Cedar limb

[Big]

When hurricane Ivan hit Pensacola a few years ago we were very busy for weeks clearing the downed limbs and trees from people's yards. One lady had an old Cedar tress that came down and I saved a limb from that tree. I think originally I had intended to "whittle" on it and make a walking staff but realized that it could be cut up into blanks for turning pens.

With that being said. It is and has been outside my house for the however many years since Ivan just drying out. So, would it still need to be "stabilized" before turning after it is cut into blanks? I have no experience with turning Cedar but have seen lots of furniture made of Cedar and thought it might work well?

Comments, thoughts, and suggestions are most welcome. Thank you all for entertaining my questions and for everything you do to help me out. You are wonderful and amazing group of folks here.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

My dealings with cedar have been good. Everything I used was obtained the same way as yours. I had friends that were clearing trees or I cut limbs to turn. I never stabilized any of them and they turned and finished well. Cedar is a soft wood and I did have to be careful that it dinted easlily and you could almost turn it with just sandpaper. Stabilizing would make it a more durable pen but it still made some pretty pen without it.

 

[scjohnson243]

My dealings with cedar have been good. Everything I used was obtained the same way as yours. I had friends that were clearing trees or I cut limbs to turn. I never stabilized any of them and they turned and finished well. Cedar is a soft wood and I did have to be careful that it dinted easlily and you could almost turn it with just sandpaper. Stabilizing would make it a more durable pen but it still made some pretty pen without it.

Thats good to hear, I own a house on 10 acres full of cedar and hickory, I have yet to turn anything with cedar.

Thanks!

 

[Charlie_W]

Being outside, it may be too wet. Check with a moisture meter and dry in the microwave as needed.... Not your wife's micro!

 

[SDB777]

Having cut, processed and turned more ERC then I care to remember, I can say without doubt if the chunk you have has been outside(not attached to a tree for more then quarter of a year), you won't need any additional drying. Unless it's been in a bucket of water of something...

I've never bothered with stabilizing ERC either....not sure it would be beneficial?
(I'll defer this answer to those have experience with turning ERC that has been done)

ERC likes light cuts with sharp tooling, straight grain is easier to turn then cross grain(think tearout), and some find it better to get close and continue with the 100grit gouge...and that works too.


Here's a non-stabilized cross-cut ERC pen I turned some time ago:




BTW, don't inhale the dust. The particles are very small and will mess your lungs up...bad!






Scott (not bad for a $0.75 blank) B

 

[MikeinSC]

Eastern Red Cedar is resistant to decay and bugs so you shouldn't need to worry about stabilizing it. I've used both denatured alcohol and my oven to dry blanks with. I don't see much of a difference between the two methods.

It's a very soft wood, cuts and sands like a dream and is one of my favorites to use. I think it pairs well with Black Ti.

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