# monkey puzzle



## greggy (2 Dec 2007)

i have just got a 50 foot monkey puzzle tree felled from my son in law. it was only felled last couple of days, and wondered how long it needs to dry out etc, etc. i will post photos soon, thanks colin.


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## Bodrighy (2 Dec 2007)

Lucky ********** :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 

Beats my beech tree hands down. Do you want it for turning or other woodwork? 

As it's a slow growing pine I would guess that you would treat it more or less the same. 

Pete


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## TEP (2 Dec 2007)

Hi Greg, as has already been said, lucky ****** :mrgreen: . Some of it is good for turning, but NOT all.

The bottom half is not much good apart from fire wood IMO. BUT the top half where the branches came out can make some very unusual pots and bowls. Normally what you try to do is incorporate the ring of branch knots around the side of a bowl, or around the edge of a tall vase. The actual timber around the knots is quite soft, and very, very bland, or can look dirty with grey streaks running through it. I don't know, but have always believed that the dirty streaks are caused by not standing the pieces on end during the initial drying and the timber streaks like Sycamore. Which is always stacked on end for the fist couple of months if you want in to stay white.

Turning, it's a laugh. The white timber is so soft, softer than our pine. But when you hit the knots look out they are HARD, you must finish well from the tool because if you sand too much you will find the soft wood comes away and the knots are left standing proud of the surface.

After all that when the work is finished correctly the pieces look out of this world. One the wood is so scarce as being a garden tree you don't get 'em commercially normally. Two, they are a good talking/selling point on a stall especially to non wood workers.

PS - You can sometimes find a ring of knots beneath the normal branch line, but usually the knots get smaller the closer to the base of the trunk.


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## CHJ (2 Dec 2007)

The wood certainly looks good when turned endgrain green and thin but some I have seen recently turned just as a 'pot' for want of a better name looked quite crude and uninspiring as the wood had taken on a wide grained dirty look no better than a piece of poor leylandii.


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## Paul.J (2 Dec 2007)

Colin.
I have had no experience of any sort with Monkey Puzzle,but there was a lot of it on display at Westonbirt earlier this year i thought with these 3 pieces been some of my favourites.
Looks great when turned but there does appear to be a lot of work involved to get it to this stage.





Paul.J.


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## jpt (2 Dec 2007)

Monkey puzzle is fun to turn and can be beutiful when finished.

The master of turning it is Greg Moreton his web site is worth a look. http://www.moreton.co.uk/index.asp

john


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## NickWelford (3 Dec 2007)

Have only ever turned branch wood - haven't found any trunk wood I can buy..... don't suppose you are open to offers for some?


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## geoff_tulip (3 Dec 2007)

i turn alot of mp - have a look at my gallery below to see a finished piece (about 6 down)
http://www.tulipwoodcrafts.co.uk/gall/gallery.htm
this one was turned from a mp tree 5ft in diameter - this one from the bottom of the tree - side grain - you can turn them end grain on for the effect talked about already (peacock feathers) - up to you - you will need to decide before you cut the tree on your preference. i would suggest the top of the tree end grain blanks and the bottom side grain blanks - depends on the capabilities of your lathe aswell. they will dry quickly and rarely split .


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## TEP (3 Dec 2007)

Hi *Geoff*, love the work in your gallery. Especially the carved pieces, absolutely gorgeous.


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## greggy (3 Dec 2007)

hi guys, many thanks for your info and input.i will sell some cos i mainly make pens, so i will get some photos done and posted, but i aint got a clue as to how much it will be. any ideas will be welcome. thanks colin.


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## Bodrighy (3 Dec 2007)

Now I feel totally inadequate......you really do have some beautiful work there Geoff. Like Tam I love the carving, especially the celtic work. Oh well, keep practicing Pete

Pete


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## La Truciolara (3 Dec 2007)

*Paul.J.*
These are really nice lamps and do exploit the beauty for this wood that we cannot find down here...


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## Nick Barberton (16 Feb 2019)

I bought a monkey puzzle tree from local tree surgeon. Turned beautifully across the grain. Green the wood was beautiful, a few months down the line and there was discoloration. Pic is of the first ones I turned.


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## Trevanion (16 Feb 2019)

I haven't seen any monkey puzzle for years! I think I've got a couple of pieces knocking around somewhere but I have no idea where.

Neat bowls!


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## finneyb (23 Feb 2019)

Looks very similar to Norfolk Island Pine
' If you turn the piece thin (3/16" to 1/4"), let it dry and then soak it in a mixture of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits (about 50/50 mix) for a day or two, it will turn translucent. ' ref http://www.aawforum.org/community/index ... nish.7695/

Brian


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