Cottonwoods

[Striker]

I am wondering if the cottonwoods growing east of the mississippi have any use as lumber. I read on this forum about someone in Oregon had some black cottonwood for sale that was useful for horse fencing and trailer decks. I just wondered if the cottonwoods grown in Ohio wood have the same uses?

Jeff

[Buzz-sawyer]

Its commonly used in pallets ,and all blocking, other uses are barns, and sheds,
One catch DO NOT EXPOSE TO MOISTURE.............. 8)

[leweee]

Buzz ...your  right on .cottonwood is not rot resistant ,it's a challenge to saw for dimensional lumber. lots of brown knots near the centres of the logs.Stay away form logs with large knots for lumber,,. Similar strenght to spruce, nails easy ,is heavy when green ...but light when dry. if you frame with it let the frame dry before putting on the sheet metal ...or the tin will oil can when it dries.    saw lots of it so you can pick the piles for the  best ..lots of twist,bow and cup..Makes good  1x3 strapping for metal buildings ;D

P.S. when milling use sharp blades and keep the feed rate down or it will add new meaning to the words "rough sawn"   (fibre tears and looks like the fur on a wet dog. ;D

[Gilman]

Bibbyman pointed out using it for super heavy duty saw horses.  It is definitely brittle compared to fir.  But as far as making something like sawhorses, I think it will work great.  It is incredibly light when dried.  I took his advice and sawed some up today to make them.  5" x 5" beams with similar legs.  If they end up weighing over 20# when dry I'll be surprised.
Here's one of the beams.

I don't know what the black spec's are from.  It's dark here and these photos are fresh off the memory stick.


Besides pallets it is also good for crating.  If there are manufacturing companies in your area and you have a good source of cotton wood you might want to approach them directly.

Cottom wood will also make good moulding material, IFF (IF and only iF) you start with good material.

Besides the above, I'm going to make something out of these crotches.  They've got to be good for something.

[Kirk_Allen]

Gilman,
those crotches look like a prehistoric X-Ray of someones lungs!  

I bet an artist could have a ball with that one ;D

Arky said that he want any mineral stain cottonwood you come across.  He has a customer that loves the stuff.

I still have 7 or 8 logs to cut and Im keeping my fingers crossed that its stained so I can do a lumber swap with Arky.

[Larry]

I have used cottonwood for just about everything.  Construction lumber, sub flooring, paneling, closet shelving, and cabinet shelves.  Really like it since the price of MDF and plywood has shot through the roof.  It does have some limitations that you have to work around.  In some areas the trees are shaky.  Cottonwood likes to move more and faster with a change in humidity than other species.  Subject to the fuzzies.  I hate the smell of it when I cut it on the table saw.  In my book it will always get the call over the common 4/4 lumber yard pine.  

Kirk, besides the mineral stain cottonwood sometimes has curly figure.  It really has an interesting shimmer and can be finished out to resemble some of the exotics.  Never have seen either the mineral stain or the curl in any large quantity though.



Cabinet with cottonwood shelves.  RO face frame and doors.

[Kevin_H.]

Wow, Nice looking cabinet...

We have a few stake customers that request cottonwood stakes, seems they like the light bundles, I dont know how long it would last being stuck in the ground.