# Redbud wood



## oliverheath

Greetings,
This is my first ever participation in a woodworking forum, so please, a little patience. Thanks. 
Here's what I like to hear about...uses for redbud wood.
I cut down a 35 year old redbud at my dad's house,and just for fun, decided to keep it rather than burn it because the wood is so hard and has a very dark color, like walnut...4-5 inches diameter. I treated the ends to slow down splitting. 
Has anyone ever done anything with redbud...Cersis canadensis?
Thanks,
Oliver


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## Daren

It is a very hard wood, it will dry slowly and want to move on you if you are making "lumber" for small projects. It turns well, does not crack as bad as some species.
I have done some stuff with redbud, course mine was a little different it had bumps all over it :laughing: and I could not get my arms around the base :no:. I swiped some recent pictures from my gallery here of it.
It is pretty wood, even without the burls. It's just hard to find them big/straight enough to do much with. I have sawn out some smaller ones on my shop bandsaw for small projects. Have fun.


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## Nancy Laird

I'd love to have some redbud for small pen blanks. If you can chop some of that up into 3/4x3/4x5" pieces (grain going the 5" way), you can probably gain a few $$$ by selling them on some of the pen-turning forums.

Nancy (101 days)


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## Daren

Here is a scrap of redbud I just shot through the planer. Like oliverheath mentioned it darkens considerably as it oxidizes, much like cherry.


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## Daren

Nancy Laird said:


> I'd love to have some redbud for small pen blanks.
> Nancy (101 days)


What about redbud burl ?  (Obviously the pen in the picture in not the same wood, it's just there for scale) I have not even turned a pen from my own blanks yet, gave a few away(P.M. me, I am still in the spirit of giving :laughing and turned some killer small file handles and other things. I got some monsters off that log. The ones in the picture are 40-100 lbs :huh:.


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## oliverheath

Good morning Daren,
Wow! Thanks for the reply, and thanks for all the pics! I can't believe you took the time to do that for me. Great pics. Esp. of that burl! Quite a bit larger than my puny pieces. Question: How did you dry your wood? Is it oily like teak? In other words can it be glued up?
Again, thanks Daren for taking the time. PS I'm down here in Mobile, AL.


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## oliverheath

Hi Nancy,
Many thanks for taking the time to respond. Actually, I hadn't thought of making pens...what a great idea! The dark part is only several inches across. Also, I was wondering about how to dry this wood.
Thanks. PS I'm down here in Mobile, AL


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## Daren

oliverheath said:


> Question: How did you dry your wood?
> 
> In other words can it be glued up?


It glues up just fine. I have a kiln, but there is another way for small pieces, if you are in a big hurry and can't wait for them to air dry (I assume we are still talking pen blanks here) I do it all the time, and have advised others and they like it too, microwave. You don't just throw them in and let them cook for 5 minutes :no:. Put them on a paper towel and set the micro on high for 30-45 seconds, until the wood barely steams. Take them out and let them cool for 3-4 minutes, and put them back in the micro and repeat. Do this several times, in to heat out to cool and presto dry wood :thumbsup:. It may take a little experimenting, like shorter/longer times in/out, but you will get the hang of it.


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## TexasTimbers

Het oliver how long have you lived in Mobile? I was there from 82 through May of 85. Used to hang out at a place Called Paddy O'Tooles and throwed about a million games of darts and drank that many pitures of Lowenbrau Dark. :smile: 

The drinking days are gone for me but I would not pass up a chance to get into a dart game. :thumbsup:


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## oliverheath

Greetings TexasT,
Been back in Mobile since '77. You missed Frederick, not us! 
Had a friend that threw darts at Paddy O's...in fact he taught me how to throw darts "correctly". But he would not have been around when you were here. I never was as good as he was...don't practice that much. But did get into it for a while...still love it.
Anyway, back to the redbud...ever done that?


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## TexasTimbers

Is that place still there? It has to be gone by now. 

I don't know what you mean by "Frederick not us!"


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## oliverheath

Hurricane Frederick, Sept, 1979, up Mobile Bay, packing winds that broke the anenometer at 145 mph! I'm pretty sure Paddy O's still there...want me to check?
Ever work with redbud?


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## mrpipe

*hello*

Welcome! Im new here myself, seems like a really cool place to chill and learn some great woodworking skills!:smile:


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## Daren

Welcome mrpipe, should I ask about your username?


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## woodman42

Welcome guys.


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## Daren

A little redbud I milled for live edge slabs.


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## TexasTimbers

Wow those are awesome. The pair on the right look like two penguins huddled, together if you use a little imagination.















That wood is gorgeous.


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## Trappeur

*Take a look at this.....Look at Darens 1'st picture in post #2 of this thread of the redbud burl...Does anyone not see something really cool? Look again...Do you not see a face? I can see the eyes, the frown in the forehead, the mustache, the ears, and I even see all the wrinkles in the face and in this guys forehead and how bout that nose? It looks so real!*

*Isn't that amazing what endless boundaries nature plays on us? *

*Trapp*


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## Daren

Trappeur said:


> *..Look at Darens 1'st picture in post #2 of this thread of the redbud burl...Does anyone not see something really cool? *


That was a close up. Here is the bookmatched table top I milled off that funky log. You would kinda have to see it in person to get it, very unusual.


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## Handyman

Nancy Laird said:


> I'd love to have some redbud for small pen blanks. If you can chop some of that up into 3/4x3/4x5" pieces (grain going the 5" way), you can probably gain a few $$$ by selling them on some of the pen-turning forums.
> 
> Nancy (101 days)


 
Nancy How small of peices of redbud wood can you use to make pens? I just had to cut a branch off one of my redbud trees. I saved a log about 5" x 5ft, But there are quite a bit of smaller peices I have piled in the burn pile. I can mail some to you if you pay me back for shipping. Dont know if it would be worth it or not. I am in South West Louisiana.


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## Terry Beeson

I saw either Jesus, a transformer, or Howard Stern in that piece... Dang, Daren, you could charge admission to see that slab!!!


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## Nancy Laird

Handyman said:


> Nancy How small of peices of redbud wood can you use to make pens? I just had to cut a branch off one of my redbud trees. I saved a log about 5" x 5ft, But there are quite a bit of smaller peices I have piled in the burn pile. I can mail some to you if you pay me back for shipping. Dont know if it would be worth it or not. I am in South West Louisiana.


The pieces can be either 3/4 x 3/4 x 5" for a slimline or "slender" pen, or some turners like them at 1 x 1 x 5" for the fatter pens. They are usually cut with the grain running along the 5" length, but can be diagonally or crosscut for a more interesting pattern.


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## ByronAVC

Hello.
i was wondering if any of you guys, or if you knew anywhere, where i can buy some redbud. it is for an engagement ring and i havent really had much luck. i would need a size of 1"x1"x12".


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## Daren

You might try this guy http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/ :laughing:

I was just being a smarty and linking my site, shoot me a PM or give me a holler from my site.


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## ByronAVC

awesome. 
i sent you an email at the address provided on the site.
thanks!:thumbsup:


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## TexasPens

Don't know if anyone is still following this thread, but I have turned several pens out of redbud wood. My favorite one came from a branch that was about 4 inches diameter but I have turned pens from branches as small as 1-1.25 inches in diameter.


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## Vanguarwolf1212

Daren said:


> What about redbud burl ?  (Obviously the pen in the picture in not the same wood, it's just there for scale) I have not even turned a pen from my own blanks yet, gave a few away(P.M. me, I am still in the spirit of giving 😆) and turned some killer small file handles and other things. I got some monsters off that log. The ones in the picture are 40-100 lbs :huh:.
> 
> 
> Do you still have any peices left of those burl wood


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