Has anyone turned Madrone (Madrona)? This is not the burl. I got some very nice Madrone, bib enough for some bowls, from a friend in Tacoma. I am curious about other turner's experience with it.
Bob Darrah West Linn, Oregon
Madrone, or Arbutus as it's known north of the 49th can be challenging to work with. Some will state that it is one of the worst timbers for misbehaving, that is, doing as it wishes rather then what you'd like it to. I tend to be one of that "some"
Unfortunately Madrone is very hard to work with. Your best bet would be to just send it back up here to me (near Tacoma).
Actually, I have turned it green, dry, spalted, wane edged, and any other way that I can get it on the lathe. I enjoy working with it but it is a bit interesting in that it will move once you are done if it is green.
I find that sharp tools are a must. It takes a great finish.
It is much easier to work with than scotch broom.
Brian
Brian, I have turned all sizes of Madrone. It works wonderfully with sharp tools when green. Rough it out to 10% wall thickness (10" equals 1" wall) cut the tenon in the bottom for gripping with a chuck. Then boil the blank in a pot for two hours. Gorilla glue will seperate in the boiling water so don't try a glue block. Let it sit it the water until the water cools to room temperature. Then take it out and let the blank dry. If you get surface mold, wipe the surface with a 5:1 dilution of bleach. When it has dried sufficeintly, return the blank to lathe and it finishes up as a beautiful bowl. I've also turned to final thickness before boiling but the piece will go 'oval' on you. Good luck. If you don't want it I'll be glad to take it. Roger
I'm just a newbie with my lathe, and I'm using Madrona for practice wood. I find it turns very easily, I'm getting great results and a clean finish. The problem I've got is that madrona cracks when drying - frequently and deeply. Of course, that may be because I'm getting my wood from the firewood pile. But just as an example, a quartered round, turned to 3" and maybe a foot long, had at least one deep check in each end, and maybe 3" of length that wasn't split. This is wood that was cut and split green a year ago.
Personally, I don't care because I'm throwing the finished turning back on the wood pile, and I'm not attempting large-diameter stuff. Still working on getting my beads even. :-)
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