Greetings Galoots,

I am somewhat new to the list so a quick introduction.  I've
lurked around here before and have picked up some nice user
tools back in the Flea Market Monday days.  Kind of miss
that.  I've mostly been interested in timber framing type
tools and I'm still interested in picking up a few more.
While I plan on doing lots of the timber framing with hand
tools, I decided to cheat and got one of those new-fangled
bandsaw mills to cut the timbers.  So I like to spend some
of my free time on weekends turning trees into boards.  Then
I can test out my SS old chisels and planes on some fresh
wood.

Now for my beech question.  I have a couple nice beech trees
that are going to be termite food due to storm damage.  I
plan to beat the termites to the trees and cut them up.  I
know that some galoots like to make planes out of beech, but
I was wondering what else it's good for?  Anybody have
suggestions as to how I might cut the tree to maximize its
galoot value?  I'm guess that quarter sawn 3X3's, and 3X4's
might be pretty handy.  If anyone has some sawing
suggestions I'd be happy to listen.

Thanks,

Dan Settles
Oxford, NC

Hi Dan, and welcome:

You wrote to oldtools:
>Now for my beech question.  I have a couple nice beech trees
>that are going to be termite food due to storm damage.  I
>plan to beat the termites to the trees and cut them up.  I
>know that some galoots like to make planes out of beech, but
>I was wondering what else it's good for?  Anybody have
>suggestions as to how I might cut the tree to maximize its
>galoot value?  I'm guess that quarter sawn 3X3's, and 3X4's
>might be pretty handy.  If anyone has some sawing
>suggestions I'd be happy to listen.

While not an expert, I have cut, sawed and used some "home grown" American
beech.  I think it is a super wood.  The plane makers (eg. Larry Williams)
can tell you about using it for plane bodies.  I've used it in furniture,
and very successfully.  The beech that I've cut from my Maine woodlot has a
very light color, with almost a greyish cast to it--a bit different from
the more honey-colored beech that you see in plane bodies.  It is a tough,
fairly dense wood that planes and smooths well.  I find it more brittle
than oak and a little less dense than hard maple.  It takes a finish well.

Some things to keep in mind:  Beech, like most birch, tends to go "punky"
pretty fast after it has been cut (or dead on the stump).  When you fell
your trees, get the cut ends sealed right away, and keep the logs stacked
off the ground and covered until you saw them.  Beech also can be difficult
to dry.  I've had some kiln dried, and the loss was pretty substantial.
Differential shrinkage can occur in a board to cause it to warp, "waggle"
and cup considerably.  Air drying is less risky, but losses can still be
considerable.  One dry it is stable (hence its traditional use in plane
bodies).

One other thing about beech is that the smaller limbs and waste make
excellent wood for cooking with over an open fire.  While it burns
relatively fast and hot, the smoke is "sweet".  Back in the days when I
could eat the stuff, the best steaks I've ever eaten were broiled over
beech coals.

        Good luck with your trees,

        Sandy
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Dan wrote:

"I
know that some galoots like to make planes out of beech, but
I was wondering what else it's good for? "

Beech makes quite nice stock for green woodturning. I was able to get quite a
lot of beech (American Beech, Fagus Grandifolia) myself  from a windfall last
November. So far I've tuned about two dozen bowl and platters from it. These
were all turned green to rough form,  were waxed,  and have been drying indoors
at 55-60F for three months now. Despite the large shrinkage characteristics of
Beech, I haven't lost a one to checking or cracking. With soft maple, I've been
losing 10-20% of the rough turnings to checking.

I cut my sections with a chainsaw and was able to get quite a nice feather
figure pair from a large crotch. Other beech I've found has spalted quickly and
,
as a result, had some spectacular figure but as Sandy pointed out, the spalting
can rapidly proceed to a "punky" state where it just crumbles rather that cuts
or shaves.

Good luck - you have some nice wood.

Ed Balko
Middletown, NJ
Spring is in the air here now.

Beech is very sturdy also.  The subcontractors who make the standard
furniture for McDonald's, Taco Bell and other hi traffic restaurants use a
great deal of beech in the furniture.  It's relatively cheap and very durable.

Jim Weaver in Indianapolis

> Jim Weaver wrote:
>
> Beech is very sturdy also.  The subcontractors who make the standard
> furniture for McDonald's, Taco Bell and other hi traffic restaurants use a
> great deal of beech in the furniture.  It's relatively cheap and very durable
.

I've found several lumberyards that carry 4/4 beech, but for the life of me
I can't find thick stock (for making hand planes).  I've got a guy with
a Woodmizer that's keeping his eye out for a tree for me, but in the mean
time I'd like to pick up a few plane-sized pieces of 12/4 or 16/4 beech.

Anyone know of a source?

>Anyone know of a source?

JD and I hauled 600+ Bd Ft of 8/4 and 12/4  American Beach home form the
mill last  spring.. it has been stickered and air drying on his and my
barns since

Thanks to everyone that responded to my question about beech. It sounds like th
e
beech will be a lot more useful than I originally imagined.  I'm going to have
to
get busy and cut those trees ASAP.  If anyone else has further comments, please
let
me know.
Thanks again.

Dan Settles
Oxford, NC

>
> > Jim Weaver wrote:
> >
> > Beech is very sturdy also.  The subcontractors who make the standard
> > furniture for McDonald's, Taco Bell and other hi traffic restaurants use a
> > great deal of beech in the furniture.  It's relatively cheap and very
durable.
>
> I've found several lumberyards that carry 4/4 beech, but for the life of me
> I can't find thick stock (for making hand planes).  I've got a guy with
> a Woodmizer that's keeping his eye out for a tree for me, but in the mean
> time I'd like to pick up a few plane-sized pieces of 12/4 or 16/4 beech.
>
> Anyone know of a source?

My standard comment on this is that some people in the USA
seem to suffer from "Europe-envy". Something to do with history.
Whereas over here in Europe, we would quite happily
KILL to get the wonderful timbers you have in USA, (at USA prices).
Specifically:
Maple. I mean, some of you guys actually import enough **** beech
to build a work-bench, when maple is cheap. I suspect well seasoned
maple would work JUST FINE for a plane (unless a galloot knows different).
As for the cost of hickory over here... (most timber yards just plain
DON'T HAVE ANY).

(BTW, some eurpeans import enough Maple to make a work-bench...)

        BugBear.

> Paul Womack wrote:
>
> > Scott Post wrote:
> >
> > I've found several lumberyards that carry 4/4 beech, but for the life of me
> > I can't find thick stock (for making hand planes).  I've got a guy with
> > a Woodmizer that's keeping his eye out for a tree for me, but in the mean
> > time I'd like to pick up a few plane-sized pieces of 12/4 or 16/4 beech.
> >
> > Anyone know of a source?
>
> Maple. I mean, some of you guys actually import enough **** beech
> to build a work-bench, when maple is cheap. I suspect well seasoned
> maple would work JUST FINE for a plane (unless a galloot knows different).
> As for the cost of hickory over here... (most timber yards just plain
> DON'T HAVE ANY).

Maple does make a fine plane, but it's not as nice to work as beech.
I made a #14 hollow out of beech this weekend while Tod Herrli was making
a set of molders out of maple.  He was doing plenty of cussing about
the maple's hardness and greater tendency to tear out.  The beech worked
really nicely with hand tool.

Beech is cheap here in 'merka too, it's just that it's considered a trash
wood and is more likely to find it's way to the firewood pile than the
lumberyard.  I can find 4/4 beech but thicker stock seems non-existent.

Were I making  a plane I would sure consider apple.

The reason:  the one apple plane that I have has by far and away the best
patina "glow" of any planes I have.  What better reason could there be?

On Mon, 22 Mar 1999 06:00:48 -0500 (EST) "Scott E. Post"
 writes:
>> Paul Womack wrote:
>>
>> > Scott Post wrote:
>> >
>> > I've found several lumberyards that carry 4/4 beech, but for the
>life of me
>> > I can't find thick stock (for making hand planes).  I've got a guy
>with
>
>wood and is more likely to find it's way to the firewood pile than the
>lumberyard.  I can find 4/4 beech but thicker stock seems
>non-existent.
>

My understanding is that beech doesn't kiln dry very well.  Except
for relatively thin stock It has to be slowly gently dried, e.g. air
drying
is best.  Trying to force it along destroys it--checking, splitting, etc.

So 4/4 is about the thickest that can be successfully kiln
dried a letting 12/4 stock air dry isn't economical for most
purposes.

According to the ECE propaganda, they air dry their beech billets
for their hand planes.