turning plum

[wee willie]

Has anyone ever turned plum before . I have an old sugar plum tree that lost a couple of branches a year or so ago and i just let them lie in the ditch. Wondered if it would be worthwhile taking them out and cutting them to see.

 

[Old Griz]

Plumb is a real pretty wood... in fact just about all the fruit woods turn nice... the couple of pieces I have had came from a grove in Washington State and had a distinct purple tinge to them... made a couple of DT Euros that sold instantly to women...

 

[lkorn]

Of course its worth cutting into. You may or may not like what you find, but take a look. That only costs a little time.

 

[DCBluesman]

I haven't turned sugar plum, but the ornamental plums are beautiful. Give it a look!

 

[woodwish]

Most fruit woods split and check badly but if these have been around a while they should be dry enough to at least see how they work. I have had some good luck making pens and bottle stoppers out of a big plum that blew down in Hurricane Ivan, but have had no luck in turning bowls without cracks. Pens are small enough that there is not as much stress as a bigger piece. I have found that I can make pens of about anything, but not all woods will make bigger items. Not much grain in plum but pretty colors.

 

[penhead]

Plum turns nice and gives you a nice, soft mellow looking pen...great for the ladies..!
Just downright plum pretty[]

 

[wee willie]

just went out and was able to break 4" branches in half, seems to be a lot of sawdust in the centre and not much of anything else, there was some nice colour,wish I had gotten to them earlier. Oh well I still have a couple of broken lilac branches to remove so will check them out. Now lets see I still have the Cherry and Apple trees, ah maybe those wouldn't go over too well. I may take the 2" dia maple( I put in the fire pit to burn last year and never did)and see what it looks like.

 

[rtjw]

I have turned plum and they make a pretty pen. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.