A Butt Log Identification Puzzle Are these logs American Beechnut, Red Elm, Butternut, or what? In this long and detailed thread, sawmillers discuss the characteristics that could be clues. November 16, 2011
Hardwood Supply and Quality The U.S. has large and growing stocks of high-quality hardwood timber, and a limitless supply of ungraded rhetoric. August 8, 2006
Analyzing Wood Species, Grain, and Sawing Methods Here's a long and complex (but very informative) thread that starts off with a wood identification problem, moves into a discussion of wood pore structure, and then takes off on an interesting tangent about quartersawing, flatsawing, and other methods for piecing out a log. March 22, 2013
American Chestnut Log Identification The Woodweb detective team tries to determine if one of the group has found a large American Chestnut log in a firewood pile. March 9, 2010
Is Kiln Drying to 7% Worth It? Why kiln dry wood to 7% moisture content when it will gain moisture in storage? Here's an informative thread about proper drying targets and storage based on the intended end use of the lumber. December 31, 2013
What Does "Old Growth" Mean The sawing and drying forum discusses what "old growth" means when used to describe lumber, and what qualities "old growth" wood may or may not have. May 14, 2006
Crack Prevention and Repair for a Large Wood Turning Here's a long, thoughtful technical discussion of humidity conditions, wood cracking, prevention, and fixes, focused around the case of a very large wood turning that has developed hairline cracks. January 20, 2011
The "Sustainable" Chain of Custody How can a small shop get certification that its wood is sustainably produced, all the way back to the source? June 30, 2009
Mahogany Versus Sapele for an Outdoor Structure A long discussion about different flavors of Mahogany, their sources and qualities, and how they compare with Sapele for durability and quality. March 26, 2010
Log scale and overrun Different types of scales, formulas and methods of figuring overrun. January 28, 2002
Why Does Plywood Warp? An extended technical and practical discussion of dimensional instability in plywood panels. January 20, 2010
Confusing Lumber Term: "Sap and Better?" Experts and wood buyers and sellers discuss the meaning of some obscure lumber grading terms — such as "Sap/BTR" for white-wood Maple. April 20, 2011
Aging yellow cedar Attaining the look of naturally aged yellow cedar. September 2, 2002
Eradicating an Insect Infestation A load of insect-infested reclaimed wood may have contaminated a whole operation. What to do? April 20, 2011
"Cherry-Picking" Lumber Is it right to select the pieces you like from a stack of boards and leave the rest for the next person? July 24, 2006
Locust for Window Sashes? Locust is durable and rot-resistant, but it's not stable or easy to machine — so probably not the best choice for window parts. January 23, 2014
Wood Choice for Reproduction Windows Spanish Cedar, White Oak, and Cypress are options that come to mind for a durable exterior application. and January 23, 2014
Types of Mahogany Here's a little in-depth info about the various wood species that are labeled "Mahogany." March 13, 2014
Straightening Thin Dowels A woodworker struggles with a crooked dowel problem in a mass production setting. October 1, 2010
Wood Identification Puzzle Once again, the wood detectives try to identify some boards from pictures. Elm, Hickory, and Ash are the likely suspects. February 15, 2009
Relating Lumber Grade Selection to End Use Which grade you should buy depends on what you're making. If you're willing to trim, cut, and select, a lower grade may serve your needs well. February 19, 2013
Steambending How much time to allow based on thickness and proposed radius of wood. September 23, 2003
A Wood Identification Puzzle No solid answers for this mixed selection of antique boards, but an interesting lesson from the Wood Doctor on the step-by-step method of identifying wood based on end grain. January 12, 2015
Regaining MC in overdry wood Is machinability lost when lumber has been overdried, then had moisture put back in? May 17, 2003
Green barn siding Making board and batten siding from freshly sawn lumber. June 19, 2003
"Water Oak" Versus "Pin Oak" Locally common names for Oak varieties can cause confusion. Here's a discussion of some Oak tree varieties and some information on their characteristics. February 9, 2008
Sawing "Select" Graded Lumber from Tie Logs A discussion of grading standards for "select" hardwood lumber, and whether it's a good buy as byproduct from sawing railroad ties. February 4, 2011
Storing Wood in a Subtropical Climate Thoughts on how to keep air-dried lumber sawn on site from decaying while stored for a season or two — in Nicaragua June 22, 2012
Straight line rip lumber Is the added time and waste worth what customers will pay? September 23, 2003
Cherry Color After Aging When cherry shelves are constructed years apart, how dramatic will the color difference be? May 8, 2004
Alternatives to Honduran Mahogany A discussion of the qualities of some of the woods used as substitutes for Mahogany, plus an attempt to clear up some of the confusion around the much-misused "Mahogany" label. February 5, 2007
Yield Loss in Ripped-One-Edge Lumber A woodworker who has ordered a delivery of random length and width wood ripped on one edge and surfaced on two sides wants to know how much wood he can really expect to get. April 27, 2007
Guess the Wood Another wood identification mystery leaves the Woodweb forum guessing. What species is this highly figured, iridescent, almost glowing orange/yellow burl in a unique table. April 20, 2011
Estimating board footage Most accurate and most accepted methods of figuring BF for lumber. December 17, 2002
"China Cedar" -- What Is It? "China Cedar" is a separate species grown in the Far East. However, Cedar logs from America do get sent to China and come back to North America as lumber, complicating the picture. December 30, 2007
Lumber "Shrinkage Fee" Upcharges to compensate for lumber shrinkage are improper, say the experts (and the rules). August 29, 2005
Worm Holes and Lumber Grading Bug holes aren't a lumber defect in everybody's eyes — it all depends on your market. Here's some info about how grading standards account for insect damage. December 9, 2010
Sapwood and heartwood Questions on sapwood and heartwood of pecan and hickory, and how-to instructions for quartersawing. April 4, 2001
Dehumidifiers and Lumber Storage A dehumidifier in the storage room will keep lumber at the proper moisture content, and will do no harm. December 6, 2012
Wood I.D. Puzzle Another guessing game about wood species — this time, a hurricane-downed log from south Texas. April 18, 2009
What the Heck is "Honduran Black Walnut"? Woodweb pros discuss the opportunities, risks, and unknowns inherent in buying lumber from foreign sources at arm's length. September 7, 2013
Recognizing a Big-Leaf Maple Burl This big burl, received as a gift, is identified as the western species Big-Leaf Maple by woodworkers familiar with that wood. December 23, 2014
Re-Drying Wood from Outdoor Storage Advice on how to best restore wood to useability after it has been left partially exposed to weather in a shed. January 18, 2011
"Shop-Dried" Versus "Air-Dried" Lumber A discussion of the quality and value of hardwoods that have been stacked and dried in a dry indoor area, but not in a kiln. March 26, 2013
Ways to Estimate or Calculate Board Feet Rule of thumb gets you pretty close, and even methods involving careful measurement are susceptible to basic arithmetic errors. January 11, 2007
Working with Ash Beautiful and easy to work, ash also ages well. Fans discuss ash and its virtues in this thread from the Architectural Woodworking forum. November 9, 2005
Alternatives to Cumaru for Cabinet Work A client want cabinets made with Cumaru, a Brazilian hardwood. But the cabinetmaker is looking for a more practical species to substitute. Here are a few ideas. December 31, 2012
Defining Quarter-Sawn and Rift-Sawn There are both formal and informal definitions for "quarter-sawn" lumber. Here, cabinetmakers and the Wood Doctor discuss the fine points. July 5, 2006
A "Green" Finish for a Cuban Mahogany Bench Thoughts on the meaning of environmental correctness for clear wood finishes, and some interesting history about Cuban Mahogany, a nearly-extinct wood that is making a comeback. March 4, 2009
Sawing Dawn Redwood A discussion of the characteristics of lumber sawn from Dawn Redwood. March 28, 2010
Dollar Value of Spalted Wood Pricing varies widely for spalted lumber, based on subjective factors. January 18, 2011
Minimum Sticker Thickness How thin can stickers be in order to maximize kiln capacity without creating drying problems? May 11, 2005
Long-Term Storage of Air-Dried Lumber Air-dried lumber left in drying stacks for long periods without kiln-drying is at high risk for insect damage and spoilage. June 18, 2010
Keeping Plywood Flat Pros discuss causes, cures, and prevention of warping in plywood. July 9, 2005
Moisture Content of Western Red Cedar A stable wood that is typically serves exterior uses, Western Red Cedar is usually delivered at about 12% moisture content. But you can find it drier than that. July 28, 2006
Is Tropical Wood Quality Slipping? Writing a detailed spec for the desired quality can help you get the lumber quality you need. October 14, 2009
Wax to Seal Turning Blocks Thoughts on selecting and applying wax to preserve turning blocks during storage. February 8, 2008
Osage Orange Uses Osage Orange is prized for traditional bow-making and other valued uses. April 18, 2009
American Chestnut Versus Chinese Chestnut A discussion of the American Chestnut and the Chinese Chestnut, with regard to wood appearance and blight resistance. May 16, 2008
Will Stacked Lumber Gain or Lose Moisture? Lumber in storage may gain or lose moisture, but very slowly. Wrapping the pile in plastic will slow or stop the moisture change. March 29, 2006
Sunlight and a Cherry Entry Door Cherry is a problematic wood for any exterior use, because it is known to first darken, then bleach, from exposure to sunlight. April 24, 2006
Working with Ebony Ebony is a difficult material to source, and quality varies. January 20, 2011
Air-dried lumber Is it air-dried cherry acceptable for furnituremaking? March 20, 2001
Sourcing Knotty Cherry Lumber A discussion of knots, character, grading standards, and how to find Cherry that looks interesting. August 31, 2010
Deodar Cedar -- What's It Good For? A little information but few answers about an ornamental Cedar variety that sometimes finds its way to a sawmill. December 30, 2007
Worm Holes in Mahogany Worm holes aren't always considered as a defect in Mahogany, but they do leave you wondering whether the critters will come back. July 30, 2007
Slippery kiln-dried wood What could make dried wood so slippery that it is difficult to machine? August 12, 2001
Evaluating a Shed Full of Boards Advice on a sensible cash offer for a load of Oak that has been in dry storage for 16 years. April 24, 2014
Is Cedar an Insect Repellent? Including Cedar in a stack of sawn wood will not keep bugs away, the Wood Doctor explains. July 11, 2013
Substitutes for Mahogany Veneer Maple and birch have different grain structure from mahogany, but some sustainably harvested tropical species may come closer. May 28, 2006
Telling Hard and Soft Maple Apart The two types of maple have different densities and different end grain appearance. There's also a chemical test. December 6, 2006
Treated Cypress Options A discussion of surface coatings, preservative treatments, and natural decay resistance of Cypress used for outdoor shutters. July 12, 2008
Wood-Core MDF Panels A quick look at the pros and cons of panels with plywood cores and MDF skins. April 22, 2014
Identifying a Burl Several votes for Bigleaf Maple, and one for Buckeye, in this show-and-tell of an interesting burl destined to become a tabletop. October 19, 2013
Cedar and Cypress Aromas Different fragrant woods have different subjective aromas that make up part of their usefulness. June 15, 2014
"False Acacia" (a.k.a. Black Locust) Black Locust is known in Europe as "False Acacia." Here's some info about the species and the lumber. October 15, 2010
Will Ocean Shipping Damage Teak? A sawmiller worries that a load of teak he has ordered from a South American supplier may suffer mold damage en route. The feedback indicates he should relax. December 1, 2005
Straightening Old Bowed Floor Joists Overloaded wood deforms over time (it's called "creep"). There's no quick way to reverse the process. December 1, 2005
Ironing Plywood A cabinetmaker has success straightening out bowed plywood with a hot iron. December 28, 2005
"Mahogany" — One Name, Many Species Here's a rundown on the official species names of the many different trees whose wood is sold as "mahogany".March 29, 2006
Defining the Term "Board" Boards, flitches, and cants - here's how to keep 'em straight. February 26, 2005
Checking of Dry Lumber Checking occurs when the wood is very wet. Checking that appears in lumber purchased as kiln-dried is a defect. December 8, 2012
What is "fuming"? Explanations of the process of fuming wood for color. April 11, 2001
Identifying Old Pine Planks The Woodweb crew checks out some photos of what is probably Southern Yellow Pine, and possibly Longleaf Pine. September 6, 2010
Comparing Sapele to Mahogany Woodworkers discuss the visual appearance and working characteristics of Sapele wood. April 9, 2008
Qualities and Uses for Sweet Gum A small sawmiller sees his first load of Gum wood, and gets advice about its value and how to handle it. June 22, 2005
Identifying Pignut Hickory Forum members identify Pignut Hickory by looking at photos of the leaves, stems, and bark. November 28, 2014
Facts about Tulip Wood Most "Tulip" is a variety of Poplar, and it can have interesting traits. October 2, 2005
Carob Wood This short thread is worth a glance just for the photo of sawn Carob logs. January 25, 2010
Dealing with Bowed or Warped Plywood Warped, bowed, cupped, twisted — these days, plywood seem to lie every which way but flat. Here's a long and somewhat technical discussion of what makes plywood deform, and what can be done about it. December 28, 2005
Plywood Quality Issues An in-depth discussion of quality concerns regarding hardwood plywood, with details on the way various plywood flavors are put together. December 30, 2005
Pecan vs. Hickory A wealth of information on these two very closely related wood species. July 5, 2006
Poplar Siding Advice on using locally sawn Poplar as siding for a house addition. February 14, 2010
How to move logs Creative and practical ways of loading, unloading and transporting logs. Illustrated. (Sawing and Drying Forum) March 23, 2003
Picket Fence Lumber Selection A discussion comparing the pros and cons of treated wood, second growth Cedar, and other wood species for use in a fence. December 1, 2010
Hard vs. soft maple Can these maples be mixed, and what are the differences? January 21, 2002
Board-Foot Lumber Measurement Confusion A woodworker tries to figure out how to make sure he's ordering and getting the amount of wood he actually needs. January 20, 2010
Buying Lumber at Auction Tips on assessing the quality of air-dried hardwood up for sale at a small auction. October 3, 2009
Bacterial Action in Wood Temperature and the availability of oxygen help determine which sort of bacteria can thrive in wood, and therefore how the infected wood might smell. January 27, 2007
Parenchyma Cell Rings and Wood Grain Info about parynchyma cell rings, a structure similar to growth rings that can affect the appearance of sawn lumber. October 1, 2009
Powder Post Beetles in Plywood Amazingly, the bugs are not killed by plywood manufacturing methods, and can lurk inside plywood for years. October 27, 2011
Pecan Versus Hickory Wood What's the difference? The tree species are from related groups, and the wood is often considered interchangeable. April 24, 2006
Birch Varieties Explained The Wood Doctor lists the various species of Birch tree in North America and relates them to lumber for sale on the market. July 12, 2013
Building with Urban Trees Harvesting and utilizing wood which would otherwise end up in the landfill. February 28, 2004
Burmese Versus Plantation Teak A quick discussion of Asian and South American varieties of wood marketed as "Teak" July 13, 2010
Heart pine, defined Forum contributors define heart pine discuss differences between heartwood, sapwood and pith. August 12, 2001
Protecting Fresh Wood from Bugs Chemical means have drawbacks and are not very effective. So good drying and careful hygeine in the the yard are your best methods for keeping wood bug-free. April 20, 2011
De-Nailing Salvaged Antique Floor Joists There's no magic bullet for pulling hard old cut nails from antique hardwood floor joists — but there are lots of techniques. February 14, 2010
Maximizing Lumber from a Log Can quartersawing produce as much usable lumber as one company claims? January 29, 2004
Toxicity of Black Locust The leaves, bark and wood of Black Locust are poisonous to both people and livestock. March 31, 2008
Mixing African and Honduras Mahogany A long discussion of the woodworking characteristics of various Mahogany types and substitutes, and the practicality of combining different woods in a single door. June 29, 2008
Cutting crotch wood Details on the right equipment and techniques to get the job done. March 4, 2002
Air-Drying Big Timbers Over Long Time If you plan to air-dry posts and beams for a period of years, here's advice on stickering, sawing over-size, end-sealing, et cetera. October 26, 2011
Ash, Pine, Bugs, and Borates More info on the insects that may infest hardwoods and softwoods, and on the use of borate-based controls. December 6, 2009
How to quartersaw Sawyers share details and pictures of their preferred methods. May 17, 2003
Managing Fungus on Cedar Advice on handling and cleaning a Cedar slab that wasn't properly dried and now harbors fungus. October 19, 2014
Moisture content for exterior doors Determining the appropriate MC for lumber that will be exposed to vastly different humidity levels. November 14, 2001
Powderpost Beetles in Furniture Pinholes and powder are a dead giveaway of a beetle infestation. Here are some facts about the bugs and how to handle them. February 19, 2006
Chip-free dovetailing in plywood Building dovetailed plywood drawers without chipping; European and American approaches. April 24, 2002
Recycled barn wood Processing and marketing reclaimed lumber. September 23, 2003
Framing Lumber for Planting Boxes A discussion of treated wood, naturally rot-resistant lumber, outdoor exposures, and pests. April 14, 2010
Chinese Plywood Cabinetmakers complain about the quality of hardwood plywood imported from China. April 13, 2012
What is value added? Forum participants give technical and personal definitions. April 2, 2002
Setting up a milling business How much land, what equipment is needed, and in what order, for a startup sawmill. April 24, 2002
Delamination of Bending Plywood Construction methods don't appear to be the problem in this example. More likely is a manufacturing quality issue. February 13, 2013
Durability of Eastern Red Cedar Short answer: it's the heartwood that is rot-resistant. But you'll learn more than that from this discussion. April 11, 2008
Markups on Building Materials Lumberyards charge low markups on basics like wood and drywall, but high markups on accessories, tools, paint, et cetera. June 11, 2012
Why is Walnut Purple Sometimes? The purple color of some Walnut boards is natural. Here's more background with comments and observations from woodworkers. February 16, 2014
Static charge on wood Troubleshooting and resolving static problems on freshly planed boards. October 9, 2002
Finger-Jointed Wood from 2x Scrap A discussion about the practicality of turning off-cuts into useable studs by finger-jointing. July 30, 2007
Vertical Siding Types of siding for "old barn" look. August 9, 2004
Mortising fenceposts A few methods for cutting holes in split rail fencing. July 29, 2003
Firewood kiln Methods and facilities used to dry firewood. November 26, 2001
Vomit-Like Odor of Bacterially Infected Wood When cabinets or wood smell like vomit, a likely culprit is bacterial infections in the trees the wood was made from. Unfortunately, there is no known fix. April 20, 2008
Using Beech to Build Cabinets It's a beautiful wood, but is American Beech too unstable for cabinets? Not necessarily, say those who've tried it. August 21, 2006
Truing-up rough wood Planers will not remove the bow from rough stock; jointing is required before boards can be properly thicknessed. February 13, 2001
Yellow Cedar Characteristics Not a true Cedar, Yellow Cedar grows mainly on the northern Pacific coast of North America. Here is some info about its useful properties. April 2, 2013
Selling Hardwood on the Side A furniture and cabinet maker is considering a small-scale side business selling lumber, and gets advice on where the market is. November 10, 2005
Working with Red Birch Red Birch is the heartwood of Yellow Birch. Here are tips on how it behaves. August 15, 2006
Gene's value-added hints A bit of wisdom on adding value to your wood products, from Professor Gene Wengert. April 2, 2002
Monkey Pod Wood Here's a little information on Monkey Pod wood, also sometimes called just "Monkey Wood."February 25, 2009
Working with Balau Wood A dense, durable tropical hardwood that is rough on blades, Balau is good for outdoor features such as decks. April 4, 2011
Working with Zebrawood Tips on working with this interesting (but stinky) wood species. October 25, 2006
Aspen Wood for Cabinets It's soft, it's fuzzy, and it takes finish unevenly. Hmm... August 29, 2006
Mahogany Honeycombing Defect Honeycombing that appears after planing is typically a drying defect — similar to end checking, but different. April 17, 2009
Getting a charge from melamine How to mitigate the creation and transmission of static electricity during the handling thermofused melamine. April 2, 2002
Experiences shipping lumber Determining the costs and problems of shipping lumber through UPS or other service. January 16, 2002
Poplar Is a Hardwood, but Is It Hard? As a deciduous tree, Poplar is classified as a hardwood. Here's some hard info about just how hard it is (or isn't).November 15, 2011
Lumber Tally: Rough Versus Milled When you buy dressed lumber, the quantity is tallied based on the rough board footage, before milling. The "rip-off" percentage can sometimes confuse the buyer. September 27, 2012
CNC feed rates for melamine Concerns on purchasing a CNC router and software for cutting melamine. August 12, 2001
Clear Alder Versus European Beech A cabinetmaker who finds that clear Alder looks good, but scratches too easily, discovers a satisfying alternative: European Beech. April 9, 2008
Blue Stain in Pine How big a concern is blue surface stain on softwood? June 12, 2006
Building Cabinets with Lyptus Cabinetmakers discuss the machining qualities and other characteristics of Lyptus (Eucalyptus) wood, and its suitability for cabinet construction. April 6, 2007
- Wood species Information on tree species and their uses. March 20, 2001
Using Lyptus Here's a detailed thread on woodworker experiences using Lyptus wood. April 20, 2008
Working Safely with Ipe Dust and oils from Ipe wood are allergenic and toxic. You need serious personal protective gear if you work with Ipe. Here's more info. May 16, 2008
Another Wood Identification Puzzle Sycamore? Beech? Mulberry? The forum takes a look at some old wood found in a barn and destined to be made into guitar bodies. January 28, 2013
Value added defined Many definitions and interpretations are offered up. July 29, 2003
Stupid Woodworker Tricks With a nod toward David Letterman, pros discuss their least-best moments. January 24, 2005
Wood, the environment, and Man A wide-ranging overview of the state of the primary processing industry, and where it may be going from here. August 10, 2000
What is heart pine? History and how heart pine is defined today. October 30, 2003
Durable Wood for a Screen Door A craftsman's question about screen door materials kicks off a long discussion about the qualities of various wood species, old growth and second growth. October 4, 2005
Spalting Tips and Tricks A question about how to get rid of a bad batch of spalted Maple leads to a nice discussion of different ways to spalt wood, with photos. April 15, 2012
WOODPRO - Species Selection Made Easy A free complete working computer program (that can be downloaded at WOODWEB), allowing woodworkers to select the most suitable wood species for any particular application - 1997
Applied wainscot Creating fake raised panels for the lower portion of walls. April 3, 2002
Fortune Teller: Making More Money in the Wood Industry Wood Doctor Gene Wengert makes some educated guesses about the near future in the wood products industry, and offers some advice about how wood-based businesses can profit from change. April 15, 2013
Eliminating springback problems Determining the radius to aim for when creating a curve with vac-laminated plywood. September 23, 2003
Comparing sliding and vertical saws Woodworkers voice their views on the virtues and liabilities of both sliding and vertical saws. November 15, 2000
Drying wood in a tent Recommendations on how to use the sun's rays and a plastic tent to dry lumber. November 7, 2001
Marketing Spalted Pecan Beautifully figured spalted Pecan wood is a valuable material, but the niche market is a little tricky to sell in. May 9, 2007
Think before you take the CNC plunge WOODWEB technical advisor Brian Personett offers some food for thought to those thinking about purchasing CNC equipment. November 15, 2000
Fine Points of End Coating Advice on applying Anchorseal or roofing tar to log ends immediately after felling. October 19, 2013
Wood Choice for Paint Grade Historic Millwork Woodworkers discuss the pros and cons of Spanish Cedar, Mahogany, Sapele, Black Locust, and recovered Heart Pine for a restoration and historic reproduction project. April 27, 2011
Wood-Gas Generator Motors Here's a little basic info about wood gasification for generating electricity. October 1, 2010
Drying Rewetted Kiln-Dried Lumber How to render kiln-dried lumber, which has been rewetted due to flooding or excessive humidity, useful once again. 1998.
Ambrosia Beetles in a Chainsaw Bear Characteristic fungal growths turn out to be the telltale sign of Ambrosia beetle infestation of a chainsaw sculpture. June 14, 2014
Surface Mold on Framing Lumber If the wood will be dry in service, mold on the surface is strictly a cosmetic concern. Here's more info on washing and drying for the sake of appearances. April 20, 2011
Timber Framing with Red Oak The material needs to be kept dry. Here's info on that, and some other useful tips. November 3, 2010
Stripes in Fir Plywood A cabinetmaker's finisher notices a strange defect in some Fir plywood, probably caused by grain compression that happened at the plywood mill. October 13, 2012
Drying Mesquite with Denatured Alcohol Denatured alcohol (DNA) drying techniques work best on porous wood, not so well on a low-porosity species like Mesquite. October 1, 2010
What Can Spread a Lyctid Infestation? Be cautious — Lyctid powder-post beetles are hard to get rid of, and can spread even on small chips or shavings. March 13, 2007
Appearance Considerations with Sapele Sapele wood darkens over time (as do Cherry and Mahogany), and its compatibility with the look of other woods is a matter of personal preference. April 11, 2008
Uses for Sassafras Sassafras has been called "poor man's oak" for its durability, strength and beauty. The markets for it are small ans specialized. April 20, 2011
Glue failures Adhesive failure can usually be traced to one of two causes: overly moist wood or defective glue. December 6, 2000
Catalpa: Uses and Vulnerabilities Catalpa is a beautiful wood, rot-resistant and prized by some wood turners. Standing trees may have heart rot, however. April 24, 2013
Lightning-Struck Wood Puzzle Observations and speculation about whether lightning weakens the wood of a tree it strikes. August 29, 2006
Specific Gravity of Dawn Redwood We're talking about a particular tree species here, but the comments on determining specific gravity apply to any wood sample. April 27, 2007
Wormy Cherry Lumber A furnituremaker gets help figuring out what kind of critter made holes in his nice Cherry boards (and hears that some people consider them an improvement). April 21, 2008
Walnut Steaming Difficulties Steam that is too hot and "dry" will not have the desired effect. Here is some technical advice on operating the steamer successfully. December 12, 2008
Is Eastern red cedar toxic? Eastern red cedar does not share some of the reaction-generating characteristics of its Western namesake. 1998.
Red cedar vs. white cedar siding The differences between the two woods, specifically, their suitability for use as siding. October 17, 2000
Milling Cypress for a Deck Advice on how to process Cypress timber for use on an outdoor deck. July 30, 2009
Whether to Kiln-Dry Wood Before Turning A woodworker is advised to kiln-dry Osage Orange wood (also referred to as "Hedge") before gluing up blanks for turning bowls. October 19, 2014
Raised glue lines after curing A glue line that is raised days after parts are assembled and the glue has cured is a sure sign of wet lumber. 1998.
Storing kiln-dried lumber Controlling the humidity in the atmosphere around stored lumber. January 16, 2002
Woods for outdoor furniture A manufacturer of outdoor furniture consults the Wood Doctor for help with choosing a species to replace beech. 1998.
Gluing white oak panels Because of its density, white oak lumber must be machined carefully for panel glue-up, and assembled within an hour of preparation. 1998.
Air-dried oak for casework? Air-dried lumber needs to live in the environment it will inhabit prior to fabrication. 1998.
Wood Storage: Vertical or horizontal? Truly dry wood stored under the proper conditions will not warp, no matter how you position it. September 26, 2000
Relative densities of various birches The Wood Doctor offers resources for information on the relative densities of birch lumbers, and offers an opinion on plastic laminate. 1998.
Making stickers Finding an appropriate material for lumber stickers used in air-drying. August 10, 2000
Smelly lauan The Wood Doctor is quizzed about bad-smelling lauan in a commercial bar. Diagnosis: anaerobic bacteria. Prognosis: terminal. Prescription: replacement. 1998.
Moisture transfer in humid climes Do tropical and sub-tropical species re-absorb moisture when left in their humid, native lands? September 6, 2000
Know your maples A primer on different types of maple lumber. August 23, 2000
Stained oak from supplier There are solutions for stained, milled, not-yet-dried oak lumber, but first , one must determine the cause of the staining. 1998.
How To Spalt Wood Like making a world-class cheese, spalting wood intentionally is more art than science, and you may waste some raw material learning how. Here's an extended and detailed discussion. May 28, 2008
Pine Board Sheathing for Homes Works fine in most cases — here's some useful advice about practicalities and codes. July 14, 2010
Paulownia Characteristics and Uses A fast-growing, light and strong semi-tropical wood, Paulownia has enough value to be worth stealing. Here's an example growing on a bathroom windowsill. September 5, 2010
Promoting blue stain How to promote this visual effect in a stack of red pine. March 21, 2002
Hemlock for homebuilding The virtues and pitfalls of hemlock as a house-framing material. June 20, 2000
Powderpost Beetle Problems Here's a good description of a log house infested with powderpost beetles. February 9, 2008
Powderpost Beetle Infestation A load of lumber bought at an auction turns out to have tiny beetle holes in it. Now what? October 19, 2013
Powder Post Beetle Worries Will powderpost beetles found in a piece of furniture spread elsewhere in the house? April 21, 2011
Bugs in air-dried ash Can a stack of ash be saved from an infestation of powderpost beetles? June 20, 2000
Books About Historic Lumbering and Sawing Sawmill forum members recommend some interesting reading about the history of logging and sawmill operations in various regions of North America. April 18, 2015
Hardwood Utilization Book Review "The Management, Manufacture and Marketing of California Black Oak, Pacific Madrone and Tanoak" covers the various aspects encountered by the forester, the logger, the sawmill manager, the marketing people, and the business owner - 1998
Best preparation for bent ash Dr. Gene advises a fishing-net maker on the best ways to prepare ash for bending into frames for his products. 1998.
Hickory or Pecan Ideas for telling two highly similar plywood faces apart. February 25, 2005
Black ash uses White ash, black ash, and their various uses. July 26, 2000
Economics of Sawmill Operations This thread takes a close look at some hard numbers for logs and various sawn lumber products, and teaches some valuable lessons about how sawmills can make money, or lose money. September 6, 2010
Fine Points of Steaming Walnut Details on equipment and procedures for steaming Walnut to change the color. November 12, 2008
Stabilizing Wood with Polyethylene Glycol Advice and explanations about using PEG to prevent shrinkage and cracking in heavy wood disks being dried for a specialty application. July 15, 2014
True Dimensions of 4/4 Green Lumber The terms "4/4" and "RWRL" take some explaining. Here's the voice of expertise and experience. October 8, 2005
Treating Burls With Pentacryl Is pentracryl a proper treatment for burl wood, or are other sealers more suitable? January 6, 2005
Facts about PEG (Polyethylene Glycol) Polyethylene glycol, or PEG, is an interesting molecule with uses beyond woodworking. Here's some info on the varieties on the market. July 23, 2014