[Woodcarver] Butternut (formerly Black Walnut)

[Mike Bloomquist]

Joe,
I echo your feelings on the butternut, especially the "we're going to miss
it".  Catalpa is a fine substitute, but I find it much harder to carve, and
the browns on most pieces I have and have seen aren't as rich <deep>.
Because it is denser than butternut, catalpa, for me, makes better N.A.
flutes because the flute walls resonate more strongly.  That sound quality
is very subjective and only my humble opinion, but because of it,  I use my
catalpa for the flutes and reserve the butternut for other projects.

It's sad that a lot of my butternut lately is coming from standing dead
"finds" that my carving friends and I have made in woodlots and peoples'
backyards.  My oldest woodcarving friend (10 years now), Harold, has always
had a real nose for carving lumber in general, but keeps a special eye
<nose?> out for butternut to add to our drying piles.  We've combined forces
several times to fell, cut up, divvy up, and stack butternut for carving,
but he still has the larger stockpile.  Like most friends, we go back and
forth doing things for each other, but more than once I've found a gift
piece (more like a timber) of butternut waiting for me on the side porch
when he though he was behind in the balance.  Hopefully we honor these trees
properly in our carvings.  To honor the tree is my general feeling for any
wood that I carve, but especially butternut.

Keep on Carvin'
-Mike Bloomquist->

Wooden Dreams Woodcarving
http://www.borg.com/~bloomqum



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Dillett" <jdillett at thecarvingshop.com>
To: "[Woodcarver]" <woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>
Sent: Friday, October 07, 2005 9:53 AM
Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] Black Walnut



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> > Joe,

> >

> > In your opinion where does butternut fall in hardness?

> >

> > Jim D.

> > http://www.picturetrail.com/oldtool2

> > http://www.jdscrafts.com

> *************************

> Hi Jim,

>

> For me butternut (aka white walnut also called oilnut) and basswood are

> about the same carving hardness.

>

> Average Specific Gravity (which relates pretty well to hardness) for

> butternut 0.38, basswood 0.37, catalpa 0.41, black walnut 0.55 as compared

> to white oak 0.68 or red oak 0.63

>

> Butternut is getting HARDER (to purchase) just found 900 bd ft for $7.25 a

> board foot (ouch). (Notice how I worked the word harndess in there?

hehehe)

>

> Lately I'm finding it very HARD to find the light colored butternut

(almost

> basswood color). A tree of life I did from butternut 20 years ago needs

> another 51 roses carved to expand the tree. We selected the lightest

> butternut we could find, but after carving all 51 roses the clear sealer

> still made them too dark to match the older roses. We're now recarving all

> 51 roses in basswood and staining them slightly to match the old roses.

>

> Butternut is HARDER to finish because it tends to fuzz. If it is carved

with

> sharp tools it will not fuzz. Also a light sanding after the first coat of

> sealer removes most of the fuzzies.

>

> We're going to miss butternut when its gone. Catalpa is a closer match

than

> most woods with a little more sparkle in the grain. You have to see it up

> close to tell the difference.

>

> Joe Dillett

> The Carving Shop

> 645 E. LaSalle St. Suite 3

> Somonauk, IL. 60552

> (815) 498-9290 phone

> (815) 498-9249 fax

> http://www.thecarvingshop.com

> jdillett at thecarvingshop.com

> http://www.carvingmagazine.com Carving Magazine web site and Readers Forum

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>

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