Replies

1. 
   gpwest | Dec 19, 2003 07:52am | #1

   Gary,

      Never heard of apple being made into furniture, but being fruit wood it should turn well if you have a lathe.    GP  (another Gary)

2. 
   migraine | Dec 19, 2003 08:39am | #2

   mmm...

   apple smoked ham

3. 
   gweisenburge | Dec 19, 2003 09:37am | #3

   Hi Gary,

   Though difficult to dry without splitting, applewood's "opalescence" gives it an unusual quality suitable for unusual furniture pieces.

   I first used apple in small boats - the parts we called "breast hooks," which tie the top, or shear planks, to the stem (the bow), and for "hanging knees," which hang the thwarts, or seats, from the sides of the boat. The part I used was from the crooked piece I sawed from the joint between a large branch and the trunk of the tree. Specifically, I used the compression wood, without the pith, or center, which comes from the underside of the branch. In the beginning, I harvested the pieces from the firewood pile at a local apple orchard. When the grower learned I wanted more, he offered to let me help cut what I wanted in longer lengths, before it was cut short for his wood stove. I repaid his kindness with a few apple wood shelves hung on apple "knee" shelf brackets. Twenty years later the shelves still adorn the wall of his store.

   The scraps do indeed lend a great flavor to meat, fish and poultry, but I wouldn't waste good wood in my fire if it could be used for furniture. You might try using it for door and drawer pulls and feature strips on furniture of darker primary wood. It really is beautiful, especially when left clear and unstained. Apple heartwood is reddish brown, and its predominant sapwood is creamy, yellow. But whadda I know - I'm one of those color blind woodworkers.

   Namaste,

   Gary

   http://gwwoodworking.com/

4. 
   DBishop | Dec 19, 2003 10:15am | #4

   I find Apple to be a beautiful looking wood when finished.  It reminds me of a creamier cherry. 

   In fact i've been hoping to find a board foot or two (really just a board foot or two) for a while...never quite got around to looking TOOOO hard though.

5. 
   koikid | Dec 19, 2003 03:23pm | #5

   Gary  Apple is great turning wood, I have not had the pleasure of having any to try to do anything else with it. If you get it coat the ends with green wood sealer, wax or something to keep it from checking and splitting. If you keep it very long I bet it will do like other fruit woods and do some major splitting or the powder (sp) post bugs will get to it.   Just use your cut off and waist to go in the fire!

   Marsh

6. 
   gnarlyone | Dec 19, 2003 06:16pm | #6

   Hello Gary;

   I used apple wood for accent features. ie breadboard ends and inlays. I had a good supply of it but it tended to warp and cup quite a bit and I got frustrated trying to make anything big out of it. So I gave most of it away to a friend who smokes fish, He loved it. It also smells really nice burning in a fireplace. Lots of builders used to use it for furniture it was classed as a fruit wood.

7. 
   Kell | Dec 19, 2003 06:27pm | #7

   Gary,

   I've used apple in small jewelry and gift boxes over the years as it's difficult to get a large enough board to make furniture.  Air drying it tends to cup, at least on the boards I sliced out.  The sap wood is very nice in color and texture.  Apple turns beautifully with sharp tools and scrapers.

   Kell

8. 
   forestgirl | Dec 19, 2003 06:35pm | #8

   We have a kitchen hutch made out of applewood, it is a beautiful, warm wood.  I've seen pictures of a very lovely (and expensive!) custom-made dresser. Furniture from applewood probably relatively rare compared to smaller items.

   forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)  you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

1. 
   Sphere | Dec 19, 2003 06:44pm | #9

   Handles, and pipes..pens if yer into that.

1. 
   jackplane | Dec 19, 2003 07:28pm | #10

   As others have said, it's great for accent work;I've never used it on anything big.It's fantastic as firewood,up there with hickory for BTUs,plus it doesn't throw out sparks in the fireplace. I just bought a 1/2 cord last week,burns great.

9. 
   Becks | Dec 20, 2003 12:46am | #11

   Hi Gary , i have a bureaux made around 1740 which is made from apple it is a excellent wood to work with but the tools must be sharp.The bureaux i am restoring needs major surgery and it has taken 1 year of searching to find enough timber, England does not carry the stocks of timbers it used too. Fruit woods seem to be forgotten but the working qualties are enjoyable even though the grain can cut back with little notice. Please do not burn the wood .SAVE THE APPLE!!!!!

10. 
    BOBSKIBBY | Dec 20, 2003 05:51am | #12

    Gary Just don't burn the wood. I have a small overgrown apple orchard and I use all the dead wood for barbequing.Steak on the grill is fantastic. Also a couple of years ago we did a whole pig with my son-in-law who is a chef and it was the best pig we ever had. Try it you'll love it. Bob

11. 
    larryg | Dec 20, 2003 06:02am | #13

    Hi Gary. My experience with apple wood has been in wood turnings. I have made many clocks and candle sticks with it and they come out beautiful. I have not done anything else with it but I would not use it for the stove unless it was so twisted to render it useless. Give it a try

1. 
   GGlaze | Dec 20, 2003 07:34am | #14

   Thanks very much everyone for the responses, I think I found the answers I was searching for.  I do plan to make some boxes and a couple of clocks, (although I was going to use black walnut for the clocks,) but no really big furniture.  I don't have a lathe so the turning I suppose is out of the question.  I guess whatever scraps left over would be great for the fire.

   Thanks again,

   Gary

1. 
   forestgirl | Dec 20, 2003 06:41pm | #15

   "I don't have a lathe so the turning I suppose is out of the question."  'Tis the Season, you know <wink> -- I hear Harbor Freight has a very passable lathe for real cheap!forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)  you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

2. 
   larryg | Dec 20, 2003 08:45pm | #16

   Don't get a lathe it's the worst adddiction you can get. After the lathe comes the cutting tools and then the different chucks and then the bigger lathe. The floor is always littered with shavings your spouse will always be looking for you, and I wont be without one or two

1. 
   GGlaze | Dec 21, 2003 08:00am | #17

   Thanks Woody and Forestgirl for your responses.  First of all about Harbor Freight; I'm reluctant to buy anything else from them, (I've already bought too many things that turned out to be crap).  I'm especially leary of the Chicago electric or central machinery power tools they sell, I know they're really cheap but I think there's a reason why...they suck.  I've heard stories of the switches getting stuck in the "on" position among other things. 

   Second, I have too many other tools I would rather save up for other than a lathe, a decent router for starters.  Maybe at some point in my woodworking years I will get a lathe but, (maybe some day I'll have the money to be able to get a good one haha,) for now I'll stick to the basics.  Thanks again and happy holidays!

   Gary 

1. 
   larryg | Dec 21, 2003 05:22pm | #18

   Gary you are right about Harbor freight. I like to stay with the Jet group they are good enough for me, and a router is about second in my shop only topped by my jet 10 in cabinet saw (it's the best ,I can do anything with it even when stumped I gravitate toward the saw lean against it get my ideas collected do my drawings on it assemble on it  and on and on).  I have two main router tables both from CMT powered by 3 1/4 hp  Porter Cable routers and I am very pleased with them. I think what I'm trying to say here is don't settle for junk it will only discourage you. You never can tell what Santa will bring   Have a safe and happy holiday.