Gloat: free yew

I recently recieved a nice chunk of air dried yew, that has been sitting in a shop for quite some time. I am making something like a plate with high sides and a mug, for when I'm camping. It is the most fun I've had yet, no catches and the wood turns beautifully. No matter how badly I'm turning, the wood is so nice I'm getting big long shavings that smell great. So I've certainly learned that some woods are better then others.

Reply to
Reyd Dorakeen
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I might not be the first to say it, but YEW Suck!

Reply to
Mark Hopkins
*cries and sends another bowl to the stove*

in article XTKLb.8564$ snipped-for-privacy@bignews1.bellsouth.net, Mark Hopkins at snipped-for-privacy@leadersbyexample.com wrote on 1/9/04 8:11 PM:

Reply to
Reyd Dorakeen

Careful there Reyd. Your post brought up a recollection that Yew was not the most healthful wood to be making eating utensils and containers from. You might also take extra precautions to use a breathing mask and shower immediately after working with the wood. Here's the link I found from Cornell University about all kinds of Yew:

Here's the "mother" site listing a whole bunch of N. American poisonous plants and trees:

_____ American Association of Woodturners Cascade Woodturners Assoc., Portland, Oregon Northwest Woodturners, Tigard, Oregon _____

Reply to
Owen Lowe

HA! I was right. My shop teacher insisted it was fine. I don't have a breathing mask, can't afford it and after turning ive got another 5+ hours of school and sports before I get home. Its funny though, it hasn't seemed to bother me, but the mahongany dust made my arms itch quite badly(turned another piece of that before the yew). thanks for the link, looks like its destined to be another shelved bowl. in article snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com, Owen Lowe at snipped-for-privacy@easystreet.com wrote on 1/9/04 9:59 PM:

Reply to
Reyd Dorakeen

Don't eat the leaves, seeds, or twigs and you should be fine.

Reply to
Henry Doolittle

? If I use it for a container for liquid, anything bad in it will go straight into the tea/whatever. and the link said the whole tree is nasty.

in article _GWLb.4524$ snipped-for-privacy@nwrddc02.gnilink.net, Henry Doolittle at snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net wrote on 1/10/04 9:32 AM:

Reply to
Reyd Dorakeen

Finish it if you're worried, IMHO. If you look at the toxicity requirements, it's unlikely that you would be willing to eat that much of it anyway. Much less the amount that might leach through a finish and into a food. I'd have to eat 1/3 of a pound at a sitting, I I doubt that it tastes THAT good. Yew is pretty wood, don't sweat it. Wear a cheapo dust mask if you're worried about it and you can't afford anything better. YMMV.

Dave in Fairfax

Reply to
dave

The same can be said about Black walnut and a lot of other woods. If I am making a container that might contain a liquid I use maple, cherry, oak, or teak. Other woods eather I finish it with a water proof epoxy or warn people not to ues it for holding liquids.

Henry

badly(turned

Reply to
Henry Doolittle

I was not going to put a finish on it, and I wasn't planning to use a mask, I find them annoying and its not making dust. I just don't need an added risk of anything when I'm on the trail, especially not one that is so easy to avoid by making another bowl.

in article snipped-for-privacy@fairfax.com, snipped-for-privacy@fairfax.com at snipped-for-privacy@fairfax.com wrote on 1/10/04 11:26 AM:

Reply to
Reyd Dorakeen

Yew is the stuff with the little red berries filled with gooey ooze, with a black seed at the bottom, right? I've never seen those get anywhere remotely big enough to turn.

It's interesting how things grow differently in different places.

Reply to
Silvan

In england they used to use it for the long bows, it is very stringy strong and beautiful, and one of the slowest growing trees.

in article snipped-for-privacy@giganator.family.lan, Silvan at snipped-for-privacy@users.sourceforge.net wrote on 1/10/04 6:46 PM:

Reply to
Reyd Dorakeen

FYI- It's still used in fine bow making. For them what's interested, google for custom bow makers- some nice work being done. I've got some plans for a sapling I found about 6 years ago- I figure another 4 or 5 years and I'll be able to harvest enough for 3 or 4 longbows. Provided no one beats me to the tree.

ObWoodturning- making arrows- turned shafts with hardwood tips shaped like miniature tops. Silly project for the Archery Director and his staff at camp this coming summer, and it keeps me off the street.

Reply to
Victor Radin

I knew that. Forgot I had that rattling around in my head until you jiggled it out.

So that's the same stuff? The ones I see are just too young to look like trees?

Boxwoods too for that matter. I've never seen one larger than about 2" in diameter at the base of the trunk.

Reply to
Silvan

Hey, that's a neat idea! I have lots of little pieces of branch wood that don't seem too useful for anything, and I bought my son a bow for Christmas.

(A bow he didn't look at, which I stuck into a closet, and which he hasn't asked about yet. So much for the big Daddy present. :( )

Reply to
Silvan

Give the kid a chance - once the warm weather hits, take him out and put some holes in paper targets. They also love shooting at stuff- balloons filled with water, various fruits, things like that.

There's also lots of things that can be done with the odd branchwoods... bottle stoppers, tops, lamp-chain pulls, finials, stick pens, or as last resort very fancy toothpicks.

BTW- I saw your website- You can also use the turned mini-arrows for the Cubs. Present them for the Arrow of Light award, and you'll be remembered as the 'greatest dad ever', and if you really want points- make some for the moms too... a "thanks for letting me be out with the boys" kinda thing.

vic

Reply to
Victor Radin

I wsa gifted with some when the landscape people went and cleard ou the stuff at a local housing complex. It wasn't big, about 4-6" diameter, but I made a mug for my Old Man out of it, because he wanted something that was obviously turned thin. I finished it with, yes, poly, and told him to use it for pens and pencils on the desk but not to drink from it. It probably wouldn't have mattered, but just to be on the safe side, and he's getting on in years so I didn't want to push my luck. The side walls came out thin enough that the light coming through it was kind of a golden color except where there where knots where it was slightly browner. Very pretty and a lot of fun to turn. I wore a mask, I don't like them either, but all particles are bad for your lungs and exotics, walnuts and yew are particularly hazardous.

Dave in Fairfax

Reply to
dave

I dunno, this is a slice of the middle, and its about 8-9 inches accross(something like that) it was the center of the tree, and it wasn't treated at all before drying, and it was cracked quite badly.

in article snipped-for-privacy@giganator.family.lan, Silvan at snipped-for-privacy@users.sourceforge.net wrote on 1/10/04 10:42 PM:

Reply to
Reyd Dorakeen

He's probably wondering where it went, and waiting for you to ask if he wants to do something with it(I did, and often still do)

in article snipped-for-privacy@news.chi.sbcglobal.net, Victor Radin at snipped-for-privacy@NOSPAMameritech.net wrote on 1/11/04 12:58 AM:

Reply to
Reyd Dorakeen

I suppose they could be made 'shootable' using regular plastic nocks and fletching. I've seen both for cheap at walmart in the sporting goods section. Otherwise, I'd just use them for display- Fletch with whatever feathers you can find locally- Blue Jay is great and very common, for your area you should be able to find plenty of hawk or owl, maybe some eagle (only Bald Eagle is restricted), crow. Slice the feather down the shaft center with a razor blade, and superglue it in place. Wild feathers need treatment and cleaning before using, tho. If you're interested email me off-group and I'll send the directions.

Although the flat wood idea if great- using some thin exotics like purpleheart, ebony, things like that... hhhhmmmmmmmmmmm some interesting ideas here. ;-)

/vic

Reply to
Victor Radin

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