What is quarter sawn sycamore?
Quarter Sawn Sycamore is the same species as Sycamore that has been cut from the log at a different angle (quartered). The resulting lumber is more stable and exhibits dramatic flaking patterns that run perpendicular to the grain. Common Names: American Plane, American Planetree, Buttonwood, Platanus occidentalis.
Is sycamore wood worth anything?
Re: Sycamore log, is it worth sawing? The quick answer is yes. You did not indicate the size which would determine whether it would be feasible to quarter saw (QS). Sycamore, especially if knotty, can be challenging to dry, but it makes some nice lumber.
Does a sycamore tree make good lumber?
When harvested, they produce excellent sized logs. The above average log dimensions result in sycamore lumber regularly being produced with good average widths and a high percentage of long lengths ideal for many woodworking applications. The large average size of sycamore logs also lends itself to quartering.
Can you use sycamore for a cutting board?
From our experience, we find that Sycamore is traditionally used in the production of furniture, furniture parts, joinery paneling and mouldings. In some instances, it can even be used for kitchenware and cutting boards.
What is lace wood?
Lacewood is a common name for the wood produced from a number of different trees, with mostly a striking appearance of their “lace-wood“, which gets its name from the lace like pattern: These include: Cardwellia sublimis, an Australian tree. Elaeocarpus bojeri, “bois dentelle”, due to the unique patterns of its flowers.
What can I do with sycamore wood?
Contemporary uses for American sycamore include lumber and veneer, paneling, interior trim, furniture parts, slack cooperage and fuel. The wood is hard and almost impossible to split, so it has been used for butcher blocks for many years.
Is sycamore a hardwood or softwood?
Hardwoods: Sycamore Trees can grow rapidly and reach a large size. Sycamore is a diffuse-porous wood, white or pale cream in colour, with a fine texture and a moderate lustre.
Is Sycamore hard to split?
Sycamore firewood is notoriously challenging to split when it’s still green and wet. This is because it has a high water content, especially compared to other species of firewood. It is stringy and is difficult to split by hand.
Is Sycamore easy to carve?
Feather Sticks: Sycamore wood can be easily carved and can, sometimes, be carved into feather sticks.
Is sycamore good to burn?
Burning Sycamore Sycamore firewood is easy to light, provided that it has been seasoned well. It is one of the best firewood species you can use when you’re starting a fire, as it produces a lot of heat. Some people report that sycamore also gives off an unpleasant odor when it’s burned green.
What is sycamore wood?
Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) or American plane tree, is fast growing and a giant of the eastern hardwood forest, but it is not commonly used by woodworkers even though it can have a unique figure. The tree is easily recognized by its smooth, thin white and green mottled bark in the upper portions of the tree.
Is Sycamore a lacewood?
The earliest furniture woods referred to as lacewood were actually American sycamore and London plane tree. Both are Platanus species, with large and visually obvious ray flecks. Cardwellia sublimis was a much later species bearing the lacewood moniker.
What makes quarter sawn lumber different?
Quarter-sawn lumber is more expensive than Plain-Sawn and also doesn’t utilize the entire tree. The majority of Quarter-sawn lumber will have mostly vertical end-grains, giving this cut lumber, or your flooring, a higher amount of stability compared to Plain-sawn hardwood. The more vertical the end-grain, the more structurally stable the lumber is.
What is sycamore wood used for?
Sycamore wood has a wide and twisting grain structure and is commonly used to manufacture decorative goods. It is used for furniture in small lumber pieces as the wood is not very strong.
How to quarter saw lumber?
1) Line the log up on the portable saw carriage and cut it in half lengthwise. 2) Cut the log into quarters. Once you’ve cut the log in half, line one of the halves up along the blade. 3) Saw a board of the desired thickness from one of the quarters. Place a quartered section on the saw carriage. 4) Turn the quarter log 90° and saw off another board. 5) Cut 2 quarters simultaneously to save time. Place 2 quarters next to each other. 6) Air-dry your cut boards before you use them. Freshly sawn wood typically has quite a bit of moisture in it, so your boards will need to be dried before
What is quarter sawn lumber?
Quarter sawn lumber is defined as wood where the annular growth rings intersect the face of the board at a 60 to 90 degree angle. When cutting this lumber at the sawmill, each log is sawed at a radial angle into four quarters, hence the name.