Laburnum thoughts!

Palustris

We are in the process of dealing with a very old and probably dying Laburnum. I know the wood should not be used as firewood because of its toxicity (or at least it seems that way). However, since you can buy Laburnum blanks for wood turning, what about their toxic properties in that case?
Not that I intend using the wood for either purpose, just was interested.
The timber we get will go to the re-cycling yard. Hopefully they will shred it and compost it.

Obelixx

Apparently it's very good wood for turning and carving so see if anyone near you does that before you send it for chipping.

Otherwise, it seems it's also a good slow burning wood and OK in a closed log burner rather than an open hearth.

Palustris

I think it needs to be dried for a long time before being used for turning and we do not have the space to do that.

Dovefromabove

I would put it on Freecycle ... if a wood turner wants it they’ll take and store it themselves ... alternatively some wood turners/ sculptors work with unseasoned wood as the cracks and splits that appear become part of thd work.

 It’s such a beautiful timber and there’s not a lot of it about ... I think it would be a shame not to try to find a use for it. 

Obelixx

I agree.  The drying isn't your problem.   Shame just to chip it tho.

Palustris

At the moment the pieces are mainly thin branches, not a lot of use for turning according to our son in law who has made things on his lathe before now. If the rest of the tree has to come down then we will offer it to the local Wood turning community.