Robinia Pesudoacacia

[Les Symonds]

I won a branch of robinia pseudoacacia at the Mid Wales woodturners' club meeting this afternoon. Has anybody ever worked this stuff....just wonder what it's like. It's a log, about 5" diam (including bark) and about 24" long, but it's quite light so I'm guessing it's quite dry.

Les

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Les I may be wrong but I think this is what is commonly called false acacia(I think the clue is in the name). If it is it is a very attractive timber with a lustre all of its own. Nice to turn, polishes beautifully and takes detail nicely too.
         Just be careful selecting the cut to turn as it can have a tendency to split.
Regards
John BHT

[bodrighywood]

This was robinia pseudoacacia, (so I was told by the gardener when it was cut down) turned green so it warped quite a bit. Very hard as I remember but easy to get a good finish on it.

Pete

[Bryan Milham]

I also have some and have turned it. Yes, False Acacia but also Black Locust, an American tree, fast growing and normally grown as a sustainable source of firewood.

It turns well, has a good yellow/cream colour and can be fumed (amonia) and I seem to remember it has a high tannin content so can be darkened with the rust/vinigar mixture called Black Nightmare.

Go back through Jo Winters postings, a year or so ago I think to see some effect he created using it.

[TWiG]

Robinia pseudoacacia  is quite a nice wood to turn , also it often has burrs, it is also sometimes known as Golden oak , it is pretty hard as well , it smells pleasant when green, if you turn something from green wood ( small thin bowl , Bert Marsh style ) the bark sapwood heartwood combination is quite attractive , it is a member of the pea family and smells of peas/ runner beans ! I have turned some pretty big bowls from it in the past , but mostly use it for , lids , finials, eggs , etc   I have quite a lot of round rolling pin sized billets of it in my wood store ...... Bodrighwood ... I am pretty sure the wood in your pic is Acacia dealbata   ( mimosa )  the name is similar but the tree and  wood very different ! .. Terry....

[bodrighywood]

Robinia pseudoacacia  is quite a nice wood to turn , also it often has burrs, it is also sometimes known as Golden oak , it is pretty hard as well , it smells pleasant when green, if you turn something from green wood ( small thin bowl , Bert Marsh style ) the bark sapwood heartwood combination is quite attractive , it is a member of the pea family and smells of peas/ runner beans ! I have turned some pretty big bowls from it in the past , but mostly use it for , lids , finials, eggs , etc   I have quite a lot of round rolling pin sized billets of it in my wood store ...... Bodrighwood ... I am pretty sure the wood in your pic is Acacia dealbata   ( mimosa )  the name is similar but the tree and  wood very different ! .. Terry....

Could be right, it was some wood that I was given by the gardener and I don't argue with him lol. Other pieces from the same log looked a lot less coloured as well mind.

Pete