Creative Woodworks & crafts 2004-01, страница 35

moisture content to 12%

the name, butternut. The colonists boiled the immature nuts for a yellow-brown stain, then pickled them for later consumption. The crushed fruits were also used to kill fish, but can be eaten by squirrels and other animals.

Butternut wood is one ol' my favorites. It is classified as moderately lightweight, a bit coarse-textured, moderately weak, moderately soft and moderately high in shock resistance. It has a color range that runs from beige to medium-brown with an occasional pinkish cast, and narrow, white sap wood. The wood darkens with exposure to air, but maintains a luminous glow. It has an open grain that is easily worked and finished. Its only drawback is that it is fuzzy when sanded or brought in contact with water or water-based products

and will require a bit more effort to achieve a showroom finish. It is an outstanding carving wood, and I have found that for turning, your turning tools must be as sharp as vou can get them to prevent tear out, especially on the end grain.

We have not. had any problems gluing this wood with all commonly available glues and as with any mechanical fastener, pre-drilling the holes is important to prevent splitting. A 12"-wide flatsawn board will shrink about 1/4" from 20% 1 movement for wood that is in service from 6% to 12% is about 3/16" or nearly 6-1/2%. The lumber is used in veneer, fine furniture, cabinets, cases, paneling and carving.

The leaves are cora-(7 to 17 leaflets) and to Walnut, Mountain and Ailanthus, but arc distinctive upon examina-Butternut is somewhat hairy, sticky, and the end leaflet is usually present and has a stem.

The unfortunate situation with this tree is that your children and grandchildren may never enjoy the taste of the nuts or the pleasure of working with the wood because of the Butternut canker that is wiping out the species throughout its range. The canker, actually a fungus, Sirococcus clavigigneneti - juglandacearum, was first observed in Wisconsin in 1967. Sometimes the tree dies quickly and other times ii may take several years, but once the canker is found on the tree, it is doomed. The U.S. Forest Service is attempting to locate trees that exhibit resistance to the blight in the hopes they can breed a variety that can survive. Let's all pray that they are successful! jr*

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Creative Woodworks & Crafts January 2004 • 35

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The nuts of this tree are unique. If you are ever unsure of your identification of a tree, wait until the end of July when the nuts start developing. They are oblong and sticky, as opposed to walnut (whose nuts are round and not sticky). The nuts have a high oil content and a delicious taste, but do not store well. Native Americans were said to have boiled the n tits for the oil that they made into a butter-like spread, hence

In both photos, the Butternut leaf is on top.