An item on Craig's list was for free fruitless mulberry tree trunks which
have been cut down, but not cut up (trunk size 22"). I know nothing about
mulberry. Is this worth the effort to apply chain saw to trunk and make
some turning blanks?
Thanks
Paul Gilbert
Dallas, TX

I don't know about "fruitless" varieties, but I've turned some mulberry here
in KY. It has a yellow color to it and can be a bit plain looking IMO. I've
turned a few pieces and some people liked them and some didn't. Personally,
the yellow color wasn't exactly what I was expecting. My grand dad, also a
turner, turned some that was very nice looking. The tree he cut was in the
range of 24" in diameter. The one I turned was about 12" in diameter. Could
be the difference in the age of the tree. I'd probably turn some again if
offered, but not something I'm seeking out.
Doubt that I helped you much, but thought I'd share. Hopefully, someone
else could share more.

JD

--
He that will make a good use of any part
of his life must allow a large portion of it
to recreation.
- John Locke

"Paul Gilbert" wrote in message
t...
An item on Craig's list was for free fruitless mulberry tree trunks which
have been cut down, but not cut up (trunk size 22"). I know nothing about
mulberry. Is this worth the effort to apply chain saw to trunk and make
some turning blanks?
Thanks
Paul Gilbert
Dallas, TX

It is related to the Osage, and is harder than a lot of woods. Is
yellow when fresh cut and goes amber as it ages. It does tend to crack
a bit when drying.
robo hippy

On Mar 26, 6:46*pm, "JD" wrote:
I don't know about "fruitless" varieties, but I've turned some mulberry here
in KY. It has a yellow color to it and can be a bit plain looking IMO. I've
turned a few pieces and some people liked them and some didn't. Personally,
the yellow color wasn't exactly what I was expecting. My grand dad, also a
turner, turned some that was very nice looking. The tree he cut was in the
range of 24" in diameter. The one I turned was about 12" in diameter. Could
be the difference in the age of the tree. I'd probably turn some again if
offered, but not something I'm seeking out.
Doubt that I helped you much, but thought I'd share. *Hopefully, someone
else could share more.

JD

--
He that will make a good use of any part
of his life must allow a large portion of it
to recreation.
* * * - John Locke
"Paul Gilbert" wrote in message

t...

An item on Craig's list was for free fruitless mulberry tree trunks which
have been cut down, but not cut up (trunk size 22"). *I know nothing about
mulberry. *Is this worth the effort to apply chain saw to trunk and make
some turning blanks?
Thanks
Paul Gilbert
Dallas, TX

On Mar 26, 8:13 pm, robo hippy wrote:
It is related to the Osage, and is harder than a lot of woods. Is
yellow when fresh cut and goes amber as it ages. It does tend to crack
a bit when drying.
robo hippy

Exactly my experience. I made a pedestal for a large (3") candle that
was a gift. About a year after I had it turned, it cracked badly.

I tried to re-mount it, fill the crack with colored epoxy, but that
wood was so hard my tools almost screeched on it. I returned the
pedestal in Oak, and we were all happier.

I never liked it as it was a nasty color of pee yellow, not a bright
pretty color.

Robert

Hello Paul,

Robo-hippy hit it pretty correctly in that the wood is yellowish and
fades to amber when aged. I got a chunk of white mulberry and turned
two bowls about a year ago for my Go stones. Somewhere I had read
that mulberry was a traditional wood for the stones. It does tend to
crack although my bowls have yet to do so.
I cut some pieces for pens (3/4 X 3/4 X 12"), again about a year ago,
and there was some small amount of splitting.
While it is a rather plain looking wood it does turn nicely.

On Mar 26, 9:30 pm, "Paul Gilbert" wrote:
An item on Craig's list was for free fruitless mulberry tree trunks which
have been cut down, but not cut up (trunk size 22"). I know nothing about
mulberry. Is this worth the effort to apply chain saw to trunk and make
some turning blanks?

Hi Paul
Mulberry is beautiful turning wood, yes it is Yellow when new and age
to a deep shimmering honey brown, you hear people oohhh and ahhh over
Osage Orange but few can tell the difference between Osage Orange and
Mulberry, which is a close relative.
It does like to check and split if not dried properly, you do have to
make sure to slow down the drying and you should be OK.
I have turned lots of Mulberry and Osage Orange as well, I do have a
couple of pictures in Albums from some Mulberry turnings, you'll have
to look if you are interested .

http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum12.html

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

On Mar 26, 9:30*pm, "Paul Gilbert" wrote:
An item on Craig's list was for free fruitless mulberry tree trunks which
have been cut down, but not cut up (trunk size 22"). *I know nothing about
mulberry. *Is this worth the effort to apply chain saw to trunk and make
some turning blanks?
Thanks
Paul Gilbert
Dallas, TX