Turning green yew

[dcmguy]

Our village church has a 700 year old yew tree which was visited by the tree surgeon today for some 'minor' lower branch removal. I've been lucky enough to be given a piece, about 9ft by (variably) 4"x3" .. cut into three lengths of about 3ft each, bark on. Obviously I've sealed the ends with pva and will do a second coat tomorrow.

I'd like to try and make some things for the church with the wood.

My skill level isn't high at all..though I can make a fair few things to an average standard with a bit of care

Questions :

1. Should I green turn some/all of it and accept there'll be splitting / shifting in the final forms as they settle or should I leave some / all in the garage to dry (if so, for how long?)
2. I've never turned items bark on .. anything I should know please?
3. I've not hollowed deeper than about 5 or so inches but am ok with end grain hollowing (and have the Simon Hope 6mm carbide tool set as well as sorby gouges and scrapers)
4. Any recommendations for church appropriate items that can be made from what is probably max 3" diameter green or seasoned wood

Advice / recommendations would be much appreciated.

thanks

 

[finneyb]

Goblet is the obvious choice with or without captive rings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0AxUJ2CWS0

Brian

 

[treeturner123]

Personally dcmguy, I would let it season which for that diameter should be about a year.

I've had yew from a church before now and have usually made a pair of candlesticks or, for my own church, some tea light holders which sit on various windowsills.

Nice and easy but much appreciated. The candlesticks need not be an exact pair, but have the same design but be of different heights.

Phil

 

[Ant-h83]

I'm a tree surgeon myself so I get plenty of wood, my only problem is I haven't got the patience for waiting for it to dry. when I first started turning I came across a piece of yew with some interesting grain, so it went straight on the lathe, with a few doses of linseed oil when I had finished it was fine and didn't split or distort

 

[Ant-h83]

It's not the best by any means but it turned straight through the pith and it still didn't split


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dcmguy]

Many thanks to everyone who replied. I'll leave it a year or so to season, then make a few smaller things. We've two other much more skilled woodworker families in the village so I might give one of the three pieces to each of them as well.

 

[bobblezard]

That bowl worked out very well Ant

 

[Jonzjob]

These are beech but would look really lovely in yew

Candle sticks spiral-01 by John, on Flickr

They are not as difficult as they may look.

 

[dcmguy]

Those candlesticks are a nice idea. Found a video on how to make them now too....might need a bit of practice tho! Thanks.

 

[Jonzjob]

As I said, they are not that difficult. JUst make sure that you are accurate with the marking.

I use a Forstner bit and drill a fraction over 1/2 way through and use the bit to take out as much wood as possible. If you make a simple "V" block jig for the drilling if you are using a drill press it makes it so much more simple and I clamp a strip of wood to the drill press table for the "V" block to rum along. Once you've set it up you are sure that you are going in square.

For the sanding and rounding of the spiral I use a strip of abrasive held in 2 artery forceps as handles. It don't arf save yer fingers :shock: The work stays on the lathe as it holds it better than anything else and when I'm doing that I hold the wood still by clamping the chuck with my indexing ring attachment.

I look forward to seeing them Good luck, theys hould look lovely!