Basswood

[highlandsaw]

I have a neighbor who is a part time tree cutter. Occasionally he brings me logs. I saw what he brings on shares. He has delivered black walnut and hickory. (As a side note he lost his right arm at the shoulder about 30 years ago. But he handles a chainsaw better than me. ) Today he brought me a basswood log.

Researching basswood it appears that it mostly used for carving.

Any suggestions on the best way to mill the log?

[Larry]

I don't know if their is a best way.  If you cut 2 X 2's somebody will want 3 X 3's.  Cut 3 X 3's and they will want 4 X 4's.

When I was sawing a lot of basswood I always had 16/4 as wide as possible on hand.  That way I could cover about any request by re-sawing on the shop bandsaw.  Basswood is easy to dry so not really any downside to sawing thick.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Another note - don't worry about edging too tight either. That rounded edge may be just the start of something the carver wants. As mentioned before - you can always make them smaller including more edging later if necessary. Good luck.

[4x4American]

I had a duck decoy builder guy bought some basswood off me awhile ago and he was real particular about not wanting any mineral stain in it..so watch for mineral

[YellowHammer]

We saw and sell basswood in thicknesses from 1 to 3 inches, as well as 3x3 table legs.  It looks a lot like maple, but a lot lighter and easier to cut and carve. Knots are a no-go so take care sawing and try to put them in the corners of the cant to saw them out after a few boards.  It will sticker stain so put fans on the wood.  It's a great wood to cut with a sawmill.  

[711ac]

Jeez I lay that EDITED BY ADMIN in the swamp for corduroy. Anyone want's some I've got plenty.

[GAB]

30 plus years ago, a forester told me that basswood was the best wood for bee hives as that wood did not impart a taste to the honey.  Not being in the honey business I can not vouch for the forester's statement.
Gerald

[69bronco]

Sawed a bunch years ago, cut it all 4,5 and 6" thick. Sold the whole pile to a carving club for top $.

[Larry]

30 plus years ago, a forester told me that basswood was the best wood for bee hives as that wood did not impart a taste to the honey.  Not being in the honey business I can not vouch for the forester's statement.
Gerald

True statement.

I've also sold to pattern shops. They insist on it being dry and dried some more. Probably no market there these days.

[WV Sawmiller]

Gerald, 

  I never heard about the hive wood imparting a taste to the honey although I guess a strong scented wood could do so. I think most hive now are white pine or spruce. One company I used to use tried making plastic hives but stopped pretty soon. I think they retained too much moisture. I can see where basswood would be good for hive bodies as it is very light and straight grained.

   I always heard basswood was very popular with bee keepers because of the flower and nectar. It produces very well for honey. As I remember it is a light mild honey too.

[Bruno of NH]

I was told basswood was also good for behives.
They  made food grates out of it back in the day. The fruit  and such wouldn't pick up a taste from it.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Basswood for corduroy?
Bass in contact with the ground will last about as long as a June frost.
works for siding if painted or stained.

[YellowHammer]

It dries easily and straight, and machines very cleanly.  It also is very useful as it will take pretty much any stain, to the point where I've stained a 4/4 board and come back later and seen where the pigment had started coming out the other side of the board.  We sold a rack full yesterday, and the people who buy it use it for building cabinets, indoor window casing and baseboard trim.

We also get it cheaply as precut 4x4's from green mills where they use it as dunnage, and I let the packs of 4x4's stay out in the weather for a few months, air dry and spalt, as it has very little weather resistance.  Then when it's ready, we finish it in the kiln, clean them up on the jointer or planer, and sell them for $39 per 8 foot section where they clean up as a true 3x3 for beautiful table leg stock.  The boards generally must be knot free, so all basswood isn't useable for us, but we are the only one around here who sells it kiln dried and it's a steady income product for us.    

[Larry]

Another use is for louver shutter blinds. It paints well, light weight, and most important, never warps or twists with a change in environment. I would like to make some more for our house, but the basswood here in northwest Arkansas is poor quality.

The biggest payback I've found is wood for competitive (racing) model airplanes. I've sold the good stuff for north of $20/bf 20 years ago.

[Don P]

Random asides;
This is a good article on the bast from which the basswood name comes;
https://www.woodland-ways.co.uk/blog/flora/bast-and-basswood/

The grandfather of Carl Linnaeus the father of binomial nomenclature, the latin names of plants, chose that surname after the linden tree, another name for basswood.

The Brits call it lime or I've seen it spelled lyme, as English grew up and varied, lind, linde, line, lime

[hackberry jake]

I started a new job a couple months ago for a company that makes concrete and drywall tools. All the the wood handled trowels have basswood handles. It's surprisingly strong for how lightweight it is. We go through truckloads of 2-1/8x2-1/8 square boards 9' long.

[Bruno of NH]

Jake
Have been missing your post 
How's it going?

[hackberry jake]

Raising two toddlers and working a "real job". Not much time left in the day.

[highlandsaw]

Thanks everyone for the information.

My son and I raise bees and he makes his own hives so I guess I will cut most of it for boards. May save some 3" or 4" for turning or carving.

[711ac]

Basswood for corduroy?
Bass in contact with the ground will last about as long as a June frost.
works for siding if painted or stained.

It keep's surprising me too, I went across it last week. 3+ years and no problems although the mushrooms are starting to show up on them.

[Ron Wenrich]

I cut some basswood for a carver.  He used to like 6x8 for goose bodies, and 4x6 for duck bodies, 8/4 for the heads.  But, no pith.  For us, basswood was just the occasional tree.