Cypress wood

[Mariner1]

I found a source That I can get some cypress recovered from a sunken schooner. Working on a ship I thought it would be nice to make everyone in the engineroom a pen made from it for Christmas. The question is, what is cypress like to turn and can it even be turned. Also what extra things would you have to do to turn it, i.e. special tools or procedures. The place that I am wanting to buy from specializes in exotic flooring and furniture so the wood should be good quality.

What do you all think, should I buy a board of it or not.

Thanks
Karl

 

[hewunch]

Cypress is soft. It will turn to dust instead of ribbons. Thin ca will harden it some. Just be careful not to be too aggressive.

 

[Mariner1]

Cypress is soft. It will turn to dust instead of ribbons. Thin ca will harden it some. Just be careful not to be too aggressive.

Thanks, thats what I needed to know. I will probably have to put some CA on it then try not to use my usual heavy handed methods.

Karl

 

[fernhills]

I have turned Cypress, had no issues with it, have lots of it around. It makes a handsome pen. It turns like somewhere between pine or cherry. Carl

 

[GColeman]

I made 10 cypress pens for a friend. The wood was from the family home. The wood was very dry but not hard to turn. Like the other guys said it is soft so be careful sanding or you will sand off too much.

 

[KenV]

I have not turned cypress -- but wood that has been underwater - especially marine water for a long time is not the same as that on dry terra firma - And I have messed around with some of that.

Expect some debris/silts and soft spots -- may be more like dust than wood.

The dust will have salts in it so clean it up so it does not get into metals -- chloride contamination is rust forever.

 

[clapiana]

Cypress is similar to working with pine. I use it for my beehives in that it's a great outdoor wood hmmmm maybe I should make some blanks out of my old hives

 

[sbwertz]

I turn quite a bit of cypress, a friend gave me a bunch from cypress knees in Fl.

I find it turns very much like aromatic red cedar.

 

[Mariner1]

I have not turned cypress -- but wood that has been underwater - especially marine water for a long time is not the same as that on dry terra firma - And I have messed around with some of that.

Expect some debris/silts and soft spots -- may be more like dust than wood.

The dust will have salts in it so clean it up so it does not get into metals -- chloride contamination is rust forever.

I am holding out hope that since the company that has the wood sells it as flooring and makes furniture from it. That they will have done something to stabalize it and cleaned it up some. at least I am hoping for this, otherwise I will get my chance to work with resin so I can enclose it in a blank.

It is nice to hear that, assuming it is cleaned up and stabalized, it turns easy as I am just starting out. hopefully I can get it and make some pens before heading back to the ship and work.:frown:

Karl