Replies

1. 
   Radio Flyer | Dec 29, 2006 12:14am | #1

   I like poplar and aspen.  GK

2. 
   citrouille | Dec 29, 2006 12:45am | #2

   Red birch would look good, if you make dove tails they will stnd out nicely.
   Cherry would do it as well, walnut would be too much.

   C.

1. 
   spitfire | Dec 29, 2006 06:57pm | #5

   thanks. I will stick with red birch, poplar will not due piece justice.  I am building a Penn secretary following Glen Hueys plans.

   Bill

1. 
   Glaucon | Dec 29, 2006 07:15pm | #6

   Just came back from a tour through the Wadsworth Atheneum (in Hartford), where the second floor is pretty much given over to 18th and early 19th century American furniture. Pieces from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Newport and especially the Connecticut River Valley are on display. The primary woods ranged from figured maple and cherry, to Cuban mahogany (the last especially in the pieces from Boston). The secondary wood was almost always pine- which was common practice in New England from the 17th through the Shaker period. I am assuming that this was eastern white pine, which is the native species. I am not sure how second growth pine compares with that of the primeval trees that colonial artisans used, but I'd be curious if anyone has additional information. Many drawer sides these days are made of maple or English sycamore or poplar- but pine seems to have lasted >250 years in some of the antiques that I have seen, so it's hard to ignore that staying power... There is also the attraction of cutting dovetails from pine, which is softer than maple-Glaucon

   If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...

1. 
   gmoney | Dec 30, 2006 02:23am | #7

   good to know about the Wadsworth Atheneum's collection.  i live in ct and now i'd like to go see that. thanks for the tip.

1. 
   Glaucon | Dec 30, 2006 02:52am | #8

   If you are in the mood, the Yale Museum of Art has a very extensive collection... in a newly renovated Kahn building. The Atheneum is well worth the trip, however, and has a few interesting Nakashimas- including a mahogany chest with interesting dovetails (tails pointing up).Glaucon

   If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...

2. 
   gmoney | Dec 31, 2006 01:34am | #10

   man o man, the atheneum is sounding better and better.  i did see the piece about the yale collection and i tried to look up the contents without much success.  i may have to make an appointment to see the collection.  my interest is very much along the shaker and contemporary lines.  the fancy work i can appreciate for the craftsmanship, but it doesn't excite me.

3. 
   Biscardi | Dec 31, 2006 04:20am | #11

   Never use aromatic cedar (Virgina red juniper). If you seal it it wont smell nice. If you don't seal it, it will leak sap which cements the drawer shut. Please do not ask how I know this.

   Frank

4. 
   gmoney | Dec 31, 2006 05:28pm | #12

   LOL!  my sympathy is with you.

2. 
   joinerswork | Jan 01, 2007 03:12am | #13

   Glaucon,

   Traditionally, the secondary woods in colonial American pieces vary with whatever relatively stable, easily worked woods are common in the region of origin. 

   So that, from New England south to Virginia, white pine (pinus strobus) is quite common. 

   Mid Atlantic states, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, used a lot of poplar , tulip poplar (liriodendron tulipfera) as well as yellow pine-- heart pine, or loblolly pine (pinus palustris, pinus taeda), in addition to white pine ( sometimes all three used in the same piece) . 

   Further south into the Carolinas and Georgia, yellow pine predominates with the use of cypress, baldcypress(taxodium distichum) mixed in, especially further south.  Some makers had their own preferences, as well,  some of the Rhode Island makers apparently liked cedar, and I've read that they used mahogany as a secondary wood on their finer pieces.

   I have some drawers in the shop now from a New England piece that have basswood (tilia americana) sides, backs and bottoms, and white pine fronts, veneered with crotch mahogany.  I've seen basswood used here in Va, as well as cucumbertree (magnolia acuminata) or cottonwood (populus deltoides) and even walnut!  So that it seems likely that period furniture makers used whatever was readily available and easily worked, for the most part, for their secondary wood.

   The biggest problem with today's pine, especially local white pine, is that wood clear of knots is hard to come by.  Most boards will yield clear lengths enough for drawer sides, or backs, but wide bottom or backing boards will almost always have knots.  Not necessarily a problem if they are small, tight or "red" knots, you will see some knotty wood in old work as well. 

   Ray Pine

    

1. 
   Glaucon | Jan 01, 2007 06:38pm | #16

   Thanks Ray... your observations mirror (but are more extensive than) my own. I am surprised by the cottonwood- I had thought that to be a fairly inferior wood for furniture.I own a hutch, ~125 years old in mahogany. The entire piece is mahogany- the hand cut dovetails of the drawers- back s and sides as well...Glaucon

   If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...

2. 
   joinerswork | Jan 02, 2007 01:06am | #22

   Glaucon,

   Yes the cottonwood is not the norm, just mentioned it as an example of a craftsman likely using what was on hand, rather than what would have been the best.  Or maybe his customer provided it.  That sort of thing has happened to me before.

   Ray

3. 
   highfigh | Jan 01, 2007 08:09pm | #17

   Is the Wadsworth Atheneum a permanent exhibit?
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   Glaucon | Jan 01, 2007 08:15pm | #18

   Yes, it is part of the permanent collection on the second floor. Admission: $10. Cafe is pretty good, although the service is slow.Glaucon

   If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...

2. 
   highfigh | Jan 01, 2007 08:43pm | #19

   How extensive is it? Do I need to plan for a whole day to see everything?My brother lives in Hartford, so I don't know if the cafe is a big deal.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

3. 
   Glaucon | Jan 01, 2007 09:17pm | #20

   The Wadsworth is not mammoth- I think their emphasis is on quality, not quantity. The furniture would take 1-2 hours, depending on how long you linger- if you take notes or sketch, etc. There are also some nice Nakashima pieces on the 3rd floor, and some of the current (painting) exhibits are very fine.The Yale collection is fairly enormous, and would take a day (at least). The other two that I like are the collections are Dartmouth (fairly dispersed, but excellent) and Winterthur. The former is in Hanover, NH (there is a gallery by the League of NH craftsmen in town, or used to be).Glaucon

   If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...

4. 
   highfigh | Jan 01, 2007 10:07pm | #21

   Thanks for the info. I have seen photos of the Winterthur and heard about the Yale. Ever seen the furniture exhibit at The Smithsonian?
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

3. 
   pins | Dec 29, 2006 03:11am | #3

   I use re-sawn poplar generally, 3/8 luan plywood for utilitarian pieces and if I was making a high-ticket piece for a client I would use whatever I thought would compliment the piece in terms of justifying the price.

   pins

4. 
   JeffHeath | Dec 29, 2006 04:48pm | #4

   I use maple.  I've got 5000 bf of it in the shed.

   Jeff

5. 
   colebearanimals | Dec 30, 2006 03:34am | #9

   Maple workes well, as does cherry. I have never had much luck with poplar.....at least the poplar we get here on the west coast. it's very unstable.   

                                   paul

6. 
   terrylee86 | Jan 01, 2007 05:09pm | #14

   I use soft maple on most of my secondary wood parts on my projects.  Soft maple is not really very soft, just softer than hard maple.  It is still relatively inexpensive $2 select in my area (MI).  It is strong and stable and machines well ( can get fuzzy on some boards) but I have had very good luck with it.

1. 
   gmoney | Jan 01, 2007 05:45pm | #15

   i agree that soft maple does make a nice drawer interior.  it's a bit more than $2 a bf here in ct, but still reasonable.