Sweetgum

[Snipe Hunter]

Is it of any value to turners? I've got three of them down in my yard. Dia at the trunk was anywhere from 24 to 34 inches. Or is it just better off in the firewood pile? These trees were dropped a few weeks ago. There's some turkey oak and tulip poplar too if any one is interested.

Not much of it is longer than firewood length. All still round and unsplit.

[Arlin Eastman]

I have never turned it before, but what I have seen from others is pretty nice.

Anything from 9 to 18 inches in length is good to use so it can be split and a bowl made to what ever size the thickness is.

Arlin

[Doug_H]

Sweetgum is an attractive and useful wood species, especially heartwood, but is notoriously hard to dry without twisting and warping. It's worth investigating its properties.

If you want to burn it as firewood, cover it and plan to wait 2 years. If you don't cover it it may rot before it dries. Voice of experience.

Try Purdue U extension or just google "properties of sweetgum,"

Doug

[Snipe Hunter]

Thanks Doug. This is some heavy wood.

[MichaelMouse]

Doug_H said:

---

Sweetgum is an attractive and useful wood species, especially heartwood, but is notoriously hard to dry without twisting and warping. It's worth investigating its properties.

If you want to burn it as firewood, cover it and plan to wait 2 years. If you don't cover it it may rot before it dries. Voice of experience.

Try Purdue U extension or just google "properties of sweetgum,"

Doug

---

Not sure where you are in CO, but he's in MD, and keeping wood damp and warm for two years is likely to give nothing but spalt. http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/techli...ground.pdf

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1995/highl95a.pdf It's not too resistant, and his climate fosters decay.

[jerickson]

Does anyone know, is that the same as Red Gum? If so, it's really pretty. I would turn it.

[MichaelMouse]

jerickson said:

---

Does anyone know, is that the same as Red Gum? If so, it's really pretty. I would turn it.

---

Another name for it. Also liquidambar, hazel-pine ....

Pick your favorite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquidambar_styraciflua

There's also a eucalypt called red gum. Aren't common names fun?

[jerickson]

MichaelMouse said:

---

Aren't common names fun?

---

Haha. It does make it confusing for a city guy like me.

[Doug_H]

The heartwood of liquidambar is aka redgum

[Gary G™]

Sweetgum is very difficult to mill and have it dry straight but when it does, it's nice lumber.

The wood from the tree is decent turning timber and spalts nicely.