Green Lumber

[mike wacker]

Many moons ago I made a taboggan. My feeble memory says: I used ash. I also think that either red or white oak steam and bend easily as well. Also green wood is better (easier) to steam and bend than air dried and Kiln dryed the most difficult. Does all that make sense to all of you?

Any idea where I could find Fresh sawn (i.e. Green) wood of good bendable spicies near southern Maine/New Hampshire? Most of the old mills I was familiar with seemed to have closed.

[Jim Becker]

To the best of my understanding, you want "not quite" green wood for this operation if you can get it--not dripping wet, but not really dry, either. Air-dried if you must Kiln drying doesn't make for good bending material.

[Jim Andrew]

Check out woodweb or forestry forum, many sawmillers on there. Some are part timers.

[Matt Newton]

Mike, Where in this area are you from? You want to stay away from regular sawn wood as there is a tendancy to split when bent since it follows the grain. When bending arms and bows for chairs, I have used green oak that has been riven with the grain. Send me a PM and I can talk to you about different mills in the Portsmouth area. Good Luck

matt