My neighbor is taking down a huge (50' tall with 42" thick trunk) tree that
he says is Bischofia and says I can have all I want. Has anybody worked with
this before? and should I seal the whole piece of wood or just the end
grain - the tree is dead and some pieces are partially dead. and would the
leftover exterior paint I have work or should I use something else?

I am a verry verry newbie to turning - only 2 times but I like it.

TIA

tom