The 75+ year old apricot tree, a remnant of one of the many orchards that covered Silly Cone Valley, up against the roof at the rear of the shop is finally getting "modified". The shop's getting reroofed and I'm not going to be pruning it back two or three times a year and cleaning up the "stuff" it drops on the comp shingles.
Out of respect for the tree, I'm saving much of the stuff
3+ inches in diameter and at least 10" long that can be turned on the lathe or sawn up into boards. Fruitwood, almost any except loquat, is just to nice to waste.Roughing the small stuff to round has been interesting, all prior turning experience being with dried wood. Kind of nice having ribbons of wood stream off the shearing edge once you get things close to round. And the wood has some interesting almost black discoloration as well as some nice grain. When dry much of it will probably be less prominent but it's pretty to look at "green".
Sealed the ends of the roughed rounds with waxy shellac residue - the stuff you decant the clear shellac from when working with button lac. Roll them up in paper, a few rubber bands and label each with Apricot and today's date. Figure by spring they'll be ready to turn into little vases and such.
This turning thing allows even small pieces of semi precious wood to become something pleasing to the eye and perhaps even functional - with lucck.
Fun stuff woodworking
charlie b