Milling an apricot tree

[BobL]

A couple of months ago I was given an apricot tree trunk.

Unfortuntately the base appeared to have major termite damage

but the top part of the trunk seemed OK

so I wondered how far up the trunk the damage would go.

I decided to open it up anyway

 

[BobL]

It was with some trepidation I made the first cut expecting it to be riddled all the way up with termite tracks (see previous post).

So far so good but I knew that significant damage was there since you could see it in the base of the trunk.

Well..... not distasterous by any means - in fact well worth the effort by the looks. Should be some good wood there.

Some grain close ups.

The wood really is pretty and orange - like apricots!

I also kept a few rounds and branch junctions.

Now it's a wait and see what happens in the drying phase.

Cheers

 

[Matildasmate]

Beautiful stuff Bob

Beautiful stuff Bob ..... I didn't think an Apricot tree would have such nice grain .

 

[woodshop]

Bob how hard is that pretty stuff? Is it relatively hard like apple or pear is? Think if would make some very pretty handles for some of the tools you make.

 

[BobL]

Bob how hard is that pretty stuff? Is it relatively hard like apple or pear is? Think if would make some very pretty handles for some of the tools you make.

Yep, it's moderately hard just like apple and pear and should make excellent tool handles. That's why I don't mind if the grubblies have munched some of it. I'm used to cutting my way around cracks and holes to get at what I want.

 

[MikeInParadise]

That wood has a real nice look to it...

 

[MNTAINGAL23]

Beautiful!

Nice milling job. That looks so pretty. Makes for some nice color.

 

[TNMIKE]

Amazing

Its ama ing what some of you guys get into your vans

 

[Adkpk]

Umm, yummy apricot. Nice looking wood, Bob.

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Nice looking wood. I like milling fruit wood.


How did it smell?

 

[BobL]

Cheers Guys.

AGWB: I didn't notice any particular smell other than sawdust. The few small pieces of Orange (as in the fruit) tree I milled had a wonderfully tangy smell. When I sanded it using a belt sander I kept as much of the dust as I could and mixed some of it with some sandalwood dust and it has made a very nice incense.

 

[Semi-Hex]

Since I started milling, I've been looking at all the trees with a different eye. Where I live was once the stone fruit capitol of the world and they've been taking out orchards by the acre. I should grab a couple of logs and see what I can do with them. Cherry, almond, apricot, plums, peach, pear, apple, prune and such.

 

[Wolfking42084]

Apple is very beautiful. I had about 100bf of it that was made into my kitchen table. I milled the lumber on a mizer lt40 i use to own but someone else did the craftsmenship. beautiful wood! anyone found any peach large enough to do anything with??

 

[Semi-Hex]

Apple is very beautiful. I had about 100bf of it that was made into my kitchen table. I milled the lumber on a mizer lt40 i use to own but someone else did the craftsmenship. beautiful wood! anyone found any peach large enough to do anything with??

Even the largest fruit trees are about 13" x 4'. There should be possibilities for this size to do some projects. I really don't know how they dry but I have done some fruitwood turning with good results.

 

[woodshop]

Even the largest fruit trees are about 13" x 4'. There should be possibilities for this size to do some projects. I really don't know how they dry but I have done some fruitwood turning with good results.

Don't know about others here, but I have found apple to be one of the most difficult wood to dry. No matter what I do or how I try and tame it, it wants to twist up like a pretzel. Now when I get a hold of some apple, I mill it THICK, like 8/4 minimum, and then do the best I can keeping it flat. Once it dries, it's pretty stable, and after wasting a good bit getting it through the jointer/planer it can be then be resawn to smaller dimensions on the bandsaw. I just finished yesterday making some nutcrackers out of applewood as well as cherry and spalted sycamore. It is beautiful hard often multicolored wood.

 

[Semi-Hex]

Don't know about others here, but I have found apple to be one of the most difficult wood to dry. No matter what I do or how I try and tame it, it wants to twist up like a pretzel. Now when I get a hold of some apple, I mill it THICK, like 8/4 minimum, and then do the best I can keeping it flat. Once it dries, it's pretty stable, and after wasting a good bit getting it through the jointer/planer it can be then be resawn to smaller dimensions on the bandsaw. I just finished yesterday making some nutcrackers out of applewood as well as cherry and spalted sycamore. It is beautiful hard often multicolored wood.

That most likely is the way to go. Here we have Pacific Madrone, (Arbutus menziesii) which would be a really cool very hard and pretty wood to use but it twists while it grows and almost tries to unwind when it dries. I haven't figured out the drying of this one either.