"big pete" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi
I've woodworker for over 30 years and full time for the last 3. I've
have bought my share of commercial walnut over those years
I have been a wood turner for the past 2 years. It that time I have
purchased walnut from the local loggers and sawyers in the area (
Eastern Ontario Canada) My " Trees of Canada" by Farrar book puts
Walnut as growing mainly is southern Ontario 400km from where I am.
The walnut I get locally is beautiful. In a turning I get get shades of
brown, pink and even a green.
My logs have come from different woodlots and different sizes.
I have never seen such a range of colors in the commercial lumber.
My question; is the commercial process of kiln drying or even steaming
the cause. Could it be just a regional difference in soils, weather,
and seasons. I know the commercial lumber is brought up from the U.S.
And yes I am positive it is Black Walnut

To elaborate a bit, walnut sapwood is white. So they can use the sapwood
the commercial mills steam the wood; that evens out the pigments throughout
the wood and lets them sell the whole tree.

I cut up my first walnut tree last spring. It is so much more interesting
than the commercial stuff; as you say it, contains a wide range of colors
that are all smeared together when steamed. I also quarter sawed most of
it; that too is more interesting than flat sawn, but is never (at least not
around here) available commercially. I saved some of the sapwood as a
novelty, though it is pretty ugly.