Lucky find

[tyb525]

Shoulda cut a bowl blank outta it  I think they sell for quite a bit.

Edit: Finally learned to read and saw that he saved some logs for just that. 

[Gary_C]

Obviously I have never seen nor heard of Yellowwood before, and probably neither has SD.     But the pictures of YW show very fine vertical serations in the bark while that sample in the picture shows predominately horizontal markings. How do they make the determinations of species for sure? 

[SwampDonkey]

Well if wood only, end grain with microscope looking at stuff with weird names I was always asked to draw with some imagination , color, weight, smell. Otherwise, flowers, buds.


No, I never had it in my hand. But, I've seen it right here in my wood tech and dendro texts. Actually, I might even have seen it in wood tech lab, been a long time ago.

[Gary_C]

I guess what I am trying to ask is do you or have you ever made a mistake?   

[SwampDonkey]

Me? yes! Especially if I don't have the piece of wood in my hand. And if it's not native, I just concede defeat. Most often I may have to consult my "wood bible" for those American woods. Helps tremendously to have experience with the wood species in log or sawn form of course. As far as a NB wood sample, it would be hard to trip me up unless it was 'doctored up'. I probably wouldn't be right 100 % of the time though, that would be a bold assertion.

One thing for certain is I never called a balm-of-gilead, a red oak.

[metalspinner]

Dodgy,
I hope you left a business card with the head grounds keeper! 

That's neat that you found such a unique species in such a large size.   Can't wait to see some projects come from your find!

[SwampDonkey]

Yes, that will be an interesting project to see. I had an old friend that was creative with things like staghorn sumac, pin cherry, and stump wood like your very own stump, but often curly maple or tiger stripe maple instead.  Tiger stripe was in hard maple.

[Dodgy Loner]

The wood from this tree seems diffuse-porous, but I didn't look at it too closely.  The pores don't vary in size much at all.  I learned it as Cladastris kentuckea as well, but I've heard both names before.  Lutea is an outdated name.

If I lived a little closer to Athens, I would definitely be trying to get some more wood from the bot. gardens.  The diversity of trees and shrubs out there is outstanding, but I doubt they'd be willing to hold onto the wood for a month before I have a chance to come and get it

I've rough-turned one bowl so far.  Been too busy on the Woodmizer this weekend to work on any more.   I did end up with a nice pile of pretty shavings though

[WDH]

That was quite a lucky find.  Lucky to have a new sawmill, too .

[Dodgy Loner]

Lucky, indeed.  I've been having fun the last two weekends .  We've sawed three white oak logs, several sweetgums for stickers and beams to stack lumber on, and a whole bunch of SYP 2x4s and 2x6s for the sawmill shed.  I only got pictures of the yellowwood, though, since I figure y'all already know what everything else looks like .

[SwampDonkey]

That was quite a lucky find.  Lucky to have a new sawmill, too .

I was gonna say...... 

[DanG]

If I lived a little closer to Athens, I would definitely be trying to get some more wood from the bot. gardens. 

Now hold the cottonpickin' phone for just a minute!  WDH's comment referring to your new sawmill got me to thinkin'.  I'll bet you're gonna be in Athens a lot more than once a month!

[Don K]

Any pics of a sawmill is worth looking at. There are very few LT15's on here and I'm sure I wouldn't mind seeing a pic of what ya'll are doing. If you post em we will look.

Don

[SwampDonkey]

If I was to buy a mill, it would be a LT15. I'd make a saw shed at the woodlot and saw for my needs.  My needs aren't too demanding, they are out numbered by the wants. A fellow can dream.

[rocksnstumps]

My battered old copy of "Knowing Your Trees" c1947 has the name as American Yellowwood (yep, them W's are together) with the additional info - Cladrastis lutea (Michaux f.) K. Koch. Maybe the info is a bit dated, but thought I'd throw it in. Other common names were gopher wood and virgilia. Heartwood is a bright clear yellow when freshly cut which on exposure changes to light brown or yellow streaked with brown. An interesting note is that it was occassionaly used for gunstocks. 

[SwampDonkey]

My battered old copy of "Knowing Your Trees" c1947 has the name as American Yellowwood (yep, them W's are together)

I know, but I had to bother Gary. 

[Dodgy Loner]

We were too busy sawing to bother with pictures, Don K (I know, poor excuse).  I'll be sure to post some pictures next time I'm down there.  It probably won't be a month from now, DanG .  The only LT15 I've ever used was WDH's machine, and I must say they've made some great improvements in the last few years.  Raising and lowering the head and clamping the logs are both much easier than they used to be.  We are very happy with the mill.  And my dad's only tried to saw one dog so far .

[WDH]

Raising and lowering the head and clamping the logs are both much easier than they used to be. 

What do you mean used to be .  I will trade you mine for yours .