Lilac...anyone work it before?

I have not worked with it, but it also looks like great pen turning blank stock.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Someone posted something about Lilac. Do a search to see if you can find it. It may have been Scott. But, I don’t remember.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

I’ve turned a fair amount of it…goblets and such…usually throw away pieces. I’ve never had the compulsion to saw it into boards though.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Impressive size piece of lilac…. Can’t say I’ve ever seen one of such diameter!

oh it works so nice, turns wonderfully… glass like finish without sanding.

Here’s the lamp I’ll soon be returning to work on…

a spoon we were gifted

lilac turning, 4th from left

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

I was surprised at the size as well…pleased but surprised. It usually dies long before reaching that size. I had never even thought of it as a wood to be worked until today. All the pieces I’ve ever seen..(we have a lot of lilacs ourselves) get punky in the middle and rot from the inside out. This almost looks like a heavily grained poplar with a little extra color.

I can’t wait to build something and turn a little…gotta get that lathe working.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

I’ve done some carving with lilac.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

It looks like beautiful wood. I am sure you can find some nice items to make with it. Maybe a jewelry box or something like that?

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

Hi Bob
—-nice looking grain patterns you have there in the wood!

I’ve used lilac and still do use lilac for ‘legs’ on benches and tables for my rustic furniture. Actually I have met quite a few rustic woodworkers who use lilac for the ‘legs’ of tables, benches and chairs since the wood offers so many twists of character and is a stable wood.

When the wood starts getting to the size (diameter) you are talking about, the lilac bush is in need of some radically aggressive pruning with a chainsaw. So I am always keeping my eyes and ears open and will offer my services as free, to cut back the homeowners bushes in exchange for the wood.

Lilac finishes up exceptionally smooth with sanding, and looks great when finished with tung oil or even a hand rubbed varnish and then just a rubbing out with #0000 steel wool. I have also used the hand rubbed poly’s by Minwax, which is a great finish if you are not wanting to make your own.

I myself have never put the wood through my bandsaw yet, but what you have shown us here looks very good….I might add that I also use the wood for small ‘free form’ sculpture as ‘wood art’. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/298

Thank you.
GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

Scott, is that fourth from the left or fourth from the right?

-- Ethan, http://www.merganserwoodworks.com, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

That’s funny Ethan! You have a keen eye.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

I had some pretty small pieces, but I did make a custom knife handle on a chip carving blade. I never put a finish on it. It has a finish of oil from my hands.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

My daughters boyfriend has his own landscaping company and knows to bring me any interesting wood he prunes. Between him and my son-in-law I’ve been getting all kinds of goodies lateley.

There is a lot of it that is probably too small to bother with on the bandsaw but I’ll have fun carving and turning it…thanks for the info all…

Niice handle Dick….amazing that it has no other finish. You sure you don’t sweat poly?...:)

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

That’s beautiful wood. I like your story about your mircro experience. I put mine in there for a long time but I powered the micro down to 1/5 the regular power.

-- Steffen

The caption says: lilac turning, 4th from left. That is nice. Is it dried or green still?

-- Jesus is Lord!

The secret to oily skin. Don’t wash your hands. (yuk)

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1