"ray" wrote in message
news
I've recently started making small boxes for mounting original prints (on
the top). Unfortunately my joinery skills are currently inadequate; I
see a lot small flaws in every box I make, and I want to achieve a
higher standard of workmanship before I start selling the boxes. Each box
gets a little better, as I work out techniques and proportions, so
there's progress. I've been making boxes out of poplar, but since I'm
now resigned to doing a number of practice boxes, I'd like to use
something a little less expensive. (Yeah, I know poplar isn't that much.)

Anyhow, to finally get to the point, what do you all think of the working
properties of radiata pine? It looks pretty good-- I've used it for shop
jigs-- and it has a rather pretty, if simple, grain. In my small
experiments, it seems to take stain fairly evenly. Thanks much for any
advice and guidance.

Radiata pine is widely available as a 'furniture' timber in Australia.

It is pale, soft, knotty, weak, glues ok, sands ok, cross-cuts poorly, nails
ok, drills poorly, screws poorly.

When plantation-grown and kiln-dried it twists, warps, bends, bows, and
checks, and when it dries further the knots fall out.

Radiata pine is to woodworking as a Big Mac is to fine cuisine. It is an
abomination.

It takes a stain ok though.

--
conehead