Turning Leylandi

[Lazurus]

Has anyone any experience of using this timber? I have a couple of good sized ones to fell this week, not sure if to mill it for boards or use for turning, any advice?

S.

[bodrighywood]

I have turned it and it was a lovely wood. Personally found it to be stable and some lovely colouring in it but others have not had as much luck I hear.
Pete

[GBF]

As Pete said it can have lovely colouring and is reasonably stable.
I would turn it thin and wet

Regards George

[Les Symonds]

The root clusters can make amazing pots...we put a candle inside this one and the wood has a lovely orange glow to it

Les

[Lazurus]

Thanks to all, guess it will be a further addition to the wood store.

[fuzzyturns]

I have done quite a bit of leylandii. George is right, turn it wet and thin, or at least even wall thickness. Try and get the best finish you can while still wet. Depending on the grain orientation, it will distort quite a bit whilst drying out, therefore turning once dry may not be an option any longer. When dry, it tends to rip a lot easier than wet, even with freshly sharpened tools, and then you have a sanding mission.
It produces wonderful grain patterns, which can be enhanced easily with stains or dyes. Have a look through my gallery pictures, there should be some examples.

[seventhdevil]

a vastly under rated timber in my opinion.

if there are ant nice straight bits then mill them for fence posts as it will last 25 years easily...

you can leave it in half logs and let it dry like that without too much risk of splitting or even rotting.

i have a nice 15" log that is nearly 4' long that has been standing upright open to the elements for nearly 5 years and there is nothing wrong with it. i must cut it up one day.

smells great.

[bodrighywood]

This is leylandii as well. 15" tall.

Pete

[Bryan Milham]

I agree with all of the above.

Although I've never turned it, but have a friend who makes some interesting things from it.

[Lazurus]

Well that's it then, I will keep the two trunks for turning and leave them whole as I like turning wet wood when I can, thank you all for the replies.

S.