iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Cypress for Furniture.

Started by Bill Gaiche, June 23, 2011, 11:07:34 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Bill Gaiche

Does cyprees work ok for furniture say display case with legs and upper case? Is it stronger than loblolly pine? Or should I use a hardwood? Thanks in Advance for your thoughts and experiences. bg

Tom

Cypress is not as strong as Loblolly Pine, but it is strong enough for furniture and has been used for such for years in the South.

It's bragging rights to have a cypress or cedar gun case, rocking chair, table or paneling on the wall.  It makes some of the best small fishing boats ever made from wood. 

It stays relatively flat, machines easily, polishes decently and excepts finishes well.  It can be slow to dry in larger timbers.

WDH

Tom is spot on (as usual)  ;D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Ianab

Our local cypress is a slightly different species, Monterey Cypress, but it's not as strong or as hard as stuff like Oak or Eucalyptus.

But it's great woodworking wood, although maybe not in hard wearing use. For stuff like a display case it will work great.

My computer desk that I'm sitting at right now is made from cypress and has held up well to daily use, and a dining room table is on the "too do" list.

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Bill Gaiche

Thanks guys for the info. Our Aunt wants a display case made for a Christmas present to display some old woodworking tools of her father in law. She was curious what the cyprees would look like? bg

pineywoods

Bill, just be sure that cypress is dry before building furniture with it. Cypress holds a lot of water and it takes a while to dry, even in a kiln. Dried down to 6% or so, it is very light weight.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

Planman1954

There was a place in Natchitoches, Louisiana that made cypress furniture exclusively. I don't think they are around anymore though. But in the day, their stuff was REALLY nice. I've built many pieces out of cypress, and they are still as sturdy today as when they were made 25 years ago. It's a nice wood to work...a little stringy...so watch for splinters! But it is soft to work with, I guess like pine shelving you buy at Home Depot. Go for it.
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 / Solar Dry Kiln /1943 Ford 9n tractor

WDH

It sure sands nice versus, say, hickory or pecan  :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Bill Gaiche

I took the cypress out of the kiln this morning. Your right it sure is light weight.I believe you have talked me into going with the cypress. It will be a new expercience for me. So I will see how it does. Gosh what could go wrong anyway? bg

Woodchuck53

Morning Bill. All of my home and funiture is cypress I cut myself. Try and stack all of your working stock in the same room that the piece will be used. My dad suggested this to me and I have had very little movement after 32 years in the house on my furniture. I have 2 closets full of precut material now for some more stuff the wife wants built. If you have the room and the time it worked well for me. Careful with the glue cleanup from splicing boards. CV
Case 1030 w/ Ford FEL, NH 3930 w/Ford FEL, Ford 801 backhoe/loader, TMC 4000# forklift, Stihl 090G-60" bar, 039AV, and 038, Corley 52" circle saw, 15" AMT planer Corley edger, F-350 1 ton, Ford 8000, 20' deck for loader and hauling, F-800 40' bucket truck, C60 Chevy 6 yd. dump truck.

metalspinner

All this talk of cypress furniture, yet no pics yet???
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

Bill Gaiche

metalspinner, I have been slow at getting this project going. I do have some parts done though. Its been so hot 104 degree temps keep me out of the shop after about 10am. I will do some photos as soon as I have something put together. bg

WDH

Bill,

I second your statement about woodworking in the heat.  I am working on a whack of walnut furniture for daughter #3's unfurnished college apartment (pics to follow on another post to meet Chris's expectations   ;D), and I have to stop working about noon and take a break from the heat.  Then late afternoon I am back going at it again.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

SwampDonkey

Just open the door......oh wait, that's outside heat not stove heat. :D :D

Be nice to see some of that cypress in a project. MM has a big whack to saw up, his customer is rebuilding his flooded out house.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

WDH

MM has re-defined a "whack of cedar logs"  :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Bill Gaiche

Finally finished the old wood working tools display case this morning. Its been to hot to do this stuff but its summer. Have had 17 straight days over a 100. The cypress was nice to work with. Had to be really carefull because its so soft. Mixed some walnut and mahognay minn wax stain and topped off with wipe on minn wax satin poly. bg










Tom

That's downright pretty!

I wonder about stains sometimes.  I know that they even out the colors of different boards, but I can't help but feel a little sad for the covering up of the original color of the choice of wood.   Some folks might not like the color of cypress, but I find it really pretty and needing nothing more that some oil and a good coating of wax.   :)


Bill Gaiche

Thanks Tom. I agree a little clear finish will bring out the great grain and colors of some wood. I had to match an old woodtool tool box the best I could. A photo below of toolbox. bg


Magicman

Bill, it looks like you were busy also.  Very nice indeed.   smiley_thumbsup
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

SwampDonkey

Bill, looks like a nice display case you have there. What tools are you placing in it?  ;D Where will you be displaying it? ;)

You guys do well suffering in the heat in the shop. I retire until winter months, but my shop is actually cool in the summer because it's insulated. But, if the door is left open the warm outside air certainly takes over. ;D I do tend to leave the door open because of humidity. It's open to the interior of my barn, not to the outdoors.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

WDH

Bill,

That cypress sure has lots of nice grain! 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Tom

Well, Bill, you did good.  I like that old tool box too.  It shows that it has had some living done around it.

Matching something else is the most difficult thing to do.  I'm not the woodworker that you and some of the other guys are, but I've still had the request to make something that duplicates something else. Coming close is about the best I've ever done.

SwampDonkey

I made a wooden tool box once, just out of old scrap tung and grooved spruce. Hinged it, with latch and handle as well. Had nothing much but a couple fisherman type items in there: a bottle cap scale scraper, a club to kill the fish (salmon) and maybe a few wrenches not worth more than $20 for the lot. Some drunk hoodlums took it off the back of the truck one night. I heard the car go down the road they drove bye in. Sounded like the guys were riding the rims to town. :D :D

The $20 was worth it. :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

LaneC

   I am having a 2" thick dining table made. The 2 boards for the top are drying in my air conditioned dining room. They have been drying outside for a while, (not absolutely sure how long) and I was wondering about the finish to apply to the table top. I am thinking tongue oil and then a clear coat. Does anyone have any suggestions? I would like to see it pretty close to the natural look. I don't want it stained, unless that is better for the wood. Any suggestions are appreciated
Man makes plans and God smiles

low_48

Not sure what "tongue" oil you plan to use. Pure tung oil takes forever to dry. Modified tung oil dries faster, but many tung oil finishes aren't really tung oil, but instead more like varnish. Personally, I don't like mixing different finishes. There can always be adhesion issues if you don't let it dry long enough or just plain incompatibility. For a brush finish, I like fast dry Minwax polyurethane. If you are spraying, I prefer the professional finish called conversion varnish. An air conditioned dining room is not much of a kiln. Buy a moisture meter.

Thank You Sponsors!