Working with Dogwood?

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walnutjerry

Jerry
Senior User
Has anyone ever done this? any tip, hints, or should i just not try it?

I have worked dogwood a couple times--------really hard wood. If you have sharp carbide saw blades it helps a lot. Plan on sharpening everything when you finish the project-----jointer, planer, saw blades.

Beautiful wood!!

Jerry
 

JRD

New User
Jim
My wife wanted a pen made from it.

Certainly is a hard wood, but I found it lacking in figure.

Jim
 

timf67

New User
Tim
I agree with everything said so far. I had a really old dogwood die and I wanted to try to harvest the lumber. It dulled my chainsaw after about 2 cuts! I was able to get some good size logs which i tried to resaw, and again I rapidly dulled my bandsaw blade. It has a pretty color but as said not much grain/figure. I finally gave up on it. I think it would turn well since hard woods like that are good for turning, but I am not sure what else I would use it for.
 

dkeller_nc

New User
David
Alan Leland (woodturner in Durham) uses dogwood frequently for the rather incredible tiny christmas ornaments he turns. There's a few of them on display at Klingspor's Woodworking shop in Raleigh.

Dogwood makes excellent tools. The grain is very fine, it's hard, and it's dense. Pretty nice substitute for English boxwood without the incredible price tag.
 

CaptnA

Andy
Corporate Member
Try it - you just might like it.
Dogwood is indeed a very dense hard wood. It has been used to make tools for ages. Planes, mallets, loom pieces, spindles, etc. It wears well.
It can be a bit plain in the grain. You may find an uninspiring piece of wood. However, you may find a treasure in a log.
As suggested dogwood turns well.
If you have some experiment with it. Carbide cutting tools if you have them should make flat work easier.
I have several dogwood trunks drying and will eagerly take more as they come available. Understand what you're getting into and hone your skills and tools to make the experience more enjoyable.
 

bluchz

bluchz
User
well the thought was to do some small boxes that would hold bibles and have either a dogwood flower inlay, from dogwood , or a cross inlay from dogwood. the boxes were to be made from either oak or black walnut? :kermit:
 

dkeller_nc

New User
David
You may have a good deal easier time using walnut for the purpose - inlaying oak's tough to do, as it splinters easily, particularly if you're using powered tools (a router) for the recess.

One thing you can do to make the dogwood inlay more 3-D is to sand-shade it. It scorches quite well.
 

nelsone

New User
Ed
Sounds like a great project idea! I think the contrast would be better with the walnut, but either would work! A 1/8" router inlay will clear the waste leaving the corners to be cleaned up with a chisel. I doubt you would have too much trouble if you decided to go with oak.

Please share some pics with what you decide to do!

Dogwood does make a great mallet!
 

liftnaleg1

New User
Chris
I have turned several time....It is hard but makes gorgeous stuff....I love tuening it, just hard to find a lot of pieces big enough to turn....I have made some box topes and shaker boxes out of it and works great...
 
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