Creative Woodworks & crafts 2004-08, страница 71

Black walnut is one of the top four hardwood species in the United States used for wood products. Because the wood tends to be expensive, it is reserved for fine furniture, veneers, and moldings; although, some lesser grades are used as flooring. Various species within the walnut family arc found throughout the world, and all are considered valuable not only for the lumber produced from them, but also for their nuts. The wood's beauty is uncontested, ranging from rather plain grain to some of the most highly figured grain that can be found in any wood. Prices can be reasonable to outrageous, depending on the figure of the grain. It is not uncommon for a single gunstock blank to he sold at prices in excess of SJ. 000!

The wood is hard, heavy, and strong, with excellent shock resistance—and the heariwood is extremely durable, stable, and resistant to decay. For nearly 400 years, walnut was the preferred gunstock material for military rifles because of these properties, finally being replaced by today's composites; however, it is still in high demand for custom-made sporting arms. The color of the wood can range from light brown or purple to a very dark brown with tinges of russet. We cut one log with a beautiful curly figure that was more red than brown. What a Lhrill opening that log!

The wood is easily worked with hand or machine tools, takes paint or stain very well, and finishes up beautifully with just about any finish available. 1 have not found a wood glue that it does not accept, and it holds screws and nails well: just pre-drill the holes to avoid splitting. The wood shrinks a bit while drying, but is quite stable in service, with a 12"-wide board moving about 1/4" seasonally.

The dust can be quite irritating. Earlier in my woodworking career, I had considerable difficulty with my sinuses even while wearing a dust mask; however, as I grew older, 1 grew more tolerant to the dust. The toxin, Juglone, is produced by the wee and presents a hazard not only to humans in the form of respiratory and skin irritation, but also to horses and plants. When walnut shavings or sawdust arc in a horse's bedding, it causes laminitis, the cure being to remove all traces of it. the pollen also causes toxicosis in horses and may be responsible for hay fever in some people. Certain plants are very susceptible to Juglone and cannot be grown in close proximity to the tree, its sawdust, or nut hulls. Tomatoes, potatoes, and black berries arc some of the many plants at risk, but there are many others that are immune.

The nuts are valued as a food source for humans and some animals, and the shells are coarsely ground and used under air pressure for cleaning metal products. The hulls can be used as a wood and clothing dye, imparling a yellow-brown color, and can also be used to kill fish (an illegal fishing method for obvious reasons), ks