Fresh lime

[fuzzyturns]

Got up yesterday morning and heard motor noises. Found out some tree surgeons were cutting down a nice big lime tree on behalf of the council. After a bit of chatting and negotiating, they cut me three rounds of about 18" height from the trunk and split them in half. Each piece was about 50kg in weight (6 pieces in total) and once I had them home, I cut them into slabs 3" and 4" thick and few other pieces, and sealed the ends.

So here's the question: how good is lime for turning. I know it's very popular with carvers for its even texture, but I believe it is also quite soft. Has anybody here turned lime before?

Plus: if anybody is interested in some, and lives close by, I'd be willing to part with some of it.

[seventhdevil]

lime can be nearing the hard side of wood on occasion but most of the time is relatively soft, on a par with the softer maples or horsechestnut.

quite easy to turn but you need sharp chisels to get a good finish off the tool. usually bland but you can get figuring from around the knots. makes fine salad bowls or you could dry it in large section for coloured work later on.

[Bryan Milham]

I was offered a whole large tree during the summer if I wanted it. I've always found it 'fluffy' to turn so I took a few pieces and part turned bowls and a few of my vases.

Strangly the vases seem to be doing fine, but the bowls have some cracks but they have not gone through the entire width of the rim. They may wind up as Knitting bowls, if nothing else.

[Les Symonds]

I'm with Bryan on this....I bought a big slab of 4" stuff a few months ago and made a salad bowl for a commission. I have to say that I really didn't enjoy working it. It was easy to cut, but troublesome to finish, and it really isn't the most pleasantly smelling wood at all. Once finished, it took and endless number of coats of oil to get a finish on it.....shan't be in a rush to buy any more.

Les

[fuzzyturns]

Thanks all for the info. We'll see how I get on with mine. I'll let you know once I had the first piece on the lathe.

[Paul Hannaby]

I've used it in the past. Not the most interesting timber but it's good for carving and as a base for colour / texture.