I’m looking to make a new bench top, and want to use something that grows locally (just like the idea of it), there is an abundant local tree that we have always called ironwood, I’ve never heard any other name for it and was curious if anyone knew what it was.
It has a grayish/silvery smooth bark, small leaves, and will get up to 24 inches or so in diameter. The wood is white/pale (never saw it stained or finished) and is one of the hardest woods I’ve ever encountered. I think it would make a great top (unless its too hard to work) but I’ve never talked to anyone who has used it for anything other than rough fence posts.
Replies
Hi,
There are over 80 species that can be called "ironwood." Up here in northern New England, "ironwood" refers to hornbeam and hophornbeam, both of which sound pretty much like your description. They are in the same family as birch. I think it would make a great benchtop if you can get boards that are long enough. I just made an 18" plane out of hophornbeam, and the sole became burnished from use -- it is beautiful and glassy smooth with no finish applied. Very durable wood. Mostly ends up as firewood up here, so any use for it is a good plan.
-Andy
Thanks for the reply, I did some more searching after posting earlier and it is hophornbeam. I think I'll try it, my grandparents place has several fairly straight trees, so I should be able to get enough for a bench top. I had just never saw it used for anything other than fence posts and knew those seemed to last forever.
Up here hophornbeam got used to make some farm tools but not much else.
How long are you going to dry that wood before making the benchtop?
-Andy
Is it Bois 'd arc ? (pronounced Bo Dark) Those trees grow well in East Texas, the wood is pale white in color and it's hard as iron and won't rot--ranchers and farmers have used it for fence posts for years. Leaves are small and serrated--look a bit like an elm leaf. If you can get the lumber flat and stable, probably will make a great bench top. Just thinking out loud. Tom
cts, Bois 'd arc is bright gold color when it is freshly cut:, and it will age out to medium brown. It is one of the hardest and most durable woods in N America.
Keith is absolutely right. I have cut and used many Bois d Arc trees (also known as Hedge, and Osage Orange, BTW). The wood and chips are bright yellow orange when cut, and they age to brown. It is VERY hard and dense, and remarkably durable. Barns around here rest on Bois D Arc foundations for decades.The bark of Bois D Arc trees is grey when young, but after a certain age -- and when od usable size -- it is dark and deeply and coarsely ridged.When dry, Bois d Arc will dull tools very rapidly, and cannot be nailed to any depth without being first drilled.
where in the US are you kellykelly?
espalier
I'm about an hour north east of houston. No real time table on building it, will probably try to cut some lumber some time in the next few months, and air dry it for at least several months, we are planning on moving at the end of the september, so I'll wait at least that long to try and build the table top as it will be one less thing to move.
Kelly Kelly,Laminating a benchtop is going to be hard work; please don't attempt it with green lumber that has only dried for 6-7 months! I'd consider buying or borrowing a moisture meter and periodically checking that wood until it reaches a safe point. I can't tell you what that safe point is precisely because the climate here is so entirely different than where you are, but I'm guessing that it's got to be below 10%. Or does wood dry that insanely fast in Texas dry air???
-Andy
Edited 3/4/2007 9:10 am ET by VTAndy
I was planning to attempt building a solar kiln as well, so I would probably use the bench top material as a test run on that as well, Oct./Nov. would probably be the earliest that I would try to start building it and that would be if I went the solar kiln route, I'm not in any hurry, just trying to plan ahead.
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