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Received some mulberry logs yesterday, so today I cut some rounds on the bandsaw. Got to thinking I don't remember seeing anyone post about turning mulberry.
Am I wasting my time making bowl blanks out of this mulberry?
"I tried being reasonable..........I didn't like it." Clint Eastwood
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(09-14-2018, 04:09 PM)Bill Holt Wrote: Received some mulberry logs yesterday, so today I cut some rounds on the bandsaw. Got to thinking I don't remember seeing anyone post about turning mulberry.
Am I wasting my time making bowl blanks out of this mulberry?
No waste at all. Several years ago I posted a natural edge bowl and vase and I love the stuff. I have one now that needs to come out that is 19" or more at the base and looking forward to turning it also.
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification. Thank You Everyone.
It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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I made a set of chisel handle for my daughter a few years ago. I like it. the bright yellow will turn brown over time I'm told.
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Rodney
I did a test 4 years ago with SPF80 on wood turnings to keep the colors as long as possible. I did the test on Padauk, Mulberry, Red Heart, Purple Heart, and Yellow Heart.
On the one with Padauk I only put one coat on and no more and after 4 years it is starting to fade a little bit. The test on the others I put the SPF on every year and so far it is as vibrant as the day I turned them.
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification. Thank You Everyone.
It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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(09-14-2018, 04:09 PM)Bill Holt Wrote: Received some mulberry logs yesterday, so today I cut some rounds on the bandsaw. Got to thinking I don't remember seeing anyone post about turning mulberry.
Am I wasting my time making bowl blanks out of this mulberry?
Mulberry is fairly unstable depending on what you want to do with it. If you research the tree it is one of the most allergenic trees in the country. For me the wood caused all kinds of allergy problems.
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Several years ago got dome pretty nice mulberry logs after a storm. Very hard to turn wet ended up with one very small bowl. Stored incorrectly and and lost a lot of bowl blanks. Ended up turning several pens and xmas ornaments after processing bowl blanks into spiindle blanks and allowing wood to reach EMC.
Mulberry is a fruit bearing tree and if not: end sealed, and stored correctly it will crack and split even then need little luck too. Once reaches EMC not bad to turn.
Mulberry very similar to Osage Orange! If placed blank of Mulberry & Osaage Orange side by side can not tell the difference looking at end grain or side grain. Freshly cut pretty yellow eventually will darken to brown. My pens & ornaments finished with lacquer now a nice brown.
Bill
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Well now you guys have gone and done it!
Obviously the wood I have is not mulberry. The wood is soft, mostly white-ish, the center third being gray. I am very familiar with Osage and there are no similarities!
Several trees were cut and piled at the edge of a lot. My son and I loaded a few logs then tried to compare the loaded log bark to near by trees and that is how we guessed mulberry.
You guys are no help but a lot of help at the same time. Wish I had a way to post pictures!!!!!!!!!
"I tried being reasonable..........I didn't like it." Clint Eastwood
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(09-19-2018, 04:16 PM)Bill Holt Wrote: Well now you guys have gone and done it!
Obviously the wood I have is not mulberry. The wood is soft, mostly white-ish, the center third being gray. I am very familiar with Osage and there are no similarities!
Perhaps cottonwood? Is it stringy?
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(09-19-2018, 06:05 PM)bbrickey Wrote: Perhaps cottonwood? Is it stringy?
No Mulberry is not like Cottonwood. We had a old cotton wood fall down this year that was over 8' at the base. I turned a few bowls and a vase (I should say started all of them) and like you said Cotton wood is stringy by still cuts nicely and with my tools always sharp it is never a problem even when I do pine or ceder.
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification. Thank You Everyone.
It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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I guess "stringy" is a fitting description.
Thank you. I just love it when every body is smarter than me so all I have to do is ask!!!!!!!!!!
"I tried being reasonable..........I didn't like it." Clint Eastwood
