# American beech



## GeorgeS (Jul 6, 2015)

Has anyone here turned American Beech? Found a guy looking to get a couple large rounds off his property and was wondering how it turns.


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## duncsuss (Jul 6, 2015)

I haven't turned it, but if it's free ... 

Beech is often used to make mallets, so it's a good hard wood. Probably a lot easier to work green than when it's dried out.


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## MikeMD (Jul 6, 2015)

Though I haven't turned any, a voice in the back of my head keeps saying that I've heard that it spalts nicely. I, personally, don't think the wood is all that pretty, but if you can get a good spalt in it, that'll pretty up any bland wood...


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## Ralph Muhs (Jul 6, 2015)

I have a beech log that is almost certainly spalted. A couple of years ago I sawed one and it was spalted. A couple of guys on this site received some of it. If I remember correctly much of it was quite punkey. This log is from the same tree, so it may be too far gone to be any good. The tree blew down three years ago.


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## GeorgeS (Jul 6, 2015)

Thanks guys! I'm not sure how long this tree has been down or if it's worth my time. The posting on CL says that the tree was 125 years old and the rounds are so large they say it takes two to three people to move them. If I decide to go get some of it I will cut it on site in place then take it to the truck.


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## barry richardson (Jul 6, 2015)

I haven't turned any either, but someone posted some on Woodbarter a while ago that was spalted and looked amazing..


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## DKMD (Jul 6, 2015)

I've turned a little, and it cracked all to hell on me. The guy I got it from says he has no trouble drying roughouts in paper sacks, so it may be my drying methods were all wrong.

It turns great wet. Sadly, I never had anything survive the drying phase, so I can't comment about turning it dry... My gut says it's about like maple or sycamore. Supposed to be great for rolling pins/cutting boards/etc


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## GeorgeS (Jul 7, 2015)

Thanks Doc!


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## CWS (Jul 10, 2015)

Very nice grain if you qs the rounds into blanks.
Curt


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## The PenSmith (Jul 26, 2015)

I have turned a fair about of spalted Beech and it is a great wood turn. The spalt lines were just right so no issues at all.


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## ghost1066 (Jul 26, 2015)

I have turned it and in fact just got done turning two pieces of beech burl. The spalted beech I turned I didn't care for it was not fun and I finally left what I had on the shelf. The burl was full of inclusions you can see the pieces still on the lathe in the game call section and I will post finished pics in a bit. I leave it in the woods now just not worth the trouble to me.


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## Mr. Peet (Jul 26, 2015)

My brother has used A. beech for lots of utilitarian turnings and 50 thousand or so egg blanks for a Penn State souvenir shop over the past 11 or so years. My experience is that it turns just like soft maple, _Acer rubrum_. And before beech blight hit in the 1940's, it was used for many of the same unseen uses as yellow/ tulip poplar is today. I still have lots of clothes hangers, clothes pins and a few folding chairs made of A. beech.

However, anything over 6"inches in diameter is a challenge in turning. Keep to the smaller items and you should do fine....

Reactions: Like 1


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## Patrude (Jul 26, 2015)

I turned a huge bowl from a storm damaged tree. When my neighbor told me that I could have all I wanted I thought I struck gold. Not so good when I turned it though. I found it gets punky rather quickly & like others posting on this I had trouble with splitting. The big bowl I turned cracked so badly I just took it back to the shop to remind me not to turn any more of this. I did make some really nice designer firewood though


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