Friends, have been searching the net for information regarding native
Japanese trees and timber.

It is not out of idle curiosity, I have a commissioner who has
requested something made from any native Japanese tree, but I am unable
to track down any specifics.

Anyone any ideas?

Regards,
Peter Charles Fagg
Freshwater, Isle of Wight,
United Kingdom.
www.petersplatters.co.uk
Each can do but little!
But if each DID that little,
ALL would be done!

Sorry the word I was looking for was "indigenous" not native!

Peter.

Hi Pete

What about Japanese Zelkova (Zelkove serrata), very much like and
related to Elm, it's a introduced tree in North America and used in
Japan for furniture and timber, I don't know if any available in England
though.
Japanese Maple is another one, they are rather small usually as is
Japanese Yew, there are other species around, some are also native to
North Eastern Asia

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Peter Charles Fagg wrote:
Friends, have been searching the net for information regarding native
Japanese trees and timber.

It is not out of idle curiosity, I have a commissioner who has
requested something made from any native Japanese tree, but I am unable
to track down any specifics.

Anyone any ideas?

Regards,
Peter Charles Fagg
Freshwater, Isle of Wight,
United Kingdom.
www.petersplatters.co.uk
Each can do but little!
But if each DID that little,
ALL would be done!

Thankyou Leo, I shall seek further information on the Zelkova, I too
have the feeling that the Maple may be too small for turnings,
especially bowls.

Peter,
There is also the Royal Empress Tree, also called Paulownia. A father
would plant it when a daughter was born, and by the time she was of
marrying age, the tree would be ready to harvest. It is also used as
the sound board for a stringed instrument which I don't know the name
of. At this time of year, they have large purple flowers on them.
robo hippy

Hi Robo

Paulownia tomentosa, also called Royal Paulownia, Princess tree, Empress
tree, is named for Anna Paulownia (1795-1865) of Russia, she became
princess of The Netherlands and is the ancestor of the the present Queen
Beatrix.
The tree is a native of China, the wood is very soft and white, and the
wood is exported to Japan for the making of special items like sandals
and some furniture items.
It is planted for ornamental reasons in the US , and also in Europe
where I am familiar whit it, doesn't grow where it is to cold in the
winter, none around up here in Ontario.

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

robo hippy wrote:
Peter,
There is also the Royal Empress Tree, also called Paulownia. A father
would plant it when a daughter was born, and by the time she was of
marrying age, the tree would be ready to harvest. It is also used as
the sound board for a stringed instrument which I don't know the name
of. At this time of year, they have large purple flowers on them.
robo hippy

There have been several attempts to grow this commercially in the US.
I've heard of a project somewhere in Georgia, I think, and I've seen a
small project in Southern Illinois. It grows incredibly fast -- more
like a weed than a tree.

Bill

Leo Van Der Loo wrote:
Hi Robo

Paulownia tomentosa, also called Royal Paulownia, Princess tree, Empress
tree, is named for Anna Paulownia (1795-1865) of Russia, she became
princess of The Netherlands and is the ancestor of the the present Queen
Beatrix.
The tree is a native of China, the wood is very soft and white, and the
wood is exported to Japan for the making of special items like sandals
and some furniture items.
It is planted for ornamental reasons in the US , and also in Europe
where I am familiar whit it, doesn't grow where it is to cold in the
winter, none around up here in Ontario.

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

robo hippy wrote:

Peter,
There is also the Royal Empress Tree, also called Paulownia. A father
would plant it when a daughter was born, and by the time she was of
marrying age, the tree would be ready to harvest. It is also used as
the sound board for a stringed instrument which I don't know the name
of. At this time of year, they have large purple flowers on them.
robo hippy

In article ,
Leo Van Der Loo wrote:

What about Japanese Zelkova (Zelkove serrata), very much like and
related to Elm, it's a introduced tree in North America and used in
Japan for furniture and timber, I don't know if any available in England
though.
Japanese Maple is another one, they are rather small usually as is
Japanese Yew, there are other species around, some are also native to
North Eastern Asia

Japanese Dogwood, aka Kousa Dogwood, native to Japan, Korea and China).

Peter Charles Fagg wrote:

Friends, have been searching the net for information regarding native
Japanese trees and timber.

It is not out of idle curiosity, I have a commissioner who has
requested something made from any native Japanese tree, but I am unable
to track down any specifics.

I don't know if you'll derive anything helpful from it or not, but if you go
to http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/, and click "common names" you'll get to a
search engine that lets you search wood species by country of origin. Note
that this uses not only the US government's database on wood species but
also the Australian government's, which contains a great deal of
information about Asian species.

Anyone any ideas?

Regards,
Peter Charles Fagg
Freshwater, Isle of Wight,
United Kingdom.
www.petersplatters.co.uk
Each can do but little!
But if each DID that little,
ALL would be done!

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Peter, While posted to Northern Japan with the US Forces I turned a
form of Japanese Cedar. Very soft. Hoever the most interesting thing I
turned was something they called "Y-E-CON" I don't know the proper
spelling. It is very close to the Mesquite I turn here in Texas. They
use it for cross members on electric power lines. I was told because it
does not rot. I was in an area with much snow and the holes drilled
for mounting would fill with water and freeze. When the power co. would
replace split timber because of freezing I would collect the discarded
sections. It dulls tools quickly but turnes and finishes beautifully.
It is redish brown in color.
Hope this helps.
Bob Edwards, San Antonio

wrote in message
oups.com...
Peter, While posted to Northern Japan with the US Forces I turned a
form of Japanese Cedar. Very soft. Hoever the most interesting thing I
turned was something they called "Y-E-CON" I don't know the proper
spelling.

Bob Edwards, San Antonio


Wakkanai?

I got some Japanese Sampora - that's the name I was told, anyway - from
the garden of someone my son rides for. They cut it down, he got me a
piece about 6" around & a couple of feet long. It was nice wood. Not
terribly hard, nice grain with a fair amount of character. Sanded down
very smooth. I'd say it was about as hard as Poplar, but it's been a
year. I recall thinking it would be nice to have larger stock to build
something out of.

On the Paulownia, there's some grown around here in Maryland, US. I've
also heard it was a scam - read that somewhere on the Internet too -
but one old guy that's local told me he raised & sold it successfully,
so I think it must be tough to find a good buyer. He also said
something about how it was cut & shipped - the buyers were very
particular about something, can't recall what.

Jim

Peter I found this site

http://www.nihon-kogeikai.com/TEBIKI-E/5.html

which may be of interest has Japenese Craft Pieces from Japenese Woods
and goes on the give information on various Japenese Woods further down
the page.

Richard
http://www.laymar-crafts.co.uk

My thanks to everyone for contributing. I had never thought that my
simple request would develop into such an interesting discussion.
There are many trains of thought that are surely going to prove useful.

Thanks again, it is always reassuring to realise just how many friends
one has across the globe who are indulging the woodturning passion.

Regards,
Peter Charles Fagg
Freshwater, Isle of Wight,
United Kingdom.
www.petersplatters.co.uk
Each can do but little!
But if each DID that little,
ALL would be done!