Magnolia Wood

Re: Magnolia Wood

Jim Barbour

I have turned some, and found it soft and prone to tear-out. Keep your tools extra sharp and take light cuts. It is an interesting wood, not my favorite by a long shot, but worth the effort. Crotches are particularly nice.

Re: Magnolia Wood

Mike Stafford

Definitely a softer timber. Scraping is not an option.

Some of the most spectacular colors and patterns in spalting I have seen from storm downed magnolia.

Re: Magnolia Wood

Karl_TN

Last week I dried a magnolia lidded box (turned end grain) in the microwave. It hasn't warped or cracked like I expected. I've seen some real pretty goblets made from Magnolia. The trick is picking out a form that exposes the growth rings like this one from Brenda Stein in Nashville.

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/brenda-stein-nashville-woodturner/

Hard and brittle when dry

Aage Rendalen

It has the widest annual rings of any wood I know and as you can see in the picture above, it can be used to great effect. It turns great, but a dry blank is way to brittle for my liking. Turning it green is very doable and it retains its white color quite well.

Re: Hard and brittle when dry

John K Jordan

I have some magnolia left from a slab from a 300 year old tree, a casualty of hurricane Katrina. It is beautiful with contrasty blacks, browns, and lighter wood. It is dry and turns cleanly, no tearout or problems with what I've used so far.

JKJ