Good Wood Opportunity Or Not?????

[Christopher K. Hartley]

I currently have two logs about 36" long and 9" in diameter. It is the heaviest wood I have ever lifted. The wood is American Hornbeam, one of the types of iron wood. I have the opportunity to get the whole tree but do not know if it is worth the trouble. Any ideas or suggestions from those who know the wood?:confused:

[Ken Hill]

Good for tool handles and such....be prepared to sharpen and shapren and sharpen haha. I have tons of it here....eats my chainsaw blades alive!

[John Keeton]

Like Ken said, it is used largely for tool handles - chisels, etc. Great for that purpose, but don't think it would be much for turning - pretty plain wood from what I have seen.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Thanks Guys! I do know it makes fine fire wood when properly seasoned.:)

[George Guadiane]

Thanks Guys! I do know it makes fine fire wood when properly seasoned.:)
I got a hornbeam burl once, BEAUTIFUL.

I think the wood is well worth giving a go. I think it's creamy white, should also make fabulous finials.

[John Keeton]

George, I would certainly agree on the finials - it is hard and fine grained - all the qualities one wants in a finial.

On the burl, I bet that was nice! Of course, I don't know that I have met a burl I didn't like!:D

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I currently have two logs about 36" long and 9" in diameter. It is the heaviest wood I have ever lifted. The wood is American Hornbeam, one of the types of iron wood. I have the opportunity to get the whole tree but do not know if it is worth the trouble. Any ideas or suggestions from those who know the wood?:confused:


Are we talking Hornbeam or Hop-Hornbeam ??, Hornbeam is much denser in my experience and stays pretty small, around here at least, Hop-Hornbeam can grow fairly fast when young and is still dense wood but not like the Hornbeam (Blue Beech).
Hornbeam is much lighter in color than the Hop-Hornbeam and has a finer grain/texture.
Neither one has exciting grain normally, I find it looking a lot like hard Maple, and it is good for about the same uses, just some size restriction ;)

Here's 2 pictures, one with a few Hop-Hornbeam trees and one with a Hornbeam and Hop-Hornbeam growing next to each other, just for the sake of clarity, Tree names are all to often mixed up or just plain wrong, I am not suggesting that is the case here :)


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[Steve Vaughan]

turn a few pieces into carving mallets and give 'em away to any of your woodworking buddies that enjoy woodcarving...or heck, who just enjoy woodworking altogether.

[Jake Helmboldt]

Both American Hornbeam (aka blue birch) and Eastern Hophornbeam (aka Ironwood, American Hophornbeam) are members of the Birch family. Both are smaller trees with similar properties.

A quick look at at one site (FSClumber.us) actually shows hophornbeam as having a slightly higher specific gravity than the hornbeam.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Makes wonderful tool handles and is great for finials. Takes dye pretty well also to add a flair to a sometimes plain wood.

[john taliaferro]

spinning tops:Dare fun

[Jeff Nicol]

I have a couple of "Hop" Hornbeam logs that are close to 10" across and are very gnarly and full of limbs so there will be some nice crotches in it. The European hornbeam is most times much smaller around here than the Hop Hornbeam. That being said I turn tons of mallets and hammers out of it all the time and I find it is very nice to turn and it being hard and tight grained the cuts are smooth as glass. Like Leo said most times it has boring grain and not much figure, but if you can find a burl it is beautiful. As long as it is free get it and try it, if you bring it in and it drys fast it will crack along the length very easily.

Have fun,

Jeff

[Marc Himes]

I would go ahead and try i. I have turned a few pieces of "Ironwood", our local species and found it to be a very smooth wood, kind of creamy and dense. I like it . I turned a piece out of a small burl as well. The normal wood does not have much figure but I still found it pleasing. The burl is 4" x 1' and the bowl is 5" x 11/2".Good luck.

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Marc Himes

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Thanks all, I will take some pictures and let you make the call. I will try to turn some but right now I am close to having some Black Walnut gift bowls and mold induced Holly gift bowls, completed.:)