Uses for Alder

[Nick S]

I have been milling Alder today, cuts easily and cleanly,but has tremendous stresses and I now have a stack of banana shaped timber.Does anybody know if this is typical ?
I would like to find uses for Alder as I have been offered more ,virtually free, the landowner is happy with 10% of timber back as gate posts.He also fells and provides machinery for loading.Sizes are 12- 24" diameter and 40-80 feet high
The only info I have been able to find here in England is a historic use for canal lock gates.

[solodan]

The Alder here gets used for cabinets. Usually for face frames when using birch ply. I have milled very little alder, but I have had banana shaped boards as well. :-\

[treebucker]

Alder doesn't grow in our area so I can't help you on specifics. But I was wondering if you were using good stress-relieving sawing practices by taking X number of cuts on one side of the cant, then flipping it 180 and taking X number of cuts, then flipping 90 and taking Y number, then flipping 180 and taking Y number...?  When you look at the end of the boards are they "ring-centered?

[Nick S]

Thanks for the advice, I will speak to the local furniture makers and ask if they use Alder. As for stress relieving I have been taking 2 or 3 cuts off one side then flipping 180, 2 or 3 more cuts then turning 90 and planking through. I have done this with the intention of producing a good ratio of square edge boards.My main job is as a builder and experience has taught me that if timber is going to move or warp or twist it is difficult to stop it , it is just a feature of that individual piece of wood.I am more use to milling Oak, Larch and Beech and have had very few "banana" boards

[simon]

I always wondered......?

If you saw logs from a bannana tree, will the lumber come out crooked? ;D

[Raider Bill]

They would come out honeycombed and real wet!
I've got 5 that have nanners, I will cut them down after I harvest the crops. each one I cut will sprout up 5 or so more.

[Firebass]

I was told by a friend that Red Alder is often used as a cheap imitation Black Walnut.  Stain it and its hard to tell that its not.   I was also told that its difficult to dry because it molds so fast.  But I'm no pro so maybe some one can comment on this because I have alder as well and am wondering the same.

Thanks
Firebass

[Hoss]

A few years ago it seems that alder was a low value wood---alot of it was just used as firewood. Now however in the Northwest it is very popular for use as kitchen cabinets. It is selling as logs in the range of $600 to $800 per thousand board feet depending on diameter--right up there with the price of fir.
Hoss

[Firebass]

It is selling as logs in the range of $600 to $800 per thousand board feet depending on diameter--right up there with the price of fir.
Hoss

I bet it mills like butter.  I know one little tap with a spliting mall and it blows apart so easy that you don't even have to stand the round up to split it.  And anyone who's ever cut a 12" log of alder with a chainsaw feels they're saw is really really sharp when in fact this wood just is made to cut and split.  Although those prices I think I will not use so much alder firewood.  It does seem to get much stonger as it cures. 

Firebass

[solodan]

...I know one little tap with a spliting mall and it blows apart so easy .....

I have never split anything so easily.

[Timburr]

A little tidbit of perspective from this side of the pond.

Our native alder Alnus glutinosa is a very wet wood, when green. Mill it as soon as the tree hits the deck to minimise stresses......even 2 to 3 weeks dries it enough to give you 'banana boards'. Dry it quickly to keep the mold at bay. When dry, it's considerably tougher than when fresh milled, probably due to the masses of water it's missing

Most of my alder has gone for flooring and panelling, although cabinet making is a distinct possibility. It's warm orange-red colour gives a cosy feeling to any abode. A very under-estimated timber in my opinion. In our area, alder is called 'welsh mahogany', albiet a poor substitute.

Six months in the log and it's spalted. One year and it's punky.

I would advise against your landowner friend using alder as posts, unless he gives them preservation treatment. Alder is only durable in a totally wet OR a totally dry scenario.

Some alder trivia......the charcoal was used to manufacture the finest gunpowder, way back in the days when gunpowder was a valuable commodity. In by-gone years, they used alder to make the soles for shoes!

[Onthesauk]

Went through a DNR program a few years ago on growing and marketing alder here in the NW.  Their claim was that alder prices moved the opposite of red oak.  When red oak got too expensive, furniture makers would begin using red alder in it's place.  The furniture makers like it because it will accept almost any color of finish.  But it's not as hard and durable as oak.  The places doing machine turnings like it because it's a fairly "soft" hard wood.

[Sprucegum]

The Vikings also prefered Alder charcoal for forging their swords and battle-axes (where did I learn that?!)