Alder -- your experiences?

[Alfred Clem]

I was given a very nice piece of alder -- about 4/4 and about 9 feet long by 6 inches wide. After a period in my workshop to acclimate, the wood will find its way into many projects, including gift boxes.

What has been your experience with this variety of wood? What kind of finish do you prefer?

Alder is related to birch -- hard, stable, knotty. Other than that, what else can you tell me?

Al Clem
Sedona, AZ

[Bob Smalser]

I mill a lot of it.

Soft, almost to the point of mushy. Spalts easily. Often warps easily....it's difficult to find straight sawlogs and you can't mill permanently straight boards without them. A dead ringer for cherry when finished to look like it. Like birch, likes aniline dyes better than oil stains.

Makes good panels, interior trim, and anything thick like table tops or turned legs.

Too soft for small, fine items like boxes. I'd use something harder and stronger.

[Larry Fox]

Can't help you on it's value in woordworking but save your offcuts for the smoker or grill as it imparts a very nice flavor to fish - very mild.

[John Gregory]

We just completed a project using knotty alder. Click here (http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=47653)

The wood is softer than poplar, Our project was for a client, I would not use it myself. It is so soft it is subject to denting. My SIL has kitchen cabinets made from clear Alder and she complains of it denting easily. It can be very nice looking when finished correctly.

[Mark Singer]

works easily is stable if dry....semi hardwood....not as hard as birch , maple, walnut

[Jerry Strojny]

I just finished a crib and side table out of it. It machined fine, but it's fairly soft. I used an oil based stain on it. I propably should have used a dye. I agree with Bob, if using it for small boxes, I'd try something harder.

[Roger Bell]

I have a lot of it (Western Red Alder) on my land and have utilized it for various applications since it is free. Known around here as the "poor man's cherry". For example, made my face frames for kitchen cabs out of it. Painted.

Personally, I wouldn't use it for small boxes, but try one and make your own decision. Takes dye well so you can play around with color if you want. You might consider the red dyes and try to emulate cherry.

Good secondary wood and a good substitute for poplar. Turns well, takes paint well. Somewhat fine texture. A sub-species of birch. Rather soft for a so-called "hard"wood. Works easily and machines easily. Not particulary "strong". Used by some "unfinished furniture" outfits for cheap furniture. Once industry figured out how to dry it without warp, it is gaining some acceptance. Does not dry well with home-methods. Typically the mills around won't take it after about two weeks off the stump.

It is becoming popular for interior mill work, or so it seems. Personally, I poo-poo that application a bit, considering it inferior to cherry, walnut, maple, birch, ash, oak, or any hardwood worthy of the name, or even CVG fir or hemlock for that matter. But I do prefer it to fingerjointed pine or similar offerings that have made the scene as of late.

Great for firewood, and I use it almost exclusively in our mild West Coast climate. Not a lot of BTU's. Burns to a very fine ash and doesnt gunk up the pipes. It is very sensitive to moisture and, when stored improperly, (such as under a blue tarp) quickly degrades and gets PP beetles in it. Exceptionally good for smoking fish.

Grows like a weed in wet soils after clearcutting. Tree heights approach 120 feet or so. Lives maybe 75 years max. Tops break upon little provocation, particularly in early season ice-storms. Sensitive to sun-scald or any environmental damage. Once damaged, it turns into a snag within 2-3 years. Leaves dont fall off, but blow off in November. or early December. Considered by some to be a "trash" tree, but I do believe it has some redeeming qualities.