Basswood uses

[welderskelter]

Wondering what you sawyers would do with basswood if it were fairly plentiful. We seem to have a lot of it in this area. We have lots of timber but no one seems to be sawing. There is a fella up here with a bigger Cooks mill but he is busy working out and the mill is setting in the barn. We have ash and red oak also but do people want to use these for deminsion lumber.? I might be able to come up with some poplar.

[PoginyHill]

Soft and weak, but good for non-structural stuff. Takes paint well. Similar to poplar. Sanding might take some care as it tends to have a fuzzy surface. Many woodworkers love it.

[GAB]

I had a forester tell me that basswood was best for beehives as it doesn't impart a taste to the honey.
Carvers like it because of it's softness.
According to the Wood-Mizer log rule and lumber scale jacket it is used for roofboards, and sheathing.
GAB 

[WV Sawmiller]

   Also a favorite of carvers and wood burners because it is so soft. I had a big one fall 2 years ago and I cut it into 1", 2", 3" and 4" pieces. I still have about 1000 bf of it left. Be sure to keep plenty of ventilation on it when first cut to keep it from molding and mildewing on you.

[alan gage]

I'd love to get more of it here. No conifers to speak of so I'm always looking for some sort of lightweight/soft utility wood.

I'm using what I've got as secondary wood in cabinetry and other non-structural/hidden applications.

If I had nice long clear lengths I'd use it for making canoes but you probably won't be able to convince most strip builders to abandon cedar.

Alan

[barbender]

I have to say, the wood species uses on the Woodmizer pocket scale thing is kind of out to lunch. It's like they made up all the different uses while on lunch break. "Hey Bill, what should we put for soft maple?" "I don't know, how about sheathing or cabinetry?" "Sounds good!" 😂
  Basswood is soft, light and weak. It's also very stable. If you get some good knotty pieces, it makes beautiful paneling. Clear pieces are kind of plain, but a nice bright yellowish white color. As mentioned previously, wood carvers love it because it is soft and the grain doesn't lift or splinter. I think it would work nicely for paint grade trim, drawer boxes etc. A nice utility lumber where strength isn't important. Maybe it would work for sheathing, too? Commercially, up here it goes for pallet, there's also a mill that saws it for door and window shims. A local hardwood mill also takes it, I think they saw stock for it for window blinds.

[welderskelter]

I do know that I wouldnt use it for much in the way of building because it wont hold a nail. Dont last if it gets wet.  Hey alan PM me if you ever get up this way. Ok, lets hear some more uses. Thanks.

[boonesyard]

 



I'm picking up a big ne next week, so I'm paying attention here.

[Trackerbuddy]

It gets fuzzy if the saw isn't sharp. 
Dad resaws bundles of it for crating lumber. The lightweight is a bonus for shipping crates because you don't want the crate to weigh more than the equipment. It's also used for nail blocks on Walmart style pallets. 
Btw bees like it and the flowers can be made into a relaxing tea

[welderskelter]

Boonesyard, I do know if left down to long in summer heat it will start to yellow. Winter cut and sawed is really best. If I cut one in summer it will be sawed before dark.

[boonesyard]

Thanks Welder, learning all the time. Can't pick it up any sooner, but will certainly saw it up right away when I get it back home. 

[Trackerbuddy]

American Hardwood Association basically repeats what's been said above.  They point out millwork and molding 

https://www.hardwoodinfo.com/specifying-professionals/species-guide/species-guide-a-g/basswood/

[welderskelter]

I also have bees. When the basswoods are in bloom, usually in July, there are no bees on anything around. Not even humming birds, they wont come to the feeders for about 10 days. They must really be sweet.

[barbender]

They make a different honey when they're in the basswood flowers- very dark and a bit of a molasses taste iirc. 

[welderskelter]

Trying to figure how to saw my own door trim to finish the house. I have a planer and routers and table saw and sawmill and 14 in. bandsaw. The thing I dont have is a molder. Any suggestions? Yes barbender it makes the honey really taste good all mixed in together. I also have about 4 acres of yellow clover. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

[TmbrWlkr]

Welderskester - google plans for a router table - that or a shaper is a poor mans molder.

[WIwoodworker]

We saw it primarily for carving stock. There is also a market for solid body guitar blanks although I don't have customers for that. Others have mentioned bee hives.

You get best results when you saw it in the winter and dry it right away. That reduces the chance of staining significantly.

[YoungStump]

Not a big market but it is the preferred wood for fur stretchers, stays soft even when dry which makes it easy to push tacks in by hand. 

[Joe Hillmann]

It makes good food containers. Once it is dry its doesn't taint the flavor of the food.  If you cut it thin you can cut out groves with a V chisel across the grain and then fold it without cracking.  You can make a box by hand in a few minutes with no joints and no nails.

Here is a picture of how honey comb boxes are made

http://bushfarms.com/images/Section.gif

I have also seen patterns for including bottoms.

[welderskelter]

Well, thanks for all the suggestions for basswood uses. If you think of anymore dont be afraid to add to this. Thanks  again.

[Resonator]

I sold my Basswood a couple years back to be used for duck decoys. From what I remember it was 7" up to 9" thick square stock.

[Wattwood]

Canoe paddles

[kantuckid]

A circle mill owner near me, used to saw buckeye and basswood into cants shipped to OH for making wooden shoes. I tried it when I was teaching wood working done with handtools. What I bought then was some hard to get rid of basswood a local mill wished they had never sawed.  The strength limits of it are for small crafty stuff as it's too weak for cabinet work. As said carving/whittling is the main market I've seen in carver catalogs. Catalpa, basswood and buckeye are the three best carving woods other than some cedar & white pine.  

[boonesyard]

What's the best way to dry the stuff? Air dry for short time, long time, or kiln it green off the saw. I plan on cutting everything 8/4 to 12/4.

[welderskelter]

I never left any that thick but it dont take long to air dry at 1 in.