# California Pepper Tree



## barry richardson (Sep 3, 2018)

Both of these are the same species believe it or not.... The one on the left was from very old and degraded stump burl, was very punky, and the other is from a fresh cut piece. I soaked the punky one with several applications of poly to make a surface solid enough to finish. The right one I turned to finish and parted it off green, and let it do it's thing. It puckered up pretty good, the wood is very unstable. they are about the size of soccer balls......

Reactions: Like 5 | EyeCandy! 15 | Way Cool 11


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## phinds (Sep 3, 2018)

Very nice Barry. My imagination must be working overtime this morning. First glance, what I saw was a horror-film face with cut off nose and one raised eyebrow:

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Agree 3 | Creative 3


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## Mike1950 (Sep 3, 2018)

Aa always- beautiful work with wild pieces

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Tony (Sep 3, 2018)

Really nice pieces Barry! I saw a face in the second one too, I'm with Paul. Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## phinds (Sep 3, 2018)

Tony said:


> I saw a face in the second one too, I'm with Paul


Oh, good. I was afraid I was going to have to change the dosage on my meds

Reactions: Funny 4


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## Nature Man (Sep 3, 2018)

I was close to getting a downed California Pepper tree once, but was too late on the draw. I've been wondering how it is to work with. Certainly beautiful to start with, although I've heard it does not retain its bright red/pink colors. As usual, you've turned a chunk of wood into artwork! Chuck


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## ironman123 (Sep 3, 2018)

Very nice work Barry.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## barefoot (Sep 4, 2018)

OMG those are pretty. Never heard of this wood. So nice!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## barefoot (Sep 4, 2018)

phinds said:


> Very nice Barry. My imagination must be working overtime this morning. First glance, what I saw was a horror-film face with cut off nose and one raised eyebrow:
> 
> View attachment 152509


Paul and Tony, ditto! That is a Halloween face for sure.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nubsnstubs (Sep 6, 2018)

I helped a friend take down a CP several years ago. The trunk was all burl. Got it home, cut it up, sealed with Anchor seal, put it aside. A week later, I looked at one piece. It had more holes than a colander. Lost interest in it. Maybe I should do something with it after seeing these pieces above.............. Jerry (in Tucson)


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## DKMD (Sep 7, 2018)

Very cool, Barry! I’m kind partial to the wacky, warped alien face form.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1 (Sep 7, 2018)

Do you see it now???

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Sep 8, 2018)

phinds said:


> Very nice Barry. My imagination must be working overtime this morning. First glance, what I saw was a horror-film face with cut off nose and one raised eyebrow:
> 
> View attachment 152509



I just told my wife it looks like that weird guy from the movie, the Goonies. Sloth...

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 2


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## ripjack13 (Sep 8, 2018)

Oh...Barry, those look great. Do you finish sand em, then part em off, and let them do their thing?
And does the finish ever crack after its done moving? What do you do then?

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1 (Sep 8, 2018)



Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 10


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## Nubsnstubs (Sep 8, 2018)

rocky1 said:


> Do you see it now???
> 
> View attachment 152683View attachment 152684



I'm not seeing any pictures today. Maybe it's my glasses...... or too early............ Jerry (in Tucson)


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## vegas urban lumber (Sep 8, 2018)

got a call yesterday to harvest a downed CP at one of the local post office facilities. i'm due there monday morning at 10:30 am. i have processed several CP that died and dried whole, with good results. most of them in landscaping here have great burl. the same guy that called me for this one gave me a whole blue ghost euc (beeswing), last week, from another post office facility. the biggest log from that one is 9 foot long and average 24" across

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 4


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## Nubsnstubs (Sep 8, 2018)

rocky1 said:


> View attachment 152686



Wendell, you slacked off on that one. I suppose it's the time zone. ............. Jerry (in Tucson)


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## barefoot (Sep 8, 2018)

Barry, you mention beeswing. I have a special interest in beeswing wood and want to learn a lot more about that grain pattern. Could you post pix of it? I made a church warden tobacco pipe out of beeswing red gum and that grain pattern is so beautiful. I might want to trade you for a bit of that beeswing euc if you have enough. c:


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## barry richardson (Sep 8, 2018)

ripjack13 said:


> Oh...Barry, those look great. Do you finish sand em, then part em off, and let them do their thing?
> And does the finish ever crack after its done moving? What do you do then?


Thanks Marc, as far as the wrinkled one, Yes, I turned it as thin as I dared, to about a 1/4" then sanded it real good to 220. After parting it off, I let it dry, then did some touch-up sanding, and applied the finish. I don't think there will be a problem with the finish....
Here is another one a bit smaller, it's fun seeing how they turn out, hope I find some more of this wood...

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 2


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## barry richardson (Sep 8, 2018)

barefoot said:


> View attachment 152697 Barry, you mention beeswing. I have a special interest in beeswing wood and want to learn a lot more about that grain pattern. Could you post pix of it? I made a church warden tobacco pipe out of beeswing red gum and that grain pattern is so beautiful. I might want to trade you for a bit of that beeswing euc if you have enough. c:



I didn't mention it in this thread, but here ya are...


 

this is an example of some I have had, this is coolibah eucalyptus, but it is also very common in red gum and others. IME it is somewhat like curly figure in that it is usually more pronounced near the outside of the trunk, and tends to fade toward the center. A google search will give you plenty of images of it. I think I might have some to trade if you want, if so, start a new thread in the "wood for trade" forum and tag me....

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 2


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## vegas urban lumber (Sep 8, 2018)

barry richardson said:


> I didn't mention it in this thread, but here ya are...
> View attachment 152701
> 
> this is an example of some I have had, this is coolibah eucalyptus, but it is also very common in red gum and others. IME it is somewhat like curly figure in that it is usually more pronounced near the outside of the trunk, and tends to fade toward the center. A google search will give you plenty of images of it. I think I might have some to trade if you want, if so, start a new thread in the "wood for trade" forum and tag me....



here's a couple of pieces from a landscape tree in vegas from last year. this beeswing grain is visible only at quartersawn, located mostly in the trunk sections and may be related to stress growth. the potential is visible under the bark as a wavy fiberous pattern looking like may SSSSS

Reactions: EyeCandy! 2


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## vegas urban lumber (Sep 8, 2018)

here's a couplemore pics, only slightly visible in the third picture on the left side of the two outside slabs

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 1


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## barefoot (Sep 22, 2018)

Barry and Trev, that is some beautiful wood you both have. I might want to trade for some but not sure what you guys are after. Any hints as to what I can barter? I have a lot of weird woods (even have a piece of spalted grapefruit!). Are you looking for thicker wood suitable for bowl turning, pen pieces, ?? I have a lot of wood in guitar sets which is probably not what you want, but I have various billets too. Perhaps if you can tell me approximately what it's worth a bdft, then I can come up with an equivalent trade.


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## barry richardson (Sep 22, 2018)

barefoot said:


> Barry and Trev, that is some beautiful wood you both have. I might want to trade for some but not sure what you guys are after. Any hints as to what I can barter? I have a lot of weird woods (even have a piece of spalted grapefruit!). Are you looking for thicker wood suitable for bowl turning, pen pieces, ?? I have a lot of wood in guitar sets which is probably not what you want, but I have various billets too. Perhaps if you can tell me approximately what it's worth a bdft, then I can come up with an equivalent trade.


Turns out after looking I don't have any left. ...


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## vegas urban lumber (Sep 23, 2018)

barefoot said:


> Barry and Trev, that is some beautiful wood you both have. I might want to trade for some but not sure what you guys are after. Any hints as to what I can barter? I have a lot of weird woods (even have a piece of spalted grapefruit!). Are you looking for thicker wood suitable for bowl turning, pen pieces, ?? I have a lot of wood in guitar sets which is probably not what you want, but I have various billets too. Perhaps if you can tell me approximately what it's worth a bdft, then I can come up with an equivalent trade.


i don't really need any wood in trade. but i will be slabbing more of this soon since i got a tree of this material a couple months ago. i may have some pepper mill sized blanks available of this material dry. i'll take a look

Reactions: Like 1


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## David Hill (Sep 23, 2018)

Great pieces!
Does the _weird _wood just come to you?


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## barry richardson (Sep 23, 2018)

David Hill said:


> Great pieces!
> Does the _weird _wood just come to you?


Thanks David, I get most of my wood from a local wood recycling operation that lets me pick through their stuff...


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## David Hill (Sep 23, 2018)

Great source!
Anything to keep good wood from going to the chippers—- that’s way prettier’n a handful of mulch.

Figured you’d like that tongue& cheek.


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