Types of Wood For Turning?

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I am shipping an item to a turner and would like to fill the box up with cut offs for turning. What wood is good for turning? Does figured cherry work? Birds eye maple? Figured maple? QSWO?

Thanks
JEff

[gerti]

If it were me: Love turning cherry (btw green cherry smells unbelievably good while turning). Did use a lot of quilted maple (firewood!) and got some beautiful things out of. Don't know about birds eye, not sure how that would look turned. I turned some oak, turns well enough but doesn't finish all that great and personally I do not care for the look of turned oak.

Hope that helps!

[Jeffrey Schronce]

It does help. In my mind you would want the highest figured most interesting pieces. Just wasnt sure how they turned ie is birds eye maple a nightmare? Does qswo retain its unique character or look like a piece of plane old oak?

[Anna]

I'm still new to turning, but there are tricks in turning highly figured woods. I turned a maple burl pen, and had to keep adding CA glue to keep it from blowing up.

Looking at the turning projects in the online forums, I think the preference is towards wood with high figure or interesting grain. Especially for small pieces. Tight grains are also good because they can become nice and shiny easier than large-pored woods.

But I'm pretty sure whoever you are sending the cutoffs to will appreciate whatever he/she gets.

Anna

[Jeffrey Schronce]

But I'm pretty sure whoever you are sending the cutoffs to will appreciate whatever he/she gets.

Anna

Well his/her package is going out today so you . . . . I meant he/she should receive shortly!

[Anna]

Well his/her package is going out today so you . . . . I meant he/she should receive shortly!

He/she must be so happy to see the PayPal shipping information in his/her email this morning.

Heh.

Thanks. Looking forward to it.

Anna

[jackellis]

I have a bunch of ash and walnut purchased at various times, mostly for larger projects. How do these woods turn? I'd much rather make something from the cutoffs than use them for kindling.

[Tom Hintz]

I haven't found many woods that can't be turned into something nice. All of the turners I know may have favorite woods but will turn anything that isn't nailed down at the moment if the turning stock is low.
I had a chunk of figured maple that looke goofy when I started but as the shape was cut, it came out great. that's one of the things about turning, you never really know whats inside until you get there.

[Russianwolf]

Does qswo retain its unique character or look like a piece of plane old oak?

It would depend on the orientation.

If you have a 2x2x24 with the rays on one of the 2 inch sides, then yes, it would be the same as turning a piece of flatsaw WO since any 2x2 piece of WO will have at least one QS orientation (unless it is cut with the pith as the center).

If you have a 12x12x2 platter blank and the rays are on one of the 12 inch faces, then no, you will still have the QSWO character on the entire face and bottom.