Wood from the cashew tree (Rhus)

[Les Symonds]

 ???Does anyone out there have any experience of turning the timber of a garden shrub/tree commonly known over here as Rhus, but not native to the UK. It's botanical name is Rhus Typhina, and is a member of the cashew family, but grown in UK gardens for its decorative, red flower clusters. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhus_typhina ).
I've just been given a dozen or so logs, varying between a metre and two metres long, and between 50mm and 300mm diameter. I've not had time to work them, yet, but they appear to be dense, slow-growing timber with a creamy sapwood and a much darker, greenish-brown heartwood; the bark being fairly thin but not particularly smooth and there appears to be just a few spots of gum exuding from it.

p.s....if anyone lives in the Bala area and wants to try a piece, let me know!

[Bryan Milham]

From the picture on Wikipedia it's what I call Sumac. It turns well but splits like crazy while drying (or at least mine has).  You'll also find that the sap is exceedingly sticky, but it does dry-up as the wood dries. So best part turned green and protect the lathe from the juices.

If Martin Lawrence is about, I know he's turned quite a bit of it and can give you more info. And I doubt he's not the only one.

Did not realise it was related to Cashew though - thanks for that tit-bit.

[Les Symonds]

Thanks, John...the photo is very useful and yes...it is also known as Sumac.

dr4g0nfly....I've not had my lathe long and am still setting up the workshop. By 'part turned green', am I right in assuming that I should rough turn to a thick-walled bowl, then leave to dry for a few months? I've not tried this yet, but am itching to get going and this looks interesting wood to try it with.

Thanks...Les

[Bryan Milham]

Les,

Hi, Bryan here.

Yes 'Part Turned Green' means while it is still fresh (or at least not seasoned). You'll need to look up how wood dries to know how thick to leave the walls. The rule of thumb is +10% of the finished diameter - so for a 6" bowl leave the outside diameter 6 1/2" to allow for movement. 

Alternatively you can finish turning in one go and allow the wood to move as it will for a more organic form. This is best done very thin (something I'm just mastering) and make sure the thickness is constant or the thicker part (generally the foot area) will dry differently and crack.

Welcome to the wonderful world of woodturning, you're in for an adventure with wood hope you enjoy it.

A couple of basic tips;

1 - Join a club and speak to like minded people (I didn't for my first 10 years (fool) but have learnt so much since), and

2 - Ask questions, we'll answer and share our knowledge willingly.

[Les Symonds]

Thanks Bryan....sounds like 'sound' advice. I'm going along to a meeting of Mid Wales Woodturners in a couple of weeks, so hope to start building a few good contacts there.

I think that I'll go down the part-turned road for now and save the thin-walled finish-turned approach until I've got a bit more experience....I'd hate to waste such a good batch of wood, better to practice on lesser stuff!

thanks again...Les

[John D Smith]

Hello again Les I deleted the previous picture it must have been after you had viewed it I was trying to reduce the size.I have made another attempt
this is a vase turned by Martin Lawrence out of Sumac I took this photograph in 2009 at Westonbirt I am sure Martin will not object to me posting this
                         
                                  Regards John]

[Les Symonds]

Ah...I wondered where it had gone! Could a shape like that be part-turned and then dried, or does it need to be turned in one go?

[Bryan Milham]

Les, the answer is yes.

However I'd suggest you learn to walk before you start to run.

You need the correct tools (not necessarily shop bought one either.)

Tool control is important, you can't just dig out the core, Once your inside, a dig-in or catch will being your tool swinging around against the side and - oh oop's! Bit's flying everywhere.

Work on small spindles, bowls and simpler projects to master the techniques, build up your skills. Work you way into bigger, deeper turnings. You'll not be able to do it straight out of the trap.

[BrianH]

Hi Gwyn
I've no experience of Sumac but other timbers suffering with 'sticky sap' often respond to being stored under water for some months. The water will replace the sap making the wood easier/more pleasant to work with and possibly more stable into the bargain. There are, however, never any gurantees when working with green timber so, given that you have enough, try as many drying techniques as poss and accept the loss of some of them......Well that's my advise anyway.
All the best with it
Brian

[Les Symonds]

Hi Brian...Les here, thanks for the tip about submerging some of the timber, sounds like a reasonable idea. I've noticed that the stickiness washes off with meths, so cleaning the lathe shouldn't be too much of a chore, but must remember to open the workshop door at the time!

p.s. ... calling me Gwyn was a perfectly reasonable mistake to make, when I have Gwyntog as a user name, but it's not an abstraction of the name 'Gwyn'. In fact, Gwyntog is Welsh for 'Windy'....goodness knows how I got that user-name !

Gwyntog...(Les)