sycamore wood

[bullbuck]

i just acquired two real nice 2x12x16'sycamore boards,i have never seen,nor heard anything about sycamore and what its good for?but i would like to maybe top my bar or island here at the house,one board is cupped real bad,i thought of maybe ripping it into trim or something like that,maybe you east coast guys could help me out with what quality or applications sycamore is best on?all info appreciated

 

[056kid]

A guy can get into some really pretty "sicum-row", round my home parts, they get really big & round..


but the log mills will not take them, only good for pulp wood & thats gotta be >28''

Other than that, I dont know..

 

[2dogs]

Quite a bit of sycamore around here too. I don't know what use it has other than lousy fire wood. The wood is heavy when wet but dries out nicely. It can break limbs off for no reason.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Hmmm.....


I've burned a bit of it. Had a big branch (10" diameter) come down in my yard. I was not impressed with it. Okay for firewood, if it's free and delivered, but I wouldn't drive across town for it. I can't see it being great lumber, either. It's not very hard.



But then, I could be wrong. No, really! I was wrong once, so it could happen again....




Mebbe some of the millers around here can comment...

 

[bullbuck]

Quite a bit of sycamore around here too. I don't know what use it has other than lousy fire wood. The wood is heavy when wet but dries out nicely. It can break limbs off for no reason.

hmm i guess im just gonna have to take a couple rip samples and see what the wood does and looks like?i would like to use it in the house,we dont hear or see of sycamore wood here,so im interested to see what it looks like?these are old walkplanks but if i plane or sand them,i am told they finish out nice

 

[bullbuck]

Hmmm.....


I've burned a bit of it. Had a big branch (10" diameter) come down in my yard. I was not impressed with it. Okay for firewood, if it's free and delivered, but I wouldn't drive across town for it. I can't see it being great lumber, either. It's not very hard.



But then, I could be wrong. No, really! I was wrong once, so it could happen again....




Mebbe some of the millers around here can comment...

haha my boss is gonna crack up when he hears that his old walkplanks in tree form bust off for no reason!

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Oh, it had reason. We had a nasty bit of wind, and this branch cracked just a couple of feet out from the trunk. Didn't break off - it splintered, but held. Seemed to have been caught by a small twisting downdraft.

It was up there a bit, too, about 40 feet. Had a lot of fun getting up there and cutting it down. Nothing for a real tree guy, but I don't have all that fancy climbing gear.


Seems to be pretty strong stuff, really. I have another one I need to get down - splintered like the other, but not broken off. That ones only about 4 inches, though.

 

[bullbuck]

Oh, it had reason. We had a nasty bit of wind, and this branch cracked just a couple of feet out from the trunk. Didn't break off - it splintered, but held. Seemed to have been caught by a small twisting downdraft.

It was up there a bit, too, about 40 feet. Had a lot of fun getting up there and cutting it down. Nothing for a real tree guy, but I don't have all that fancy climbing gear.


Seems to be pretty strong stuff, really. I have another one I need to get down - splintered like the other, but not broken off. That ones only about 4 inches, though.

sounds like it has some fiber to it?splintered better than busted off

 

[Ol' Brian]

I think it's used quite a bit in the furniture industry... I think I read that somewhere once.

Sycamore can be tough... the toughest tree I ever cut up and split was a big sycamore... that sucker was TOUGH.

It makes OK firewood, but it doesn't store uncovered well... once it's seasoned, you better burn it... because it starts rotting and getting punky...

 

[056kid]

It does have strong fibers in it, they go where you want em to! full of moisture though, thats why they grow in creek n river beds & imo easy cutting.

but like I said no use besides paper wood.

 

[bullbuck]

I think it's used quite a bit in the furniture industry... I think I read that somewhere once.

Sycamore can be tough... the toughest tree I ever cut up and split was a big sycamore... that sucker was TOUGH.

It makes OK firewood, but it doesn't store uncovered well... once it's seasoned, you better burn it... because it starts rotting and getting punky...

good i was hoping someone would say it is used for furniture and such,i wanna give this stuff a try,it would be considered almost "exotic" wood here,i think it would be cool!and just to clear things up a bit more?this is a true hardwood correct?

 

[056kid]

Yes it's hard,


itl bow like crazy...

 

[crackajeff]

According to the national audubon society's tree book sycamore is used for furniture, millwork, flooring, butcher blocks, and pulp.

 

[bullbuck]

According to the national audubon society's tree book sycamore is used for furniture, millwork, flooring, butcher blocks, and pulp.

if its used for flooring and butcher blocks?id classify that as a hardwood.not gonna argue the audoban!

 

[056kid]

According to the national audubon society's tree book sycamore is used for furniture, millwork, flooring, butcher blocks, and pulp.

Have you ever sent one to the mill?

I havent & no one I know has...

 

[bullbuck]

Have you ever sent one to the mill?

I havent & no one I know has...

it doesnt mean that a poor homeowner hasnt used a bit of it to fake for the high dollar hardoods he cannot afford though?

 

[crackajeff]

Have you ever sent one to the mill?

I havent & no one I know has...

No i've never heard of any being sent to the mill. I just quoted what the book said.

 

[056kid]

it doesnt mean that a poor homeowner hasnt used a bit of it to fake for the high dollar hardoods he cannot afford though?

They are rare for an east coast timber faller.

You have much better chances of getting ahold of some chesnut oak or red or white oak than the sicumrow so it aint no $$$ related deal.

I have been trying to tell you Bullbuck, It aint worth snot.

listen if ya wanna.......

 

[bullbuck]

They are rare for an east coast timber faller.

You have much better chances of getting ahold of some chesnut oak or red or white oak than the sicumrow so it aint no $$$ related deal.

I have been trying to tell you Bullbuck, It aint worth snot.

listen if ya wanna.......

well ya know!!!!grass is always greener on the other side!....i bet youd love to get a chance at the red fir i get to fell tomorrow...but to me im gonna utilize some sycamore,because it dont look nothing like snot to me!

 

[056kid]

well ya know!!!!grass is always greener on the other side!....i bet youd love to get a chance at the red fir i get to fell tomorrow...but to me im gonna utilize some sycamore,because it dont look nothing like snot to me!

Where you at,

I dont have class tomorrow & have been itching to put some fire in my old 2100.

Slab it up & tell me what you think of it...

You asked, im just sayin, coming from a man that worked in the "industry" for a coupla years...

just tryin to help friend!!!!


Dont wanna see you waist $$ & be