As woodturners, we are constantly searching for green wood. One of the most overlooked sources for
green wood are shrubs, many of which have very interesting wood. Although the size of the wood from
shrubs is small, the color and quality can be top notch. For boxes, Christmas ornaments, hollow vessels
or any other small turning, my opinion is the Yew is the best shrub wood a turner can find.
Out
on the west coast Yews are trees that can reach a good size and in England Yews can have a trunk reaching
3 feet in diameter, but for us on the east coast a Yew is an ornamental shrub. A Yew shrub can be one
of many different plants of the Taxus genus, ranging is size from a small 3-foot diameter to a large
15-foot diameter bush. Even though they are different species, the wood is essentially the same. Now
you won't find this shrub growing out in the woods, they are planted as ornamental plants and are a common
resident of our yards. The most common use for them is as a foundation planting around our homes.
Identifying a Yew can be somewhat difficult since many evergreen bushes look similar. The Yew has
a single trunk coming out of the ground, which may reach 12" in diameter before the many upright branches
soon leave the trunk. The shape of Yew's varies from cultivar to cultivar so identifying them by shape
is impossible. Needles on a yew are flat on top, are about 3/4" of an inch long and are a medium dark
green in color. It gets red juicy fruit on the tree during the growing season. Its bark has a reddish
color and tends to be peal off giving it a shaggy look.
While it is difficult to identify
a Yew shrub, there is no mistaking the wood. It has a narrow band of nearly white sapwood surrounding
the heartwood, which is a striking dark orange with purple, mauve and brown streaks. It has the most
color of any wood I've turned. The heartwood will often have tiny knots and in-grown bark which adds
to its appeal. The wood is the hardest of all softwoods (evergreen) and is harder than many of the hardwoods
like red maple, basswood and box elder. It is also heavy, weighing in at 42 pounds per cubic foot.
The grain and texture are both fine allowing for a nice smooth finish.
On a cautionary note,
Yew is poisonous if ingested or inhaled. Make sure you use a good quality dust mask to prevent dust
from getting into your lungs and don't use it for any piece that may come in contact with food.
Yew turns wonderfully, coming off of the tool in a nice long stream. When using a skew the wood comes
up looking polished. It is prone to some tearout, but it's not a big problem. Because of the fine grain
and hardness of the wood, it can be sanded up too 600 grit or more for a spectacular shine. I've used
tung oil and polyurethane with good results although I can't imagine any finish that wouldn't come up
nice.
Next time you're out walking through your neighborhood or taking a trip to the town
dump, keep an eye open for any evergreen bushes. Turning this beautifully colored wood is something
every woodturner should try.
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