Madrone Wood?

[billiard]

Madrone, aka, madrona wood, is indigenous to the North West Coast of the US\lower Canada and there is quite a bit of it near where I live. Turners use it for bowls, pens, etc. It was commonly used in the past for tobacco pipes locally and I have had quite a few local puffers ask me if I ever use it.

I have a small log that has been air drying for a couple of years and doesn't appear to have any cracks in it. The log looks big enough that I can make a few pipes out of it.

Any thoughts on processing it? Should I just cut a block off the end, turn a stummel and let it sit a couple weeks? Should I boil it for 24 hours? Something else?

Thanks!

PS, before you fellows get all riled up as some of you enjoy: I'm not a newb, see my join date and my gallery (not saying I'm great, just not a newb) and I am not trying to explore, be a mad scientist, or start using exotic materials to make a name for myself. I've just been asked a lot about this local wood, was gifted a log for this purpose, and thought it was worth having a go. Thanks

[Alden]

If it's dry and crack free, thats probably as good as you're going to get. One thing though, the burl is what you would probably use for pipes. If it's a trunk section it would be the same as using briar tree vs briar burl.
I have a bunch of Madrone burl but it moves A LOT when drying and cracks a lot too. Other than that, it seems to be a lot like strawberry wood, which it is closely related to.

[billiard]

Thanks Ryan, that helps, appreciate it. I doubt if my wife would have appreciated me boiling it in her kitchen for a day

It's dry and crack free but it is either a trunk, or a branch section, and not burl. I had the same thought that most likely burl was used for pipes however I thought since apple, cherry, etc., when used for a pipe is not (or at least not always) burl maybe I could get away with it with Madrone? Maybe not? I think when I finish up my current pipe I will do a quick little test pipe with it and see how it smokes.

Now that said, I wonder if we are talking about the same Madrone? I did not know this until 10 seconds ago but there is a Texas Madrone and a Pacific Madrone, same genus but different species that only grow in each other's respective locations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrone cool stuff

[Alden]

What I have is Pacific Madrone. It was steamed after harvest to cut down on cracking and twisting. I have it drying in bags of sawdust since last year and haven't checked any of the blocks since I bagged it. Everything I tried to air dry twisted and warped and got tiny fractures running throuh it.
It's actually pretty neat how much the stuff twists and moves as it dries and people take advantage of that. They will turn a bowl or some other piece when it's wet and let it twist into fantastic forms as it dries.
As far as using the trunk, probably similar to using most any other wood, which is to say it will probably do fine but without the long term durability of briar.

[billiard]

It's actually pretty neat how much the stuff twists and moves as it dries and people take advantage of that. They will turn a bowl or some other piece when it's wet and let it twist into fantastic forms as it dries.

That is very cool. I look forward to seeing you use some Madrone burl on a pipe, or extension, etc.

I've got a pipe to finish and a couple commissions in the pipeline but I'll try the trunk on a pipe soon and if it comes out nice will post it in the gallery.

[Alden]

Well this post made me go dig out some of that Madrone burl. It's hard to believe but this stuff is still super wet !
I squared up a couple blocks and so far so good. The slow drying has kept out any cracks and checks so far.
I may air dry 2 of the blocks now that they've stabilized a bit and make a couple pipes.
After sanding these down and putting it next to strawberry blocks, they look actually identical. I have a feeling they are going to finish and blast just like Arbutus.

[billiard]

I wonder if they will smoke the same as well?

I turned my first strawberry block the other night and if time allows I will turn a stem and make the pipe this weekend. I'm looking forward to trying the Madrone now, it will be neat to compare pictures to see the difference between madrone burl and madrone trunk.

[Matt]

i sometimes use pacific madrone for disposable pieces.
I have a lot of it because i found a pretty long fallen branch of it a couple years back in the mountains, and i havent been getting out to harvest manzanita much lateley so i make due with it instead.
In my expieriences when using the branches of this wood, i feel its better to use thinner newer growth, as opposed to wider older branches, i notice most if not all of the pipes ive made out out of the fallen branch have serious burnout problems, the thinner branches tend to hold up better under heat.

[billiard]

Thanks Matt.

I finished up my first strawberry over the weekend. A nose warmer, just a smidge over 4" and 1 ounce.


I made a block out of some of the Madrone I have as well:


From making the block I can say that it just doesn't feel like it is right for pipe making (density, hardness, etc), add to that your reports of burn out and I doubt if I will use my limited free time to pursue making a stummel with madrone. Perhaps an extension, but most likely I will use it for other woodworking pursuits.

I'm sure Ryan will have good luck with the burl.

Thanks,
Bill

[scotties22]

That's a great little pipe Bill. It sure is fun to blast isnt' it?

[billiard]

Thanks Scottie

I love blasting, how it pulls the patterns out and everything, just fun. I am really glad I test blasted a thin slice of cut off from the block first though. That Berry is so much softer than most briar, I still had my pressure at 120 and I blasted little holes right through the test piece

[billiard]

Hey all, I did use a little bit of that Madrona as a stem inlay and thought someone might want a look:



The above pipe was sold very discounted to my mailing list but I think I will use this stem treatment again soon, and will post one in the gallery when I do (and if I remember).

Ryan, I hope you decide to use some burl, I'd love to see it.

Also, totally unrelated but someone might enjoy: I'm just back from vacation and as part of that we did a one day trip via ferry from Port Angeles, WA to Victoria, BC. We took a tour of Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria and the Castle had a smoking room inside it. A small room in a large castle but very cool. It had a stained glass window of Sir Walter Raleigh in it:



Thanks for looking,
Bill