Hi guys I've got a job to cut down a monkey puzzle tree I've been told that I could sell the timber for wood turning is this true! Also what could I charge for the wood and what sizes does it need to be as the tree is 60-70 ft high and the trunk is roughly 3.5ft at the base it is located in Hampshire many thanks for any help
Monkey puzzle tree
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NickWelford
So many tools, so little to show
Highly prized by turners, cut in rounds so that an end grain bowl has a ring of knots from where the branches emerge. I have no idea what you can charge, as it never comes up for sale in wood suppliers. Possibly would be best sold on a well known auction site. I would dearly love a couple of rounds, but couldn't handle 3 foot diameter!
NickWelford
So many tools, so little to show
Edit : the bits between the knot rings are not a lot of use.
It's on List I of CITES which effectively bans international trade in it, so trees like the one you're felling are the only legal supply available... That should help you determine the price point of it.
The clearer sections of wood were once prized for their straight grain, and have been used in furniture etc... You may be able to get a quantity of material like this out of your tree from the section below where the bowl starts, in which case might be worth speaking to someone with a mobile mill or an actual sawmill.
The clearer sections of wood were once prized for their straight grain, and have been used in furniture etc... You may be able to get a quantity of material like this out of your tree from the section below where the bowl starts, in which case might be worth speaking to someone with a mobile mill or an actual sawmill.
chipmunk
Established Member
IME it's only the top most section of tree that'll be liftable and/or turnable by anyone without a big lathe because it needs to be turned between centres to begin with. So don't get your hopes up too much about its value.
The other thing worth noting is that the trunks don't seem to taper slowly but seem to be fairly uniform and then taper pretty quickly at the top.
It's a b-awful job cutting an handling the stuff. The tree surgeon who gave me mine was covered in sores from the spines and his gear was covered in sap. The sap in the 1" thick bark sticks like s**t to a blanket. I pretty much had to wash hands tools and everything in meths afterwards and after it had stuck to the concrete floor it brought up the floor paint ;-)
I had five knot rings worth of the top few feet as that was the biggest I could manage on my 16" swing lathe and ended up giving the bottom two rings of knots away because it turned out to be such horrible stuff to turn!
HTH
Jon
The other thing worth noting is that the trunks don't seem to taper slowly but seem to be fairly uniform and then taper pretty quickly at the top.
It's a b-awful job cutting an handling the stuff. The tree surgeon who gave me mine was covered in sores from the spines and his gear was covered in sap. The sap in the 1" thick bark sticks like s**t to a blanket. I pretty much had to wash hands tools and everything in meths afterwards and after it had stuck to the concrete floor it brought up the floor paint ;-)
I had five knot rings worth of the top few feet as that was the biggest I could manage on my 16" swing lathe and ended up giving the bottom two rings of knots away because it turned out to be such horrible stuff to turn!
HTH
Jon
paulm
IG paulm_outdoors
This is a typical type of bowl from that particular wood https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=monke ... hcit080%3D
It shows that the main feature is the ring of knots around the side, so cutting into blanks that keep one or two rings of the knots, plus some excess length top and bottom to allow for wastage from splitting as it dries, may be the most popular with turners.
Many hobbyist turners lathes may not cope with anything over 12" or 18" diameter though, although others will be able to happily turn much bigger if their lathes are larger.
I haven't turned any myself but understand it is actually a bit challenging and unpleasant to turn, the knots being very hard and the rest of the timber relatively soft and coarse, making it a challenge to get a good finish.
Whereabouts (roughly) in Hampshire would it be ?
Cheers, Paul
It shows that the main feature is the ring of knots around the side, so cutting into blanks that keep one or two rings of the knots, plus some excess length top and bottom to allow for wastage from splitting as it dries, may be the most popular with turners.
Many hobbyist turners lathes may not cope with anything over 12" or 18" diameter though, although others will be able to happily turn much bigger if their lathes are larger.
I haven't turned any myself but understand it is actually a bit challenging and unpleasant to turn, the knots being very hard and the rest of the timber relatively soft and coarse, making it a challenge to get a good finish.
Whereabouts (roughly) in Hampshire would it be ?
Cheers, Paul
duncanh
Established Member
I've turned it once and it's bloody awful!
Covered in sharp spines, and once you get through them you have an incredibly sticky sap.
I've got 2 lumps sat in the garden waiting for a trip to the skip
Covered in sharp spines, and once you get through them you have an incredibly sticky sap.
I've got 2 lumps sat in the garden waiting for a trip to the skip
Woodmonkey
Established Member
Yep same here. And after you get past all the gunk you're turning really soft pine-like timber interspaced with the rock hard end grain of the branch whorls. Not fun.
You will need to wear a suit of armour when you're taking the tree down too, or a cherry picker ideally.
You will need to wear a suit of armour when you're taking the tree down too, or a cherry picker ideally.
devonwoody
Established Member
When I was a boy (under 10 years of age) I recall a monkey tree in our road, most probably around 20ft. high and I tried to use a penknife to cut off one of those branches, ( I think I was thinking along the lines of a tickling stick !!!!!!! ) I never succeeded, gave up the wood was too hard.
I still get flash backs of that time, the house owner was giving me the evil eye.
I still get flash backs of that time, the house owner was giving me the evil eye.
Transit80
Established Member
duncanh":d62kx31b said:
I wish I was a bit closer to you as I would have these off you straight away. The bloke who bought my old car off me gave me a 2ft long piece of what he said was Monkey puzzle Tree and Ive turned it into a table lamp found it easy to turn and has a great finish, very smooth and shiny.Will try and put some photos up but struggling with a new phone
.Chris
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
There are loads of them in West Cornwall as the miners used to bring the seeds back from Chile. In Redruth there's a Chilli Road. Parana pine, Norfolk Island pine are the same genus, and the Wollemi pine is related as well.
blackrodd
Established Member
phil.p":1ljd7fbf said:
That's interesting Phil, does mean parana pine will grow here then?
Rodders
blackrodd
Established Member
RobCee":3v8qx4q0 said:
Biggest ceiling rose I've ever seen!
Rodders
beganasatree
Established Member
I bought 3 lumps of it 2 years ago it was fresh cut and used one of them straight away,the other two I sealed and put aside.It was sticky very sticky but worth it.If I lived closer I would have some from you as it is well worth the mess.
Peter
Peter
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
I don't know, but this looks to be interesting -blackrodd":2luahz9j said:
http://globaltrees.org/resources/global ... llections/
andersonec
Established Member
Cut one of those down a couple of years ago, cut into sections with plenty of timber each side of the branch sections in case of splitting,,,,, took it to the local turning club,,,can't even give it away... (hammer)
Andy
Andy
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