Bay tree

[Roderick Evans]

Hi
Has anyone turned anything from a Bay Tree? I've just been offered one and I've been told it's "hard & heavy".
Any information appreciated,
Rod

[Bryan Milham]

Rod,

which type of Bay tree, there are several.

[Les Symonds]

Hi Rod...I've a feeling that the laurel is often referred to as a bay tree...apparently a lot of them in Wales suffered in the gales several days ago....their trunks tend be very convoluted and deeply 'dimpled'. A large one (along with beech, birch and ash) came down in our school garden and I'm harvesting the timber daily.

Les

[TWiG]

If it is a Bay Tree  ( Laurus nobilis  ) it is easily distinguished by the smell of its foliage , I have turned a bit and it is very dense, rather bland and keen to split and crack , so not really worth bothering with except for curiosity sake .

[seventhdevil]

if it's true bay tree then it'll be holly white and just as hard and heavy but if it's laurel then it could be pinky grey and hard and heavy.

bay tree, laurus nobilis
laurel, prunus laurocerasus

both will split easily but if care is taken then it's lovely stuff.

[Eric Harvey]

I had alot of Laurel at one time,dug one up that got to big in the garden,its lovely to turn when green,but when well seasoned is very hard and blunts the tools quickly and if stored right stays lovely and white,I used most of the thinner stuff to make baby rattles with 3 captive rings.

[Roderick Evans]

Thanks for all your replies.
I'm collecting the timber on Wednesday,decided to give it a go.
Rod

[Roderick Evans]

Picked up pieces of the Baytree last week, thankfully most ofit was cut into useable lenghts.
Got to go back with the chainsaw next week to cut one more piece approx.4'6" x 40" circumference, two "heavies" couldn't carry it to the car!!!
I'm surprised how heavy a timber this species is.  Hope to wet turn something soon and get it posted