Crabapple tree

[toyotaman]

I am thinking about cutting down a crabapple tree in my yard and was wondering if it would be good for turnings. I've not used it before and the tree just makes a mess in the yard with the crabapples all over.The trunk is about the size of a 5 gallon bucket. I haven't made up my mind yet. Any opinions?

 

[Lenny]

"Spalted" crabapple is one of my favorites .... Does it have any spalting?

 

[D.Oliver]

It's pretty hard and turns well. Some of it has great colors. Be prepared to seal it very soon after cutting though. The stuff I cut was very prone to checking and splitting. I thought is was very simiiar wood to that of a regular apple tree.

 

[MrWright]

I had the same problem with the crabapple tree in the back yard. I extended my patio out to under the tree and boy did the little apples make a mess of it the first drop. So I cut it down, pretty flowers, but real messy. That was in October 2011. I have turned some small pieces and liked the results. Did not use CA as I did not think the wood was dry enough. Used the Dr's method and the results was good. I plan on sawing the larger stuff later on this summer. So--cut it down as the mess and labor cleaning it is a challange. I left the stump three feet high and put a planter of flowers on it so I didn't have to dig out the stump. It does turn good and looks like a nice wood pen.

 

[GoatRider]

What a coincidence, I just got off the phone with a landscaper asking him for a bid to take down 2 flowering crabs in my yard. They don't fruit, so all I get is a week or two of pretty flowers, and then cleaning up the apple-scab infested leaves for the rest of the year.
I plan on having them cut out the trunk to use for making bowls later. I'll have a jar of sealer ready to go when they get here.
I might take some pieces and set them end-grain down on the ground. I've read that's how you "make" spalted wood. I accidentally did it with a silver maple branch last year, and got some mildly spalted maple. I'll do it longer this time.

 

[toyotaman]

"Spalted" crabapple is one of my favorites .... Does it have any spalting?

No spalting. It's still full of little apples and the limbs are hanging down in the way of mowing and I think its time for it to go. I've got wood spalting all over the yard now so I guess one more species will not hurt. Spalting wood is easy and I usually get great results.

 

[low_48]

My opinion on crab apple is that it makes a better wood for bowls and vessels than pens. The heart wood ages to a rather dull reddish brown. It does not have the pop that apple does. You can get a nice contrast between the sapwood and heartwood, but that dullness of the heartwood doesn't do anything for me. You can turn it really thin for bowls, and let it warp like a potato chip.