Woodworker's Journal 2009-33-1, страница 48

Some Really Cherry Wood

By Rob Johnstone, with Tim Knight

As American as 1776, black cherry lumber is one of our most coveted furniture-grade hardwoods. But is it truly first-rate stock or a species that, as some argue, should be shunned and ignored?

Cherry lumber has been one of my favorite kinds of wood ever since I first smelled it being machined in my father's cabinet shop. Its pungent and distinctively fruity smell is just one of the pleasures that accompanies the working of this durable and beautiful hardwood. Cherry, in my mind, is nearly the perfect hardwood for furniture and cabinetry.

Its natural color is rich but not too dark. It is a "Goldilocks" wood in terms of its hardness — that is to say, not too hard (like hickory) and not too soft (like poplar or alder) — in other words, it is just right. It machines easily, glues up well and, when first treated with a coat of linseed oil to help pop the grain, it looks spectacular with just a clear finish applied.

I am, in fact, such a fan of this wood that I am flabbergasted that some woodworkers shun cherry as a second-rate species. They don't like the fact that cherry darkens over time as it is exposed to light. Some folks

», Black cherry trees are not only a > wonderful lumber species, but are r' beautiful to look at as they grow — making them a lovely addition to yards and gardens across their native range.