Replies

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Mar 30, 2006 09:53pm | #1

   I've heard of it but never in the context of woodworking.

   Jerry

1. 
   fishman | Mar 31, 2006 03:49am | #2

   what it sounds like is a larch tree,yes' they are very hard. they make telephone pole's out of it . grow very staight,lose their needels in winter. they are farmed in central pa.

2. 
   Telemike | Mar 31, 2006 08:23am | #3

   We have tamarak all over the central valley of CA. It's an alien weedy species that we can find along every waterway in the valley crowding out native species. The BLM, bureau of reclamation, and other agencies along with the nature conservancy are working away trying to eradicate it.

   I've never seen a piece big enough to work, but I'm willing to try just about any kind of wood because they all seem to have something neat waiting inside.

1. 
   arkriver | Mar 31, 2006 06:28pm | #8

   Sorry, but you have Tamarisk or Salt cedar --- Tamarak is different

3. 
   WillGeorge | Mar 31, 2006 04:35pm | #4

   but in the fall the needled turn yellow

   LOL LOL LOL Still rolling on the floor..

   ALL my evergreens here in Chicago.. Thanks for the Laugh. I loved it...

4. 
   Piffin | Mar 31, 2006 05:03pm | #5

   Also known as hackmatac or larch

   when grown in swampy areas, the root curve is used for knees and keels on small boats. Makes good fence possts too, somewhat resistnt to rot. can be brittle like fir to work with

    

    

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1. 
   WillGeorge | Mar 31, 2006 06:00pm | #6

   brittle like fir ..Not saying you are wrong.. Ya' a smart guy!Has a OLD Boat made from straight grained fir. I could chash into a IRON SHIP.. Without to much damage to to boat.. Not sure how I would stand up though...EDDIT: Excellence is its own reward!I remember my weddin' night... She woke up and made me my favorite breakfast.. I asked her how she knew.. She just winked at me..I thought I had her!.. She told me My MOM told her! Damn!

   Edited 3/31/2006 11:04 am by WillGeorge

5. 
   MarkMacLeod | Mar 31, 2006 06:25pm | #7

   Tamarack. Lots of it in our area. Sometimes called larch but differnt subspecies. Green needles in summer, yellow change in fall, needles fall off in the winter. Very, Very hard. Difficult to machine at times with a tough twisted grain. Large branches originally used to form the knees in ships hulls. Very water resistant.

   Aethetically this is a very beautiful tree. We have many on out fram with butts up to 18 inches across. The most spectacular trees in the fall.

   Very slow growing and grow only where water is in abundance.

   mark macleod

6. 
   DoRight | Mar 31, 2006 10:13pm | #9

   Tammarack is the same thing as Larch.  Larch is grouped structurally with Douglas Fir for framing purposes.  It is also a good for firewood.

   There is an eastern Larch as well.  I don't know what it is good for, but likely similar to Western Larch.

   I never heard anyone use if for furniture or woodworking projects.