Replies

1. 
   bill_1010 | Oct 22, 2003 04:02am | #1

   dont use it for firewood, use it in your smoker!  Soaked chunks of applewood makes a great smokey flavor.

2. 
   ron61 | Oct 22, 2003 04:24am | #2

   wood turning or saw it into lumber

    old hand saws had apple wood handles -good stuff dont burn it!

   Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins

1. 
   Shep | Oct 22, 2003 04:31am | #3

   Piffin-- Ive heard about a couple of historic trees that, when they died, the wood was given to local woodworking or woodturning groups, pieces were made, sold, and the proceeds contributed to a worthy cause. Maybe the wood could be used for  something like this.

1. 
   Piffin | Oct 22, 2003 04:46am | #4

   Shep, That's the wavelength that I'm on, though it may be me who is the group. Small island community.

   My wife an I are on a board to build an eldercare home. A nice furniture piece to auction off with the facility as beneficiary, or the piece it self to reside in the home....

   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   Shep | Oct 22, 2003 07:18pm | #7

   piffin-- one thing about apple is that it moves a lot during drying. I've had bowls distort while turning. That said, its a beautiful wood that machines well.

3. 
   PlaneWood | Oct 22, 2003 04:49am | #5

   With boiling water, apple wood will take a bend.  After clamping till dry, it will stay in that shape.

   I turned one small apple tree into a bunch of long back scratchers that I gave away as Christmas presents.  They make good cooking utensils, too.  Great spoons and scrapers for making candy at Christmas time.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
   PlaneWood

4. 
   forestgirl | Oct 22, 2003 07:02pm | #6

   Take a look at this thread:
   http://www.woodworking.org/Exchange/Forum2/HTML/009981.html

   There are 3 pics if you include the link I provided.

   We have a kitchen hutch made of applewood.  It a lovely warm wood. 

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

5. 
   DennisS | Oct 23, 2003 06:54am | #8

   Piffin -

   I had the pleasure of turning a few pieces of apple some time ago, nothing as big as what you have available, though. I'd second the comment about curing/drying this type of wood. Even though I rough turned the couple of vessels I did and let them age carefully, or so I thought, I ended up with some oval shaped bowls when I was done.

   But I agree, the effort is worth it. It's beautiful wood. And like others have mentioned, use the branch wood for smoking in your BBQ.

   ...........

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

1. 
   PlaneWood | Oct 23, 2003 08:45am | #9

   Also, don't throw away wood from a cherry fruit tree.  Makes beautiful lumber and save the sawdust to sprinkle on top of the shop stove when the snow is flying.  That's one thing I really miss down here.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

2. 
   Piffin | Oct 26, 2003 01:52am | #10

   Thanks for the encouragement, all. Here's what the baby looks like.

   One trunk was full of green linbs and had over an inch of sapwood in a twenty inch diameter, but a few scars from old lost limbs left it half gone down the center but the other half is board stock.

   The second trunk was barkless and nearly dead though it had a couple of living twigs growing out of it. But this one was cured on the vine and dried hard with no rot.

   I made most into about four foot lengths and crotchwood with a couple of burly scars..

   Excellence is its own reward!