Using Cypress

[keithbyrd]

I received a couple of logs 15" dia 18" long of cypress cut in North Cariolina - wet.
WHat do you do with it? Has anyone turned with it?
I have tried to make a couple pen blanks - very light, very soft, prone to crack and chip - seems pretty flaky chipping out at the ends of the pen barrel as I turn it.
I turned a couple of lidded boxes (tried to) - again very light, very soft, very prone to crack - cant tell if it is drying cracks or stress cracks but I turn it round and there are no cracks in the square piece but there are when I get it round. Try to cut a shoulder on it so I could put it in my chuck and it chips off in chuncks!
Is this junk wood to turn or am I doing something wrong? My tools are sharp.
Thanks for any insight you can share!

 

[USNR'03]

Keith,
I've turned some from Florida, It was green also, the only problem I have was cracking as it dried. I will say it the cracks closed up after a week or so also, the wood was very pretty when finished.





The 2nd from each end on the back row I think are the cracked ones.



Regards

 

[CHARLES STOPCZYNSKI]

Turned two, no more...

Keith,

I was given some outer bank Cypress some years ago by someone who thought he wanted me to make 150 pens out of it.

The stuff is super soft, tends to split off in strips.

Might work well if stabilized and angle cut.

 

[keithbyrd]

Thanks for the feedback guys - I convinced my customer not to use it!