bottle brush tree

[laurie ann]

hello all in au. i'm in the process of cutting down a dead bottle brush tree in my yard. is it turnable? i have some 4 to 5 inch trunks and was wondering if it's meant for the trash or the lathe. i've noticed that it has some bump like little burls in part if the stock. i love to try and turn it.
my neighbors camphor tree dropped a 5inch by 8 foot branch on to a car the other day and the windsheild is now holy.... .... i know what that turns like. love the smell.
see ya
laurie ann

[BrianR]

Bottlebrush, that'll be a Banksia or a Callistomen and both are great to turn. With the thinner trunks if you do some end-grain turning at the point where branches split out you'll get some amazing grain patterns.

[Jimbob]

Hi Laurie Ann,
Bottle brush is fine to turn nice white timber or at the base good colour, a bit unstable in the drying, I have made twist pens and the look O.K.
Jimbob

[Salty]

Camphor Laurel is one of the favourite turning timbers in our club. It can have some of the best colour and figure - and all from a weed !!!
happy turning

[laurie ann]

hello all in AU. i just finished two pens made from the bottle brush tree i cut down this morning. thank for your answers regarding this wood. it was on it way to the dumpster. now it's safly cut and stored. its was real dead so drying is not a problem. the pen on the right is cross cut and the other is straight grain.

thanks again
laurie

[Toggy]

Laurie,

certainly looks like callistemon or bottle brush to me. The pieces I have turned were very fine grained and a pleasure to turn. Used Hut wax as a finish. The timber did darken with age ; most likely from oils in my skin.

Nice job.

Ken