Tupelo wood ?

[craftypaws]

Hi all. is tupelo wood good for carving? I real like your forum, so much info to read, is it wanted by carvers? I have a chance to buy 2 , 10 foot logs that are 16 inches wide , from a guy but I have never carved it? What do you all think, I am a chainsaw carver but I use all cedar for my carvings and a logger friend called and said he just cut 2 logs and he said it is the first trees he came across in 6 years so I guess they are hard to find this BIG. thanks for the info and help

[Mitchell]

Please search the topic before asking as there's already a topic or two on the same subject....

You can usually find one that's recent and just tag onto it.....like this one:

Tupelo - Friend or Foe??

[Paul_Guraedy]

Tupelo, or tupelo gum, is a great wood for carving. Noting your location, I am wondering where your logger friend is located. If he has found some tupelo growing this far north it would be unusual. The characteristics of the wood might not be the same as what we birdcarvers expect of that grown further south. The same can be said of basswood. We have some here in the Ozarks, but, it is just not the same as the stuff I get from Wisconsin. Still, for a good price, and for chainsaw carving, I would say, “go for it.”

[craftypaws]

Thanks for the info, I was wrong on the name the logs are Polonia ? have you ever carved it?

[Paul_Guraedy]

I think you are probably referring to Paulownia. It is a fast growing tree and is being raised by folks in this part of the country. I can’t give you much information on it as I have only carved one figure in this wood. But, send a private message to Goody and ask him about it. He has carved it quite a bit and would be our resident authority on Paulownia.

[Paul_Guraedy]

Sorry about saying pm Goody. Look up decoycarve in the member list for the private message on Paulownia.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Like Paul, I have only carved on one chunk of paulownia but I liked it! It is a little difficult to hold detail, takes a sharp knife....but would do it again in a minute. It is very soft. so you would have to be very controlled I would think with a chainsaw? I am trying to talk a neighbor into planting some paulownia lol....no personal motive or anything

[Paul_Guraedy]

Hi Ho, your neighbor may not be too happy with you and your paulownia suggestion. I doubt the friendship will survive. Having lived in Tucson for a number of years, being familiar with the AZ sun and knowing what a friend here in AR went through....well, I would not even fool with them back here.

My friend planted a grove about 5-6 years ago and they were reaching the point of pruning instead of cutting them back each year. But, paulownia is subject to "sun scald" that ruins the wood for marketing. He has now planted a second grove, using the older damaged trees as nurse plants. Hopefully, they will allow the young crop to reach the stage of being sun resistant.

Baby them in AR; but AZ...........!

[craftypaws]

Well thanks for your info. I did not know how to spell that. I was way off. My friend is in Tennessee near Clarksville he said he has never found any paulownia logs this large they are about 15 inches across. My triler was already loaded with cedars logs and slabs and pine slabs so I did not have any room for it, the logger is going to hold them for me. I can`t wait to carve on them. thanks all

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Hummm their site says they are ok in this zone? Guess if he decides to experiment, he shouldn't buy more than one to try first? thanks Paul