# Basswood



## rmount (Jul 4, 2011)

Has anyone any experience with basswood lumber? I'm going to be dropping a basswood at the edge of our lawn to make space for a pool. Its about 15" DBH and I could get two 8 or 10 foot logs out of the stem. Its not worth much as firewood and while I know the whittlers like basswood, that's an awful lot of whittling! I don't imagine the lumber would be very strong but I'm sure it has a use somewhere. Any suggestions?


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## mikeb1079 (Jul 4, 2011)

> Any suggestions?



i don't have any direct experience with basswood but have some really nice canoe paddles where the maker used basswood as part of the shaft to help reduce weight. i would think it'd be worth it to mill, and could be used where you don't need a structural piece....


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## les-or-more (Jul 4, 2011)

My uncle built a building over a belsaw sawmill in the late 60's, he used basswood for the siding, its been painted twice that I know of in that time.


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## bobt (Jul 4, 2011)

Yes, basswood siding has been used for ages. It holds paint well. I would use it for any woodworking projects that don't need extreme strength, or be subjected to wet conditions. It doesn't have the tendency to warp very much. It doesn't take stain very well though, as it gets blotchy and not very uniform.

Bob


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## rmount (Jul 4, 2011)

Thanks for the ideas. I was going to mill some pine for siding a utility shed near the pool - sounds like I can use the basswood to side the shed, which will only be a few feet away from the tree!


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## olyman (Jul 5, 2011)

basswood,,is what the old circus wagons were made out of.. guy at barnum and bailey circus museum,,said while not real strong,,it would flex like mad,,and not break or crack...


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## SDB777 (Jul 5, 2011)

Don't forget to make some blocks/blanks for the bowl turners. Crotch wood blanks/blocks would be best for those turners(more character).

Can not be sure about the boards.....never even seen any.




Scott B


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## rmount (Jul 5, 2011)

SDB777 said:


> Don't forget to make some blocks/blanks for the bowl turners. Crotch wood blanks/blocks would be best for those turners(more character).
> Scott B


 
Thanks for the idea, I've often thought about getting a lathe and learning how to turn - maybe this will be the incentive I need. Should the blocks be end sealed? Is it best to turn them green or dry? I may have to start visiting the carving and turning forum


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## 341519 (Jul 5, 2011)

First post here, I've been lurking for a while

Waterfowl decoy carvers would be interested in basswood blocks. Duckboats.net has a pretty active carving community that would be able to answer questions.


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## SDB777 (Jul 9, 2011)

rmount said:


> Thanks for the idea, I've often thought about getting a lathe and learning how to turn - maybe this will be the incentive I need. Should the blocks be end sealed? Is it best to turn them green or dry? I may have to start visiting the carving and turning forum


 
Blanks can be endgrain sealed.

Bowl blanks can be turned green to roughly 10% larger then what you want the finished bowl to be. Then soaked in a bucket of DNA for 24 to 48 hours and then put in a brown bag with sawdust for a few days to a week(depends on the bowl size), then removed and finished.






Scott B


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## nrford (Jul 16, 2011)

You all have seen the wooden venetian blinds, most commonly seen in resturants? Those are mostly made of basswood, some are yellow poplar. We sawed a lot of basswood for that purpose. That is what most of it is used for these days!


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## markvanzee (Aug 14, 2011)

basswood is really good for carving


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## Jonathan Smith (Aug 16, 2011)

Much of the interior millwork in our 1924 apartment in New York is basswood. Cheap, takes paint well, mills easily and is pretty light.


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## 820wards (Aug 17, 2011)

Jonathan Smith said:


> Much of the interior millwork in our 1924 apartment in New York is basswood. Cheap, takes paint well, mills easily and is pretty light.




Welcome aboard Jonathan, do you mill in Central Park? Just kidding...

jerry-


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## rmount (Sep 9, 2011)

Thanks for all the info and ideas. I dropped the tree a month or so ago, then life got in the way and I just finished dealing with it this week. Saved a couple of crotch pieces and some short rounds for when I get a lathe and milled the rest into 1x6s.


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## mikeb1079 (Sep 9, 2011)

looks great! thanks for the pics. :smile2:


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## VT-Woodchuck (Sep 9, 2011)

Yep, craving or interior trim get my vote.


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