Sophora Wood

[Treerover]

Has anyone ever successfully sold any Sophora japonica or Pagoda Tree wood for turning or carving. 
We’ve just had to take down a nice one in perfect health (don’t ask 🤬) and the guy wants it for logs ! 
Seems such a huge shame but it’s that heavy , I ain’t lumping it out for buttons .

Below is an example , largest section 20” …..a hernia giver for sure 

[nepia]

Yes I have.  Stunning timber, slightly iridescent when polished.  I think Steve @se7enthdevil worked some of it.  Unfortunately he doesn't get on here very often.

If you can persuade the owner to part with it please do; if it was local to me (I have no idea where you are) I could exchange it for real firewood

 

It's now Styphnolobium btw to be pedantic.  As with so many plants it got bored with being called the same thing for donkey's years so changed names

[trigger_andy]

4 hours ago, Treerover said:

I ain’t lumping it out for buttons .

Be interesting in seeing if you do actually get more than pennies for it. Turners and Carvers always want it for next to nothing and actually seem to feel like they are doing you a favour if they take it off your hands.

 

Seems a shame that the tree owner will not get to keep his own tree for firewood though. 

[Treerover]

33 minutes ago, trigger_andy said:

Be interesting in seeing if you do actually get more than pennies for it. Turners and Carvers always want it for next to nothing and actually seem to feel like they are doing you a favour if they take it off your hands.

 

Seems a shame that the tree owner will not get to keep his own tree for firewood though. 

No I’d swap it for Ash if it was worth anything .

….and yes as always , thus far been offered £30 for 18 x large lumps !!! No thanks 😂

[Treerover]

1 hour ago, nepia said:

Yes I have.  Stunning timber, slightly iridescent when polished.  I think Steve @se7enthdevil worked some of it.  Unfortunately he doesn't get on here very often.

If you can persuade the owner to part with it please do; if it was local to me (I have no idea where you are) I could exchange it for real firewood

 

It's now Styphnolobium btw to be pedantic.  As with so many plants it got bored with being called the same thing for donkey's years so changed names

Ahh very interesting , thank you. 
The wood is in Warwickshire. I’ll most likely grab half a dozen pieces anyway , in case I ever meet a Woodturner with a swap or with a lawn I’ve just bombed !! 

[nepia]

👍  PVA the ends and put it in the shade off the ground

[sime42]

3 hours ago, nepia said:

👍  PVA the ends and put it in the shade off the ground

How well does that work? The PVAing I mean. I've kept quite a few bits of nice looking timber for future turning, in the shade, off the ground, but most of it has split to b*ggery after a few months. Cherry, Hawthorne, blackthorn, laurel, laburnum, non has done very well. All live when I cut them so that obviously doesn't help.

 

 

[sime42]

6 hours ago, Treerover said:

Ahh very interesting , thank you. 
The wood is in Warwickshire. I’ll most likely grab half a dozen pieces anyway , in case I ever meet a Woodturner with a swap or with a lawn I’ve just bombed !! 

I might come and get some off you in a year or so, if it's not too badly split!

[Treerover]

9 hours ago, sime42 said:

I might come and get some off you in a year or so, if it's not too badly split!

£0.28p a round ?? 😂🫣

[nepia]

9 hours ago, sime42 said:

How well does that work? The PVAing I mean. I've kept quite a few bits of nice looking timber for future turning, in the shade, off the ground, but most of it has split to b*ggery after a few months. Cherry, Hawthorne, blackthorn, laurel, laburnum, non has done very well. All live when I cut them so that obviously doesn't help.

 

 

Speaking from limited anecdotal experience I think it works if the PVA is applied heavily enough.  It shouldn't take much as some folk use emulsion paint instead; I would be cynical about the benefit of that remembering that PVA is specifically a sealing compound.

I don't think anyone would claim it stops all splitting but I'm confident it reduces it.

Perhaps I've been sucked in by woodturners' folklore though...😮