Oregon asks:
>A guy at work is planning to cut down 2 very large trees in his yard. A
>Mulberry and a Magnolia. A quick google search suggests that Mulberry isn't
>worth the effort/cost to resaw. Didn't find much about Magnolia.
>Could be a truck load of lumber. Worth my effort?
Both. Mulberry is a lot better than it is given credit for being, seasons well,
and is decay resistant. Works well, glues nicely, finishes well, is useful in
most woodworking areas, including boatbuilding. It's not found in large stands,
so is seldom seen as a woodworking tree. The figure isn't much, grain is
coarse, straight, color is a sort of tannish orange.
Magnolia, whether southern or cucumbertree type, is similar to yellow poplar,
often sold in the same batch without further ID. Southern magnolia is a species
especially suited to venetian blind slats because it remains flat. Other than
that, carving, turnery, furniture, cabinetry.
Charlie Self
"Bore, n.: A person who talks when you wish him to listen." Ambrose Bierce, The
Devil's Dictionary
"Oregon" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> A guy at work is planning to cut down 2 very large trees in his yard. A
> Mulberry and a Magnolia.
Magnolia is used a lot in Japan as "Ho". Traditional timber for saya
(sword scabbards) because of its behaviour when dried and tendency to
stay nicely dry, no matter what you do to it afterwards. Good for
kitchen knives too.
There may be species differences - you don't state which magnolia you
have, and (being a Brit) I don't know much about the genus anyway.
"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Both. Mulberry is a lot better than it is given credit for being, seasons
well,
> and is decay resistant. Works well, glues nicely, finishes well, is useful
in
> most woodworking areas, including boatbuilding. It's not found in large
stands,
> so is seldom seen as a woodworking tree. The figure isn't much, grain is
> coarse, straight, color is a sort of tannish orange.
Also the Mulberry is, was, used by the Chinese to grow Silk Worms.
My dad was a bit of a woodworker and I got that in my genes as well. When I
was 17, about 25 years ago, we built a crossbow out of black walnut and used
mulberry for the butt plate and around the trigger. If I could find my
(*&^% digital camera, I'd post a pic of it on abpw. Anyway, the mulberry
was almost white when we made the crossbow. Within a few years, it had
darkened to a rich dark honey gold. It's absolutely gorgeous. My dad had
also used mulberry a lot in coffee tables and cedar chests alongside the
walnut. It's a nice wood. Were it I, I'd be on that like flies on horse
poo. Good luck with it.
Will
Mulberry is prized by instrument makers. Don't waste that wood.
"Oregon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> A guy at work is planning to cut down 2 very large trees in his yard. A
> Mulberry and a Magnolia. A quick google search suggests that Mulberry
isn't
> worth the effort/cost to resaw. Didn't find much about Magnolia.
> Could be a truck load of lumber. Worth my effort?
> O.
>
>
As the replies indicate, there's no such thing as trash wood!
Wilson
"Oregon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> A guy at work is planning to cut down 2 very large trees in his yard. A
> Mulberry and a Magnolia. A quick google search suggests that Mulberry
isn't
> worth the effort/cost to resaw. Didn't find much about Magnolia.
> Could be a truck load of lumber. Worth my effort?
> O.
>
>
On 28 May 2004 01:17:28 GMT, [email protected] (Charlie Self)
wrote:
>Oregon asks:
>
>>A guy at work is planning to cut down 2 very large trees in his yard. A
>>Mulberry and a Magnolia. A quick google search suggests that Mulberry isn't
>>worth the effort/cost to resaw. Didn't find much about Magnolia.
>>Could be a truck load of lumber. Worth my effort?
>
>Both. Mulberry is a lot better than it is given credit for being, seasons well,
>and is decay resistant. Works well, glues nicely, finishes well, is useful in
>most woodworking areas, including boatbuilding. It's not found in large stands,
>so is seldom seen as a woodworking tree. The figure isn't much, grain is
>coarse, straight, color is a sort of tannish orange.
I'll post a picture of a chair I made from mullberry on ABPW
>
>Magnolia, whether southern or cucumbertree type, is similar to yellow poplar,
>often sold in the same batch without further ID. Southern magnolia is a species
>especially suited to venetian blind slats because it remains flat. Other than
>that, carving, turnery, furniture, cabinetry.
>
>Charlie Self
>"Bore, n.: A person who talks when you wish him to listen." Ambrose Bierce, The
>Devil's Dictionary
>