Another "Lumber" Species

[SwampDonkey]

It's the women that are who ya got to please.  They are the ones that pass or fail the wood projects before they can gain entry to the parlour. :D :D :D ;D

[GDinMaine]

Thanks Magicman.  Learning those small things is what makes the day go easier. 

[mad murdock]

Magic, you are giving me wood "envy", that is some nice looking stuff! Thanks Gene for the background on the species, I find info like that fascinating.  Per chance have you seen a book or maybe you have authored one of "woody trees of North America"? That would have info of species we encounter, that would have info such as you shared of traditional uses of different woods, "specifications" or properties of each specie etc? Such a volume would be invaluable to me anyways.

[SwampDonkey]

For years the one used in forestry schools in the US and Canada was "Textbook of Wood Technology" It is now out of print, but I consider it one of the best books I purchased for school. I call it the wood bible. ;D I have not seen Hoadley's book, so I can't comment. The "Wood Handbook" is mostly pages of theory and formulas, no ID keys and not near the scope.

[mad murdock]

For years the one used in forestry schools in the US and Canada was "Textbook of Wood Technology" It is now out of print, but I consider it one of the best books I purchased for school. I call it the wood bible. ;D I have not seen Hoadley's book, so I can't comment. The "Wood Handbook" is mostly pages of theory and formulas, no ID keys and not near the scope.

Thanks for that SD, I will do a search on Amazon.  If it can be found they will have it. Books like that are indeed invaluable.

[mesquite buckeye]

DanG wood gots some bright color....WOW!

Good job Magic, I wish we had that species around here.


By the way, the last man I looked at through a screen, I was confessing my sins. 

:D :D :D Very funny poston.

I wear my hat screen down when milling mesquite. There are several dents in the screen from bark chunks blowing off the debarker. Couldn't tell you how many cuts and bruises on arms and chest......

Keep wearing that screen magicman.

[mesquite buckeye]

The name  Bois d'arc is French meaning a wood used for archery bows.  Deviants of that French name include Bodark and Bodock.  OSAGE ORANGE  has its Latin name (Maclura pomifera)
 given in honor of William Maclura, an American 
geologist (1763 - 1840), and in recognition of the grapefruit-size (3" to 6" in diameter), inedible,
 spherical, bumpy pommes or apples it produces.

Before the development
of barbed wire, the tree was planted in the Great Plains and the East to develop a hedge row fence; stems 
and branches would grow as much as six feet in one year.  When planted close together and pruned, its 
branchy-ness and spiny thorns make a nearly impenetrable, natural hedge to any animal larger than a
rabbit.  During President Roosevelt's "Great Plains Shelterbelt" WPA project starting in 1934, over 200
 million trees were planted to control soil erosion.  A thornless variety is available today for horticultural 
plantings today.


The color is indeed beautiful when first cut, but the golden yellow will age to a russet brown color with high luster over time.  The root wood and bark, and to a lesser extent the
wood itself, have a great amount of yellow coloring that can be extracted in hot water and used as dye. 
Native Americans used this coloring.  In WW I, the dye was used for khaki coloring.  An extract from the
 pommes called elemol has been found to be as effective as DEET for repelling mosquitos.


This is probably the most naturally decay resistant species in North America.

The wood is 30% heavier than oak, so it is difficult to saw.

Early uses of the wood by the European settlers was for wheel rims and hubs.  It lasted a long time.

In Missouri, they say that a hedge apple post will outlast two holes. ;D ;D ;D

[mesquite buckeye]

If you don't mind sharing a secret?  How do you clamp that short little log on the mill to open the first face?  I'm new to these tricks and would love to learn that. 

I have a 3.5-4' piece of cherry that I had intended to have milled for years.  Now with my own mill I don't dare try as I'm afraid I hurt something or someone.

Danny, yes, the dark streaks are cracks, but the wood between the cracks seems very solid.

Thanks Terry, I will get with you about a pen.

GDinMaine, there was no clamping secret.  That "log" was 31" long.  I raised one manual side support and somehow the log clamp was able to tighten down on it.  I made  a couple of passes before flipping it over and continuing the saw through.  The clamping was the reason that I had the helmet on, and I also made my customers stand away just in cast that thing got loose.  I was not comfortable.

In response to the milling of short and/or narrow logs.

We often encounter trees in the desert that are so crooked that we frequently get pieces 24-30" long. We keep some 1' boards that are maybe 36" long near the mill just for cutting this kind of stuff. Put one board under the "log" and one behind it against the log stops. The back board occasionally gets cut up in the process, but it works.

For really small stuff, like shrubs or branches, I just joint one side flat, then mill it on a table saw.

Using these methods, you can mill "logs" down to 1" thick if you want to.

Have fun.

smiley_blue_bounce smiley_blue_bounce smiley_blue_bounce smiley_blue_bounce

[Tree Feller]

In Missouri, they say that a hedge apple post will outlast two holes. ;D ;D ;D

That's funny.   

[mesquite buckeye]

In Missouri, they say that a hedge apple post will outlast two holes. ;D ;D ;D

That's funny.

Just whut them ole timers say...... ;D

[mesquite buckeye]

For years the one used in forestry schools in the US and Canada was "Textbook of Wood Technology" It is now out of print, but I consider it one of the best books I purchased for school. I call it the wood bible. ;D I have not seen Hoadley's book, so I can't comment. The "Wood Handbook" is mostly pages of theory and formulas, no ID keys and not near the scope.

Thanks for that SD, I will do a search on Amazon.  If it can be found they will have it. Books like that are indeed invaluable.

I like Hoadley's book, but it is not light reading. It is the real stuff.

Also check out Wood Structure and Identification, by Core, Cote, and Day. I think out of print, but available used.  Also serious stuff. smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw

[SwampDonkey]

It's all serious isn't it? Beating around the bush serves no purpose. ;D

[WDH]

I found the Hoadley book informative and less technical than the Textbook of Wood Technology.  The pictures in the Hoadley book are excellent.  Not many obscure species in there, though  .

[Fil-Dill]

When we were younger, my dad used to tell us we were too poor to buy fireworks. He said all we needed was a chain saw and an old dry hedge post and could see all the sparklers we wanted to, till the saw ran out of gas or the chain broke.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

When we were younger, my dad used to tell us we were too poor to buy fireworks. He said all we needed was a chain saw and an old dry hedge post and could see all the sparklers we wanted to, till the saw ran out of gas or the chain broke.

:D :D :D That's funny....but your Dad was right. 

[Magicman]

Regrettably I do not have a lathe, but I would (wood) love to have a pen made from that wood.  It is stunning to say the least.

I made the above comment on Feb. 5th and today I have a pen made from that stick of Bodock.


 
Shortly after I made the post Radar67 responded that he would make me a pen.  My customer sent him several blanks and I got to choose which pen I wanted.  My pick was one that had two tiny knots which to me, gave it additional character.  Thank you Terry.   

[SwampDonkey]

I would have to say it is a mighty fine pen to, to both Radar and MagicMan. How's your penmanship? ;D

[Radar67]

I remember that blank. The only one in the bunch that had the knots. I was worried it would explode on my while turning. Glad to see that is the one you received. First time I worked with Osage Orange, and I see why it is called orange. Everything on my bench still has an orange tint to it. 

[Magicman]

Just to clarify, my customer sent Radar67 enough blanks to make 6 pens.  One for himself, his Son, two Grandsons, one for the guy that gave him the Bodark, and one for me.   ;D

[beenthere]

None for Radar?  :

;D

[Radar67]

Beenthere, he was a paying customer.  ;)

[SwampDonkey]

Goes without saying, but I bet Radar snuck one in his pocket. :D

[Tree Feller]

I remember that blank. The only one in the bunch that had the knots. I was worried it would explode on my while turning. Glad to see that is the one you received. First time I worked with Osage Orange, and I see why it is called orange. Everything on my bench still has an orange tint to it. 

The "orange" name actually has nothing to do with the wood color which is  bright yellow when freshly milled. Instead, it's because of the large green fruit that the tree bears. The fruit is light-green but has a rough texture and size similar to an orange. In addition, it smells faintly like an orange when it is overripe, although the fruit is not edible for humans.

I found a Bois d' Arc tree on my place a week or so ago that I didn't even know was there. It's only about 8" diameter but is  very straight for the first ten feet. I'm gonna trim it up and leave it.

[SwampDonkey]

I would to. And as bad as ironwood can take over an understory, it's a real find to have one on your land 8-10" diameter. Worth saving. On my land I have a far corner that was a hardwood site. It was cut off and grew back to hardwood and large tooth. And the understory is a thicket of ironwood among the hazel nuts.

[KnotBB]

And how about $12 a pound for the saw dust/shavings?

http://smith-lumber.com/product_info.php?products_id=138