# Cypress



## gvwp (Jun 9, 2014)

Being a resident of Indiana we don't see much Cypress up this way but a fellow had a huge Cypress growing in his yard here in Brazil, Indiana. He had it cut down and is looking to sell the logs. My question is has anyone ever turned Cypress? Is it a good wood to work with? 

David


----------



## GeauxGameCalls (Jun 9, 2014)

gvwp said:


> Being a resident of Indiana we don't see much Cypress up this way but a fellow had a huge Cypress growing in his yard here in Brazil, Indiana. He had it cut down and is looking to sell the logs. My question is has anyone ever turned Cypress? Is it a good wood to work with?
> 
> David


Being from Louisiana I have worked with it and some piece can get pretty soft. I'm sure you've turned cedar it's just a little bit softer.


----------



## SDB777 (Jun 9, 2014)

The nice part.....Cypress is closer to the 'cedar' family then ERC is!!! How strange is that!

I have turned Cypress 'knees', but not the timber in the actual tree....any photo's to share yet? Did you go look at it?




Scott (ERC is juniper) B


----------



## Tclem (Jun 9, 2014)

Isn't cypress used for box calls. I know down here in ms/la you see a lot of boxes made from it


----------



## firemedic (Jun 13, 2014)

ehh - wouldn't be my first choice to turn because it's soft and for the most part it will be mistaken for pine. It IS remarkably stable through out the curing process however so it would lend itself well to thin walled hollow vessels if you can stay outside of the heart.

If it were sinker OR if you can block out the buttress / bell of the tree then you'd have something. The bell is seldom used for lumber because it's considerable larger than the main trunk but the grain that can be found within is incredible! 

The lumber is excellent primary and secondary uses on furniture. If you strictly want some to turn then bargain for the but of the log - it likely won't be sawn for lumber anyway. The only time I see it the bells sawn or for specialty wide shorts.

Good luck!

Reactions: Informative 1


----------



## gvwp (Jun 13, 2014)

SDB777 said:


> The nice part.....Cypress is closer to the 'cedar' family then ERC is!!! How strange is that!
> 
> I have turned Cypress 'knees', but not the timber in the actual tree....any photo's to share yet? Did you go look at it?
> 
> ...





Yes I did look at it but like everywhere else around here once I did and he knew I was in the business he wanted a fortune for it. So it went from "free just need to get it out of the way" to wanting as much as it took for the tree company to cut it down which was thousands so I passed it up. I drove by yesterday and its all still sitting there so I don't know what they are going to do with it. I've never cut any of it so I would like to have ran it through the mill just to say I have.


----------



## SDB777 (Jun 13, 2014)

BTDT....sorry to hear you won't be getting a chance on it.

It cuts pretty nice. Not as much 'going on' inside of the piece I was able to split open.....




Scott (photo's are fun though) B


----------



## gvwp (Jun 18, 2014)

Turns out the fellow couldn't get anybody to pickup the logs within his time frame so I went and picked up the lot this evening. Here are a few photos. I've never cut this type of wood before so if anybody has any suggestions as to what to cut the logs into fire away. 

Here are a few pics of the logs. Can anybody confirm they are indeed Cypress logs?

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


----------



## Treecycle Hardwoods (Jun 18, 2014)

I assume he came to his senses on the pricing?


----------



## gvwp (Jun 19, 2014)

Treecycle Hardwoods said:


> I assume he came to his senses on the pricing?



Yes finally. Much more reasonable. I guess he couldn't find anybody to move the logs as the butt log was 16' long and 36" at the base. For the size it wasn't as heavy as I would have guessed. We don't see many Cypress logs in Indiana.


----------



## Mike1950 (Jun 19, 2014)

Looks a lot like our western red cedar- When it dries out it is very light. Nice load of logs!!


----------



## Kevin (Jun 19, 2014)

Cypress is one of the few species that the sawdust irritates me. I built a large deck from it once and I swore it off at the end of that week. I was miserable the whole time.


----------



## GeauxGameCalls (Jun 19, 2014)

If I can see a better picture of the bark I can guarantee it but if you said its super light it's mos likely cypress


----------



## gvwp (Jun 19, 2014)

Is Cypress good for carving like Basswood?


----------



## GeauxGameCalls (Jun 19, 2014)

Yes. I have many things carved from it.


----------



## gvwp (Jun 19, 2014)

GeauxGameCalls said:


> Yes. I have many things carved from it.



Does Cypress shrink a lot when kiln dried like Basswood? I think I might cut a few large carving blocks and try to kiln dry them. I know I have to oversaw Basswood quite a bit because it shrinks so much in the kiln.


----------



## ironman123 (Jun 19, 2014)

Good looking stuff ther David. PM sent.


----------



## GeauxGameCalls (Jun 19, 2014)

Hm I've never kiln dried it becuase it usually airs dries pretty well but there isn't much shrinkage when we dry.


----------



## gvwp (Jun 19, 2014)

Ok thanks for the info Elliot. You have been helpful.


----------

