Salt Cedar

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ryannmphs

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Anybody ever heard of it? My parents, who are snowbirds, stopped by on their way back north and dropped of some. Not a lot of usable wood, mostly firewood, but I managed to get 4 banks. The one on the left has a little bit of BLO to show the grain.



200541931210_SaltCedar.jpg


I'm hopeing that it will turn like some cedar I have turned in the past.

My parents also dropped off some mesquite that I hope to be able to get some pen & spndle banks out of.

Ryan


edited: Here's some info onthe "noxious weed" http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/aqua013.html
 
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Thanks Jim. Once I get my lathe running again ($*(^&*$#& Delta POS) I'll be doing some catch up turning so these might have to wait a while.

Ryan
 
I know how that goes; don't feel bad. I burned out the motor on my original lathe only 3 pens into my addiction! Oh well...gave me a chance to get something better! :) Hopefully yours won't require such drastic measures.

Good luck!
 
Well, I've had this lathe for less than a year (got it from my BIL, who wasn't using it) and the starter capacitor went out. The thing is my BIL never used the lathe and my wife got it for him brand new!! Last December the motor in my Delta TS went belly up. Now I'm still trying to get the funds to either repair it (new motor from Delta is $200), or sell it as is for minimal $$ and try to buy a new/used one that is better.

Must sell more pens!!!

Ryan
 
Been there....around ten pens into my new hobby and I had the speed spindle on my shopsmith come flying apart. Many pieces everywhere inside the houseing. Was down for almost two weeks. SUCKS! Make sure to show us some pics when you get those blanks turned. Real curious to see how they come out.
 
Originally posted by ryannmphs
<br />Anybody ever heard of it? My parents, who are snowbirds, stopped by on their way back north and dropped of some. Not a lot of usable wood, mostly firewood, but I managed to get 4 banks. The one on the left has a little bit of BLO to show the grain.

My brother bought me some back from Arizona and I was not able to use it. The pieces were smaller and there was no grain like in yours. Also it was very porus. Good Luck!

200541931210_SaltCedar.jpg


I'm hopeing that it will turn like some cedar I have turned in the past.

My parents also dropped off some mesquite that I hope to be able to get some pen & spndle banks out of.

Ryan


edited: Here's some info onthe "noxious weed" http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/aqua013.html
Click to expand...
 
Back to the salt cedar. If you don't have SS pipes I don't suggest you burn it. It is all over the place in my part of the country. I have been meaning to go harvest some. It has a very high salt content (just taste it). It also has a very high silica content. It will dull a chain saw quicker then anything I have ever cut (including mesquite). Make sure you clean and oil any steel it touches or it will rust. But it is beautiful and it is on my list of "local" wood to harvest. BTW it is from Iran.

http://www.earlham.edu/~biol/desert/invasive.htm
 
Thanks for all the tips. I just got an order for 4 designers today and one of these blanks will be one of the orders, hopefully. There is a backup blank already selected should I decide that the wood will not turn out good enough.

Ryan
 
Obviously your parents were in AZ! Salt Cedar grows mostly by the washes here and is usually quite bushy. It is hard to get a good sized piece unless someone has cared for it and kept it watered. Then it will get huge. Some of the old farms had them around the house for shade. It is usually quite light in color and kinda blah. You have some nice blanks there and it turns very much like any other cedar. On the other hand the mesquite is very hard and usually required sharp tools. It is also different from the cultivated mesquite that some blanks come from.
 
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