So they cut down this big pear tree..

[Rick Fisher]

A good friend of mine bought a 2 acre lot last year which used to be in an orchard of sorts. There was a Pear tree which was well over 100 years old, smack dab in the way of where the house was to be built.

So he cut it down and bucked it up into logs 65" long.

The logs where brutally heavy.. not bandsaw material. I ended up sending the 3 logs out to a small band mill who sawed them into 2-1/4" thick slabs, and then dried them for me ..

The drying process was really a favor .. it took months but the fella who owned the mill dried them, stored them, dried them, stored them .. he really took care of the wood to ensure it wasn't ruined or turned into match sticks. Fruit wood is apparently not easy to dry along side Doug Fir or Cedar in a kiln.

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m455/jokerbird_photo/P1040109_zps132b871c.jpg

That is what I got for all the time and anticipation.. lol About 10 boards ranging from 2x6 thru 2x10 ..

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m455/jokerbird_photo/P1040111_zpsaab402f7.jpg

I kinda made a mistake milling this one .. I wanted to mill one board and see how it responds.. Will it stay straight ? I dunno .. Nothing else will be milled full length unless needed..

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m455/jokerbird_photo/P1040117_zpsd0179785.jpg

I wiped some clear wipe on poly on the end of the straightened board .. Its sort of a peachy color.. Very tight grain. heavy .. It smells funny, not like a pear.. but sweet..

[Mike Cutler]

Keep it clamped, or banded after milling and you'd be surprised how flat it will stay. Th ewood will blush orangish pink and then turn a light brown shade if left unattended.
Pear wood is brutally hard,and from experience I can tell you that if you leave a pear wood log out in the elements for 3 years, Nothing happens to it, except the bark comes off.
I lost some very large limbs off my pear tree this winter, and the past few storms. It really bothered me to cut it up. I really like that tree.

[Phil Thien]

I believe pear was a favorite wood of James Krenov. Not sure if it was the lumber from the fruit-bearing tree or not. Anyone else know?

[Jim German]

I've used Pear wood to make some humidors, it looks fantastic. I've still got a piece with a really awesome looking knot in it that I need to find something to do. I'd love to use it more, but the boards tend to be pretty short and narrow.

[Richard Coers]

Steamed Swiss, (European) pear was his wood of choice. It is considered to be an exotic wood. I guess Hearne has some for a comparison. It's not the fruit bearing tree here in the US.
http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/hardwoods/exotic_hardwoods/exotic_wood/pear_lumber/pear_wood.html


I believe pear was a favorite wood of James Krenov. Not sure if it was the lumber from the fruit-bearing tree or not. Anyone else know?

[Paul Symchych]

I knew an artist whose medium of choice was woodblock printing. Apparently pear's very fine grain texture is perfect for fine detail.

[Jim German]

Steamed Swiss, (European) pear was his wood of choice. It is considered to be an exotic wood. I guess Hearne has some for a comparison. It's not the fruit bearing tree here in the US.
http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/hardwoods/exotic_hardwoods/exotic_wood/pear_lumber/pear_wood.html

Huh, I didn't realize that wasn't the same as the fruit tree. That's the wood that I've used in the past (also from Hearne)

[David Helm]

A friend has a pearwood cutting board in a semi-permanent location in his kitchen. It came from the fruit bearing tree and is a magnificent looking piece.

[Rick Fisher]

I really liked looking at the Hearne Hardwood page.. Its the same wood ! .. Pretty cool .. I really like the idea of turning a log into a piece of furniture, even though it takes months..

[Jim Finn]

Save any small pieces. Any fruitwood is a good wood for a carver.