Yellow Cedar

[Harlan Barnhart]

I found a source for reclaimed Yellow Alaskan Cedar from decommissioned water tanks. I've never worked with Yellow Cedar before. Has anyone used it? How does it compare with other cedars in terms of stiffness, workability ect...?

[Jim Matthews]

If the coopering isn't too deep, you can readily plane out the "cup" for table tops.
If the belly of the boards is heavy (smaller, squat barrel) the material would make for an excellent chair back.

I love the stuff for Adirondack chairs.

What are the dimensions of the tank?

Pictures would be cool to view.

[Andrew Hughes]

I really like yellow cedar.It can be hand planed unlike redcedar.Its pretty stable and little bit harder than red not as hard as port orford white .The stuff i get is from keith at easy creek lumber in oregon.

[jerry theros]

interesting the wood came from a water tank, I've experienced freeze checking in work boats in alaska, so we would prefer to use it for deck beams and such, where wasn't exposed to weather?

[Harlan Barnhart]

It looks to be two or three inches thick. It's hard to see from the picture but I think there are large sections that are knot-free. Is three dollars/bf too much?

[Harlan Barnhart]

The same place has southern yellow pine and some spruce for $7.50 and $5.00 per bd ft. Deal or no Deal?

[Chris Vandiver]

Alaska yellow cedar(Nootka cypress) can be some of the nicest softwood you'll ever run across. Highly rot resistent, by the way. It is not a true cedar. It is in the same family as Port Orford cedar(Lawson's cypress), Hinoki(Japanese cypress) and I believe, Eastern white cedar(False white cedar). These woods, when old growth(or very old second growth) are a joy to work with. Alaska yellow cedar and Port Orford cedar are quite strong. Japanese timber frame structures have been built from these woods for centuries. Great stuff! Your going to love it, I'm sure.

Here is some Alaska yellow cedar in a deck rail.

[Russell Sansom]

Agreed, it is a fantastic soft wood. Almost grain-free at times. Has just the slightest ... what to call it?...STICKY quality when planed. If this is the cedar I'm thinking of, it also gives off a eucalyptus smell when worked. My father in law had a patio room built with 4 X 12" white cedar beams. I've been using the cutoffs for decades as 1-2-3 blocks in the shop. Nice for carving.

[Jim Matthews]

I'm no fan of SYP, even at this rare dimension.

The Cedar is a bargain - and it WON'T rot during storage.
Buy what you want and tell us where to get the rest!

jim
wpt, ma

[David Keller NC]

The same place has southern yellow pine and some spruce for $7.50 and $5.00 per bd ft. Deal or no Deal?

That sounds awfully expensive for SWP in the Eastern United States. "SYP", btw, doesn't really mean only southern pine species (there are several that won't grow above the Mason Dixon line), but just "hard pine", many of which grow in the north eastern US.

[Rob Matarazzo]

Alaskan Yellow Cedar has become popular with amateur lure builders who turn lures for surf fishing, particularly in the northeast. It works well and turns easily. A bit hard to come by at a reasonable price.

[Dave Beauchesne]

I live near Vancouver and there is a fair bit of it around; I have made several boxes, a Japanese lantern and a couple of miscellaneous things out of it. Sharpen your tools !! Having worked on pieces that had 50 + growth rings / inch, it looks almost ' plastic ' - very hard to read the grain, so planing can be an experience. Some of it can be very dulling on the tools, I suppose high silica, yet another batch of wood is not nearly as dulling.

It is nice to carve; in fact, a very common medium for Northwest Coast native ceremonial masks.

We lived on Haida Gwaii ( Queen Charlotte Islands ) for several years - this was prior to me taking up woodowrking, and I used, as firewood , cord upon cord of really creamy, straight grained yellow cedar to heat our house - I would die for that wood now, but great firewood if seasoned properly. Also got to tour 5 Canadian Navy minesweepers built in the '50's - fairly big boats, the entire hulls were yellow cedar so as to be non-magnetic - tht was kind of neat.

Bottom line Harlan, you got a great deal on the stuff; enjoy working it and it's unique scent!

Dave Beauchesne

[Harlan Barnhart]

Buy what you want and tell us where to get the rest!

jim
wpt, ma

Jim, no big secret. It's here in Queens, New York City. The website is "build it green! NYC."