Alexander palms coming down - worth keeping?

[rtyuiop]

Hi folks,

Got a couple of mid size Alexander palms (at least that's what they are, according to the arborist) coming down at my place - any point in keeping some of the remains for turning?

I am set up to stabilise wood so I'll keep at least some to try it out, but not sure if keeping any significant amount would be worth the storage space!

Cheers,

Danny

[China]

NO no no no

[rtyuiop]

That bad? Am I even wasting time trying to stabilise?

[rod1949]

The inside of palms are just strands of fibres with lots of moisture. When cut and they dry out all the internall fibre falls apart. The only thing you will be left with is the outer shell/trunk

[Nubsnstubs]

That bad? Am I even wasting time trying to stabilise?

Danny, according to China, it looks like you wasted time just by posting this question. :doh: hehehe.............. Jerry (in Tucson)USA

[Fumbler]

NO no no no

China, you are a man of many words. any specific reason for the no?

[rtyuiop]

There's definitely some turnable palms (notably black palm), particularly if stabilised, and I would be able to pick and choose bits (older posts suggest the chunk of trunk just above the root ball is the best bet). Will post some pics if I keep any!

[China]

Any palm I have ever had any thing to do with was a complete waste of time how ever I have nver venture in "stabilising"

[steve r]

Large royals and large foxtails, lower trunks set rock hard, once all moisture has gone, however they still do have that fibre/strand nature to them. Like a coconut husk does.

[NeilS]

I hope your aborist brings a few spare saw chains with them. In my experience (I'm not sure which species it was, but it was dry by the time I was cutting it up) the stringy fibre killed the edge on my chains.

Sent from my ZTE T84 using Tapatalk

[Mobyturns]

There are a number of palms around the world that produce useable "wood" which is rather different to the woods we are more familiar with. The density of the wood is at its maximum near the outer bark and is almost un-useable pith at the centre. The various "black palms" are well known as is red palm. Various projects are established to utilize Cocos wood (coconut wood) in Pacific nations.

For domestically grown palms the quality of the wood appears to better the harder and harsher their growing environment. Fast growing well nourished & well watered palms don't seem to develop any useable wood. Alexander palms are not regarded as "wood" producing palms but I have seen end grain turned bowls turned from the section of the trunk just above the root ball. Same goes for Royal palms and a few others.

Search Dewey Garret as he has turned a number of hollow forms, bowls and goblets from palm wood. From memory I believe that Brissy turner Kerry Cameron has turned Alexander Palm.

[powderpost]

I have turned a black palm root ball, it was quite spectacular showing all the "eyes" of the many roots coming from the stump. It wasn't all that hard to turn either. I have turned coconut palm as well. I will have a look in the morning, to fime the bowl I made from coconut palm and post a photo. That wasn't all that hard to turn either.

Jim

[powderpost]

Took some finding but as promised I found the bowl made from a coconut palm tree. It measures 260mm wide and 110mm at the highest point. As you can see it is a natural edge bowl with the "bark" intact.

Jim

448103448104

[ogato]

I've turned a bit of Cocos Palm, and Bangalow Palm with some success. Usually only the lower 1m or so of the trunk is solid through the centre - above that it tends to get a bit soft and 'stringy'.
I use the Tony Greig 'key' test to gauge whether the the wood is firm enough. If the key penetrates the middle section, it certainly won't hold a chuck.
Here's one I made earlier - from Cocos Palm.
Unfortunately I can't help with info on Alexander Palm - haven't tried it . . . . yet. Triangle Palm though, tried and it didn't work - too wet and not firm enough.


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[rtyuiop]

Many thanks, Jim and ogato!

The photos have convinced me it's definitely worth a go to try to keep the lower part of the trunk. Might be a dismal failure, but that's OK!