut blanks in LDD to attempt to keep them from those gargantuan checks. I'll keep you posted.

 

[papaturner]

I have turned a number of muscadine vines, the aroma is sweet and they turned really nice. Good luck with your go at it.


Perry

 

[Hosspen]

I've turned several. I think it's best to get it completely dry before drilling it to avoid those wide cracks that split open as it dries. It has a very open grain. I have used brown shoe polish as a filler to really help the grain show better. I finish with CA Glue, but that's just me. The finished pen looks a lot like Live Oak to me. The bigger the vine of course the bigger the unchecked chunks you get after it's dried. I hope this helps, Good luck turnin'

 

[jskeen]

I sure hope this stuff is plentiful where you guys are harvesting it. I can't help thinking of all that potential homemade wine you guys are killing

 

[Hosspen]

jskeen,
I realize that was a joke but just in case others didn't catch it...I never harvest any live grape vines, but pick up the pieces the loggers leave when they harvest the trees the vines grew in. Wild musquedine wine isn't a popular drink anymore (in these parts of Carolina anyway) If you're ever up this way in October You're welcome to come viist and we'll gather you up a mess of these tasty wild grapes. They have a thick hull and make great jelly too. It's almost as good as that Blue Bell ice-cream with Texas pecans but I regress [