# ficus wood any good?



## lanaisthehbomb

i was driving home and about to take the turn to my street when I saw a huge truck with a bunch of ginormous pieces of wood. Sadly it was pine, but I talked to the main guy and he said the are cutting down a ficus in that same place. Anyone ever turn ficus. Is it any good and should I get a ton of it if I can. I don't know the exact species. He did say it was a pretty large tree, atleats 3 feet in diameter. If you got pictures of your ficus turnings that would be great.

Alex


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## johnp

free wood is always good.. don't turn down pine if the trees over 100 years old.. i've seen a ficus blank but i don't remember turning any.. when i am offered green wood i take a couple of pieces... i rough it out and store it in the shavings... i've even turned sweetgum, and other then wanting to split, it made a pretty bowl.. i'll spin anything that doesn't run off when i try to drag it home.. some of my best pieces are from stock that i wasn't sure i should mess with..


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## Neco

*Is any pine good pine?*

I am planning to get a portable mill and salvage what ever wood I can. Is any pine food pine? I would plan to panel my garage with it. Also, do you know of any comprehensive books on trees/woodworking uses?




100 years old.. i've seen a ficus blank but i don't remember turning any.. when i am offered green wood i take a couple of pieces... i rough it out and store it in the shavings... i've even turned sweetgum, and other then wanting to split, it made a pretty bowl.. i'll spin anything that doesn't run off when i try to drag it home.. some of my best pieces are from stock that i wasn't sure i should mess with..[/QUOTE]


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## wildwood

Not sure Ficus wood harvested for a commercial purpose. Would take all can get and try turning some green, end seal some to dry for turning later.

Plenty information on the web which can point you in direction you want to take. 

Harvesting wood for woodworking projects takes lots of special equipment (chain saws, portable wood cutting mills, area to dry) or taking trees to a sawmill and either air drying or kiln drying. Better to buy wood from local sawmills in your area. 

Check out this site for what is available in your area:
http://www.woodfinder.com/

I only harvest wood for wood stove and turning, have chain saws, axes, wedges, mall, pick-up truck, end sealer, and woodshed.


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## LeftCoaster

Ficus is good to turn, but it is really plain. It is good if you want to do some coloring or off-lathe decorating. The sap from the bark is extremely sticky until youngest it turned off tho.


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## Chaincarver Steve

I've done a small amount of whittling in ficus and have a branch I've been saving for a few years now. It carved very well and has a nice look to it.


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## Neco

Thanks. I'm ready to take the plunge and find out about this wood salvaging thing! I'll check out woodfinder.com


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## tifdfairchild

I have a ficus tree , about 4 feet wide at the base. It is huge, big as my 14 x 70 mobile home. Some branches are 1 ft wide 15 ft long.. Would somebody like to have it for the wood ? I am fearful of it falling on my roof in a hurricane. Email me at [email protected] with the reply as Ficus Tree. This is in Brevard County Florida.


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## Dave McCann

tifdfairchild said:


> I have a ficus tree , about 4 feet wide at the base. It is huge, big as my 14 x 70 mobile home. Some branches are 1 ft wide 15 ft long.. Would somebody like to have it for the wood ? I am fearful of it falling on my roof in a hurricane. Email me at [email protected] with the reply as Ficus Tree. This is in Brevard County Florida.


If this tree is close enough to possibly damage your home, I would kindly suggest you contact a licensed and bonded (insured), tree removal service.


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## Steve Neul

Neco said:


> *Is any pine good pine?*
> 
> I am planning to get a portable mill and salvage what ever wood I can. Is any pine food pine? I would plan to panel my garage with it. Also, do you know of any comprehensive books on trees/woodworking uses?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 100 years old.. i've seen a ficus blank but i don't remember turning any.. when i am offered green wood i take a couple of pieces... i rough it out and store it in the shavings... i've even turned sweetgum, and other then wanting to split, it made a pretty bowl.. i'll spin anything that doesn't run off when i try to drag it home.. some of my best pieces are from stock that i wasn't sure i should mess with..


[/QUOTE]The problem is wood for paneling would take a very long time to dry. If it wasn't very dry the wood would shrink leaving gaps between the boards. 

Good luck with your sawmill. I just set up one and cut two red oak logs yielding about 400 board feet of at best #3 grade common lumber. I get pallets for free, I don't need to build any. Lot of bad looking wood.


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