Butternut???

[Reg Mitchell]

Ok I goofed. I wrote white oak and should have wrote white walnut...:o
But I am told it is white walnut and have been told it is butternut. How is it and its properties and best of all its FREE
Reg

[Corey Hallagan]

White walnut or Butternutt is nice from what I have been told. Works better than oak and I dont think it is as hard but a very nice wood. Free.....GET IT!!

Corey

[Bill Simmeth]

Reg - DUDE - it's wood and it's free! If it isn't diseased or bug-ridden bring it home and put it into inventory!! :p

FYI, there are some good online wood encyclopedias. Hearne has a nice website with species info:
http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/Inventory/butternut.html

Have fun!

[lou sansone]

hi reg
ok butternut .... great wood

here is a photo of my most recent butternut piece

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=42308

go for it.

[Randal Stevenson]

Seems like about three months back, one of the magazines had an article on it. They also had a cabinet that was built out of it, with some walnut trim.
But, with luck like mine, while your asking about it, or probably reading this post, someone else is grabbing it.

Go get it.

[Jim Becker]

Butternut is a beautiful wood...the house that we lived in up until I was 7 had a LOT of wonderful butternut woodwork and built-ins. It's a bit softer than it's cousin, walnut, but works similarly. Obvoiusly, it's noticiably lighter in color at the start. (remember, walnut gets lighter over time, not darker, like many species)

I'd certainly grab it!

[Mitchell Andrus]

Butternut is used for outhouse seats because it's crack resistant and won't give you a start in the morning!!!

Mitch

[Jim Becker]

Butternut is used for outhouse seats because it's crack resistant and won't give you a start in the morning!!!

OK, folks...that little tid-bit is worth an SMC donation right there! Pony up!! :D :D :D (Vally ingtalesting, Mitchell...)

[Doug Gilluley]

In high school shop class I made a butternut copy of a footstool that my great-great-great(documented) grandfather made in walnut. After 150 years vs 25 years- his has held up better, jointwise(whodathunkit?) but, more importantly, woodwise.
Butternut is not the most durable of woods. It dings like pine without the splinters. Maybe with a good hard wax finish it'll do, but I'd think about how it's going to be used before I used it.

Doug

[Scott Neblung]

Certainly grab all you can now as in several years/ decade this tree and its beauty earthtoned wood will be gone.

There is a fungus thats been attacking the trees now for several years.

Scott

[Dan Forman]

I found myself in a similar situation last year, and on advice of this forumpicked up some very beautiful free wood. As others have said, it does dent very easily, but for pieces that won't see a lot of abuse, it's quite nice. It has a nice sheen when handplaned. Here is a closeup...http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/P1010401.jpg

Dan

[Reg Mitchell]

Thanks guys.....LOL Bill....I just wanted to know if it was worth getting. Never know
Dan thanks for the nice pic....very pretty wood
Thanks Mitchell..I was needing a new seat anyway now I will be comphy
Oh and by the way group..I spent the weekend getting my tools running and situated.
For the ones that don't know I was lucky enough to snag a Snowflake.....for the ones that do WOW that thing sounds lie a jet engine starting up I had to just sit and just watch it run, and when I turned it off it took over 8 min to stop...I am dumfounded. The Olive is a sweet sweet machine. I have bee real luck that you guys helped with info. I will have pics soon of the progress...damn I am gonna have a ball in that shop
Reg

[George Bledsoe]

I just went up to Minnesota and picked up 8 Butternut logs. It is very pretty wood and although softer then some I think it is very pretty wood.
Woodcarvers use it as it carves easy and holds detail very well.

It is getting harder to fine but still available.

[Tom Cooney]

I've worked quite a bit with Butternut, always for projects which won't see a lot of contact. Lots of picture frames, band sawn boxes, and hanging curio cabinets. The wood is relatively soft and can be very soft depending on the tree. I always have better results with hand tools since Butternut can be stringy and gives problems especially with power routers.

I always finish Butternut with oil and wax. Generally Minwax Antique oil or BLO/Turps. The wood will look dry generally until the third application. I fill the pores starting with 220 grit sand paper then 400 and 600 on subsequent oilings. The result is glass smooth and silky.

It's a great wood.

[Ray Binnicker]

Once you cut your first piece of butternut you will be hooked. Nothing else compares to it. One of the easiest working woods you can hope to find. Get it quick and use it.
Ray Binnicker

[John Schreiber]

I was lucky enough to snag a Snowflake.....for the ones that do WOW that thing sounds lie a jet engine starting up I had to just sit and just watch it run, and when I turned it off it took over 8 min to stop...I am dumfounded. The Olive is a sweet sweet machine.
I'll bite. What's a Snowflake? What's an Olive?

[Reg Mitchell]

I'll bite. What's a Snowflake? What's an Olive?
:eek: slander ....ohhhhhhhhh nooooooooo
....this is an Oliver http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/male_man/da03db76.jpg
and this is a Snowflake
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/male_man/myrtelwoodtbltop182.jpg
:D ...just kidding. They are a cpl of my babys
Reg

[Charlie Plesums]

Butternut is used for outhouse seats because it's crack resistant and won't give you a start in the morning!!!

Mitch My sympathies. Most of the people I know have flush toilets, and in Japan they are often electrically warmed.

[Mitchell Andrus]

My family had a vacation house in Nova Scotia, right on the waterfront, south shore. Until my dad and grandfather installed the bathroom, the 70+ year old outhouse was the place to go.

I was 7 when the privy was retired ('64), but my sister, who lives there year-round, has a few old-tyme neigbors who still have them, and use them when the water table drops in the summer.

Ask any old builder up in the maritimes, butternut wood makes a great privy seat.

Mitch