DIYbanter - View Single Post - I want to read some old woodworking books -- Hackberry tree usage??? Attn: Mark Wells

Mark Wells

lid wrote:
What did you use it for?

Hackberry is indeed a weed. This tree was so close to the front of our
house that we couldn't even fit a gutter between the trunk and the
eave. Clearly no one planted it there. The worst part is that the
trees tend to fail catastrophically. I don't know if that is a feature
of hackberry's everywhere, or just because they are a non-native
species in Texas.

This was an experiment in turning trees into lumber. I have gotten a
variety of opinions on hackberry from "it's a great furniture wood" to
"it's total trash that doesn't even make good firewood." I finally
decided to quit asking people and searching the web and just get it
milled and see how it turns out.

I haven't used it yet. There's 250 board feet drying in my backyard.
I might take a few boards to a kiln near Bastrop if I get too
impatient. My upcoming list of projects include a dining room table,
chest of drawers, beds, and more, so it will probably be used in some
of those projects.

In general, I am trying to use more local woods in my projects. I'm
still too cheap to buy mesquite, but I built a chest of drawers for my
shop and a set of shelves for my son's room out of cypress. Both
turned out well. Yes, it is a little soft and smells like the swamp
when you cut it, but it is actually pretty nice to work and looks good
finished.

I started trying to use local woods more after these 3 experiences.
1. I learned that the Shakers used local woods in the furniture,
maybe because it was easier to get it, but I like to think it was also
part of striving for simplicity.
2. I visited a Colonial Williamsburg-like place near Salt Lake City
where they had re-enactments of period jobs. The settlers to SLC were
used to using hardwoods, but they only had softwoods available, so they
painted the grain on pine to make it look like mahogany, quartersawn
white oak, and others. That seemed kind of silly to me.
3. We visited a friend in Seattle, where they serve fish that have
been cooked on an "alder plank." I commented that alder is considered
a fine furniture wood in Austin and has actually become almost as
popular, or maybe even more popular, than cherry in kitchen cabinets.
He laughed and said that alder grows like a weed there.

After those three experiences, I decided that I need to just start
working with what I'm given. I had a hackberry to use right here.
I'll let you know how it turns out.

Mark