I removed 2 nice sized crape myrtle bushes out of my back yard yesterday and there is plenty of potential for blanks. My questions are has anyone used this before? Did you dye it? Did it have to be stabilized? and how was the character or the grain?
I made this one about this time last year & I've seen several others posted from time to time.
This one was from the previous year's prunings - I simply cut & drilled a twig that was a little over 1/2" then turned, sanded & finished it with friction polish. No dying and no stabilizing. It turned like butter and polished up great. Being twig wood, it's all sap wood but that knot gives it some nice character.
If you have a whole bush to work with, you should be able to get some very nice blanks. I have two trees that are about 35 years old & one of them is going to have to come out due to overcrowding - it's got a nice gnarly base that I'm looking forward to cutting into.
Have fun & be sure to post some photos of what you come up with.