demo ornament

Sweet

Ellis Walentine

You've really got that finial thing down, Keith. Speaking of hard dense woods, I was playing around with some square-bark euonymus (Euonymus alatus -- burning bush) and I can't believe how creamy and dense it is, practically like boxwood. It holds spindle detail like you wouldn't believe. Worth a look.

Gorgeous work as usual. Thanks for posting. This would be a nice addition to your WoodCentral Gallery page.

Ellis

Spectacular as always!

lovely

GaryG in MD

Your finials/icicles always look great right side up or upside down.

And that's the point, isn't it? ;-)

Great work, as always, GG

Re: Sweet

Keith Tompkins

Thanks Boss! I have turned burning bush....awesome stuff! I will post in the gallery section...thanks again!

Re: lovely

Keith Tompkins

Thanks Don and Gary,

Much appreciated!

Re: Winged Spindle-Tree Questions

William Duffield

I saw the spindle you had turned from the Euonymus, and I was very impressed with the clear color, the extremely tight grain and the sharp details. The old one growing right outside my shop is now feeling very threatened. I assume you used a large enough piece of wood that you avoided the pith and the sapwood? Mine looks like there would be a lot of waste. How long did you need to season it before you turned it? (Can I assume you didn't turn it green?)

This shrub is considered a noxious invasive, and it's planting, cultivation and propagation are prohibited in some states, including MA.

http://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3023#maps

thanks for the 'invasive' warning

GaryG in MD

I love the Fall color and was thinking about planting one.

No longer! ...GG

Actually...

Ellis Walentine

..if I'm not mistaken, that little spindle you saw was turned spindle style from a section of green wood. I never harvested anything bigger than two or three inches in diameter, so it must have contained the pith. I'll have another look and get back to you.

Ellis

Re: thanks for the 'invasive' warning

Ellis Walentine

We have a lot of volunteer euonymus on our property, and it is indeed considered an invasive plant. I planted a couple in a prominent spot in our yard many years ago and haven't had any trouble with it spreading or propagating, although who knows where the birds might have deposited the seeds. I don't pretend to know much about invasive species, so by all means an ounce of prevention might be worth it.

Ellis

Re: Actually...

William Duffield

I figure it is worth asking, because mine is almost all the same size branches as yours. The larger diameter trunks, which are twisted, are less than a foot tall, so I would have to take the whole thing down to get any larger turning stock.

Regarding invasiveness, I don't find any seedlings of it on my property, but maybe there's something wrong with it, because it doesn't produce berries. I have plenty of other invasive species, including multifloral roses, bush honeysuckle, English ivy, Paulownia, mulberry, black locust and zelkova trees, garlic mustard, autumn olive, etc., so there's nothing wrong with the soil or other environmental factors.