Mulberry - good for turning?

Re: Mulberry - good for turning?

Mike Schwing from Md.

>It can be very pretty but extremely hard to keep from cracking. If it were me, I'd check it out for burls, they seem to have them pretty often. If no burls, I'd leave it. It is very bright yellow when wet and can be easily confused (I have) with osage orange at first, but it darkens rapidly with exposure to oxygen.

double check on the cracking.

tdaniel

>

Re: Mulberry - good for turning?

MP Wall

>I've turned some and liked it. It is a bit difficult to keep from checking but it can be managed. It starts out vibrant yellow but darkens down to a chocolate brown over time. It usually has wide growth rings. It takes a high polish when sanded. You can always burn it for firewood if you dont like it. The crotches should be interesting and there are usually lots of them on a mulberry. MP Wall

Rough it out quick

Dave Smith, Longview, WA

>Hi Jim,

I have turned a bit of mulberry and I have had good success limiting cracks by using the alcohol drying process. Seal the ends of the pieces as soon as possible. I usually stop and seal pieces before loading them into the truck. If you can cut them in half in the field and seal all cut faces it will help eliminate stress in the pieces. I think mulberry is worth turning, epically end grain hollow forms.

Good luck.

Dave Smith

Doing yard work in balmy Longview, WA.

Re: Mulberry - good for turning?

John Lucas

>Mulberry is pretty. I haven't had any bad checking problems. I check the log carefully and if it's too checked I cut it up to be used for ornaments or boxes. I seal the ends and put them up to dry if I'm going to use them for boxes, pens etc.

It's a good wood to play with and certainly worth getting. Worst case scenario is becomes firewood.

Re: Mulberry - good for turning?

keith zimmerman, Normal, IL

>The first wood I ever turned was mulberry. I really like turning. After almost three years, the wood is still yellow and has not darkened. Mulberry spalts to a deep chocolate brown and creates an interesting contrast with the yellow wood. I have had very few problems with checking after sealing the wood.

I would get the wood and enjoy turning it.

keithz