Cedar good for turning?

[Major Canuk]

I have to cut down some cedars trees. They are about 20 feet tall and about

4 to 5 inch in diamater. If I ket it dry, would it be any good to turn on a lathe? Has anyone ever done this? TIA

[Kevin]

I've turned a few bowls of, well perhaps not true cedar but juniper. Hey, it looked and smelled lilke cedar. The wood was rather soft and sharp tools were necessary. Nice coloration on the finished product.

[BRuce]

turns ok but catches more easily than harder woods. respirator necessary and the shop does smell good afterward. fished pieces are conversation pieces due to the coloration.

BRuce

Major Canuk wrote:

[J T]

Fri, May 28, 2004, 4:54pm [e-mail] (Major=A0Canuk) has to ask: I have to cut down some cedars trees. They are about 20 feet tall and about 4 to 5 inch in diamater. If I ket it dry, would it be any good to turn on a lathe? Has anyone ever done this?

Like those guys said.

Never done it with cedar. Because I've not had any. Did with some soft pine, about the same results. Made a handy, usable, light, mallet, for wood carbing. I'd do it again.

My motto (one of 'em) is, if it's free wood take it, then figure out what to do with it later. If someone gave me a chunk of balsa, I'd be willing to try turning it, if I thought I wanted something turned out of it. If it worked, great. If not, maybe I'd do better next time.

JOAT "106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses." - Elwood

"Hit it." - Joliet Jake

[Grandpa]

Mega envy on my part, they'd make a really nice half of a chess set.

Grandpa

Major Canuk wrote:

[Robert Galloway]

Isn't Juniper the same thing as Eastern Red Cedar?

rhg

Kev> I've turned a few bowls of, well perhaps not true cedar but juniper. Hey, it

[Dave Balderstone]

Juniper is a shrub, not a tree... at least here in Canada.

djb

[Charlie Self]

Dave Balderstone notes:

Juniperus virginiana is eastern redcedar. Small tree, 20 to 50 feet, no more than 2 feet in diameter, except on good soil. Biggest specimens are 4 feet in diameter and more than 100 feet tall, but those trees are ancient. Aromatic cedar. Works, turns and carves nicely (but plan for the knots). It can be shrub-like and is a PITA in some pastures that don't get extensive use.

Charlie Self "The test and the use of man's education is that he finds pleasure in the exercise of his mind." Jacques Barzun

[George]

Other things grow get stunted in that climate, too, eh?

Lots of different Juniperus spp. Eastern red cedar happens to be one. What the op likely had, given climate, was eastern white - Thuja occidentalis. Notice neither of these "cedars" are Cedrus spp ?