Basswood uses

Farmer Jim · April 07, 2014, 05:22:34 AM

Hello, I am curious what basswood is suitable for. I know some will buy blocks for carving which is sort a limited market. I have some healthy larger trees, 15"-28", that have good crowns and sound trunks that I'm leaving as I keep bees and it can be a good nectar source some years. There are bunches of 10" and up that have repressed crowns, because of ice or porcupines, not sure, and some of those are hollowing. I can't get anyone to haul them for pulp and I didn't get much heat from what I tried burning. I am going to saw some out for fur stretchers for my boys, but beyond that what can I use it for? Will it work for stringers on rafters to nail tin to? etc... Thank you.

thecfarm · April 07, 2014, 09:07:02 AM

Farmer Jim,welcome to the forum. No idea,but someone will. I just want to know,must have a sawmill,what kind? Must have a way to get the logs out of the woods?

mad murdock · April 07, 2014, 09:37:55 AM

Welcome aboard Farmer Jim. I know commercially, when I logged in the Northern reaches of Wisc, basswood was used for tongue depressors and toothpicks, along with birch. Not sure what other uses it has. If it is fairly straight grained, maybe it would be a good candidate for some green woodworking, (you can google tube that, and find all kinds of neat stuff that is made that way).

Bill Gaiche · April 07, 2014, 09:51:33 AM

Welcome. I have seen arrows made from it. bg

GAB · April 07, 2014, 10:05:45 AM

Farmer Jim:
First off WELCOME.
Concerning Basswood - I was told by a county forester in the early '80's that they were the best wood for building bee hives as basswood supposedly does not impart a taste to the honey. I have no practical experience with anything bee related other than eating the end product. Hope this helps. Gerald

Al_Smith · April 07, 2014, 10:23:15 AM

I had heard of bee hive parts and some use in musical instruments .It's doubtfull it's a high end lumber or much in demand .Fact I've got maybe 5-600 BD Ft feet lying in logs I'm not certain what to do with .

red oaks lumber · April 07, 2014, 12:07:15 PM

the biggest use that comes to mind is carving wood. also used for stretching furs, bee hives, wall paneling(knottier) board & batten.

bama20a · April 07, 2014, 12:27:08 PM

As asked by thecfarm,Do you have a sawmill?I'm don't have any basswood in my parts,& don't know how it drys out,Will it bow,split or what when dryed?
The bee box is a good thought.The hive boxes or getting very costly,& I'm sure there is a demand for them.
Just a thought.

Al_Smith · April 07, 2014, 12:48:32 PM

I think the dried lumber is relatively stable much akin to poplar,cottonwood etc .Not practicularly strong though .They may have used it at one time for drawers on items such as the Grand Rapids furniture,an early mass production type of thing .

Farmer Jim · April 07, 2014, 12:52:40 PM

Thanks all. I have an Oscar II mill with a custom built 24' carriage as the factory version didn't suit me. I have a Farmi 501 winch. I have about 1000 ft yarded from a micro clearcut, it's 1/4 mile from the mill and we are in mud season so I hope to get it sawed out over the next couple weeks. I had been using painted pine hive bodies for my bees, but no longer than they last, using basswood may not be much different.

hardtailjohn · April 07, 2014, 03:57:12 PM

It used to be used for sleighs and carriages.
John

Al_Smith · April 07, 2014, 04:12:11 PM

Well it would be light and most likely steam bend easily .For sleigh runners probabley well suited .Carriages probabley good also .Doubtfull on heavy dray wagons.

Busy Beaver Lumber · April 07, 2014, 06:25:11 PM

Farmer Jim

There are many craft uses for basswood. People use it make wood plaques, wood boxes, live edge plaques and many like it for wood burning and laser engraving, and of course as many have already said, a good choice for carving. This plaque is actually laser engraved in basswood.

Sands very easily. Great texture, and takes paint very well too. I actually will be cutting about 1200 bf of it this weekend on the LT-10. Should cut like butter.

VTwoodworker · April 07, 2014, 09:45:58 PM

Basswood is a good choice for interior millwork that you intend to paint. And it is a good choice for secondary wood for furniture. It would not be my first choice for structural applications such as rafters or strapping because it may not hold screws well. I have some in my workshop and always seem to find uses for it including woodworking jigs as it is really stable.

Clark · April 07, 2014, 11:37:38 PM

Quote from: VTwoodworker on April 07, 2014, 09:45:58 PM
Basswood is a good choice for interior millwork that you intend to paint.

I've often wondered why there it wasn't used for this more often. Seems like a no-brainer but maybe pine has always been cheaper?

Cutting it up into blanks for guys to make fur stretchers is one market I would go after. Cut them 3/4" thick,5-9" wide and 8' long is what many would like. You could cut some that are 3/8"-7/16" thick for mink and muskrat stretchers.

Clark

hardtailjohn · April 08, 2014, 03:23:18 PM

Quote from: Al_Smith on April 07, 2014, 04:12:11 PM
Well it would be light and most likely steam bend easily .For sleigh runners probabley well suited .Carriages probabley good also .Doubtfull on heavy dray wagons.

Not suitable for runners at all, nor as you say heavy wagons...but it is light and bends nicely, so bodies on sleighs and buggies are where you'll often find it. It was used extensively in the body of an "Albany" or swell-body cutter.
John

Farmer Jim · April 12, 2014, 07:51:40 PM

Quote from: Busy Beaver Lumber on April 07, 2014, 06:25:11 PM
Farmer Jim

Should cut like butter.

The boys and I started sawing basswood today, you are right, just like butter.

hacknchop · April 12, 2014, 08:35:10 PM

I have sawn alot of basswood which was sold for mouldings as well as panelling which can be stained to look like just about any of the hardwoods.There was company I think it was in Gaylord Mich that bought basswood lumber and manufactured piano keys among other things.

GAB · April 15, 2014, 10:19:12 AM

I removed a basswood tree that was crowding some of my maple trees.
I sawed it into the largest pieces I could handle and let it air dry for a while.
Then I put it back on the mill and resawed it removing most of the twist/curving/etc.
Been selling it to wood carvers a piece at a time.
I still have some large pieces I could resaw to someone's specifications.
Gerald

johnnyllama · May 03, 2014, 04:48:01 PM

Basswood works well for any container that would hold food such as apple crates, potato crates, etc. Mills good for paint grade molding and it's usually pretty clear with few knots. I keep some on hand in the wood shop for utility wood {non-structural).