Does anyone know if seasoned and dried hemlock has any undesirable characteristics? I want to use hemlock because of its workability and straight grain, for children's toys, boxes, etc. But I remember that Socrates (?) was poisoned with hemlock.

victoria wrote:

: Does anyone know if seasoned and dried hemlock has any undesirable
: characteristics? I want to use hemlock because of its workability and
: straight grain, for children's toys, boxes, etc. But I remember that
: Socrates (?) was poisoned with hemlock.


Different plant. Water hemlock (the poisonous stuff) is a
herbacious plant. It's not the same as hemlock the tree,
although some sources say the tree was named for the plant due
to the tree's needles smelling like water hemlock.

-- Andy Barss

In article ,
says...

Does anyone know if seasoned and dried hemlock has any undesirable
characteristics? I want to use hemlock because of its workability and
straight grain, for children's toys, boxes, etc. But I remember that
Socrates (?) was poisoned with hemlock.


This is the poisonous hemlock:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gefleckter_Schierling

Nothing to do with the tree. Sorry, didn't find a link in English, but you get
a nice picture here with flowers, seeds etc ...
.... never knew it was that poisonous when I was a kid: we used to whittle
flutes out of it since the stems are hollow. Anyway, the poison seems to reside
mostly in unripe seeds, or so the article says.

-P.

--
=========================================
firstname dot lastname at gmail fullstop com

Workability and straight grain? My impression, perhaps totally incorrect,
is that hemlock is best used green since when it dries it is impossible to
work because it splinters and cracks easily. I guess the poison issue has
been put to bed.
Dave

victoria wrote:

Does anyone know if seasoned and dried hemlock has any undesirable
characteristics?

It's unworkable and the grain is anything but straight? You can find
_much_ better timber than this, even in the UK. Try douglas fir ("red
deal") at least it's as commonly available as hemlock.

At least it's not poisonous though - that's a different hemlock and no
relation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium


"victoria" wrote in message ...

Does anyone know if seasoned and dried hemlock has any undesirable
characteristics? I want to use hemlock because of its workability and
straight grain, for children's toys, boxes, etc. But I remember that
Socrates (?) was poisoned with hemlock.




--
victoria

Peter Huebner writes:
In article ,
says...

Does anyone know if seasoned and dried hemlock has any undesirable
characteristics? I want to use hemlock because of its workability and
straight grain, for children's toys, boxes, etc. But I remember that
Socrates (?) was poisoned with hemlock.


This is the poisonous hemlock:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gefleckter_Schierling

Nothing to do with the tree. Sorry, didn't find a link in English, but you get

The link to the english version (Conium) is on the left side of the german page.

scott

Seasoned and dried, as in from your yard tree or firewood pile, you will
find it to be very light in both color and weight, that it sands easily
but also can splinter badly, and knots can be very tough. For this
reason you may therefore not want to make items that very young children
will be likely to chew on. There's no poison in it at all, though. I
have some nice boxes and frames made of it, and a handful of turned
items too. If you can find sections that are clear, then yes you can get
some attractive straight grained wood. Most lumberyard hemlock is
construction grade, however. If you can find a softwood mill in your
area you'll be more likely to get nicer stuff.

J.

victoria wrote:
Does anyone know if seasoned and dried hemlock has any undesirable
characteristics? I want to use hemlock because of its workability and
straight grain, for children's toys, boxes, etc. But I remember that
Socrates (?) was poisoned with hemlock.