question on Black walnut

Hi I've woodworker for over 30 years and full time for the last 3. I've have bought my share of commercial walnut over those years I have been a wood turner for the past 2 years. It that time I have purchased walnut from the local loggers and sawyers in the area ( Eastern Ontario Canada) My " Trees of Canada" by Farrar book puts Walnut as growing mainly is southern Ontario 400km from where I am. The walnut I get locally is beautiful. In a turning I get get shades of brown, pink and even a green. My logs have come from different woodlots and different sizes. I have never seen such a range of colors in the commercial lumber. My question; is the commercial process of kiln drying or even steaming the cause. Could it be just a regional difference in soils, weather, and seasons. I know the commercial lumber is brought up from the U.S. And yes I am positive it is Black Walnut

Thanks in advance

Peter

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Reply to
big pete
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You're right. Steaming does help increase the yield for the mill, though, because it sort of muddies and darkens the sapwood too.

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Lots of good stuff here about wood and drying and such.

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and download the wood handbook if you've got broadband. You'll be glad you did.

Reply to
George

Hello Peter,

Yes, the primary difference in the colour you are seeing is related to wood that has been air dried vs. kiln dried Black Walnut. The kilning process destroys much of the subtle colours present in the BW. The darker areas tend to leach into lighter areas in the timber, creating a more uniform colour. The beautiful reds, purple, green, yellows and others are laid waste to the steaming.

As another poster also mentioned, kilning also increases the yield for the mill as the lighter sapwood tends to get stained much the same colour as the heartwood, increasing overall yield. An experienced eye can spot this "transformed" sapwood, but not the average Joe.

If you want the best overall colour > Hi

Reply to
Steve Russell

Hi Peter

I live in Ontario also, and the Black Walnut and Butternut grow wild right here in my backyard, you live just south of Ottawa right ? I have a son that lives just n-west of Ottawa, (Dunrobin) no Walnuts in his bush, but has rock Elm, Hickory, hop-Hornbeam Maple and etc. You live in a area that for some reason has a lot more diverse tree species than the areas north, west and east. The farmers/loggers/sayers in this area used to roll their walnut logs in the ponds, to get the sapwood to color dark, that's not quick enough nowadays, so it's steaming now to do the same. Spreading the color out does take some away from the hearth wood, kiln drying influences it some more, and not just Walnut, IMO Black Cherry and Butternut are also less colorful after kiln drying. However the Black Walnut does lose or I should say, changes color quite a bit, the purples and greens etc just disappear after a few years in my experience, it just happens with all wood colors, some slower than others. We turners are a lucky lot, not many others do get to see those brand new wood colors and grains, and the shimmering glows of freshly finished and polished wood. Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

big pete wrote:

Reply to
l.vanderloo

Peter, I am glad you asked this because I noticed this too in the B Walnut I collected last summer from a tree a friend gave me. I was seeing some very strange variations from the wood and wondered if I had some kind of variant specie.

I harvested over 50 blocks and it has been drying naturally in my barn. Turning a few I got some wonderful shade differences between the layers, and wondered why it didnt look like any BW I had seen before.

Thanks for ask> Hi

Reply to
cad

Reply to
robo hippy

Black Walnut is native to Indiana. I have a piece of walnut cut from a tree for the old water powered sawmill at Cutler, Indiana, over 100 years ago, airdried, or course. I also have a piece of Black Walnut cut from a tree about 5 years ago from a woods about 5 miles from Cutler, solar dried. Both have different color, texture, and grain. Go figure. (no pun intended!)

Dan

Reply to
Dan Bollinger

To elaborate a bit, walnut sapwood is white. So they can use the sapwood the commercial mills steam the wood; that evens out the pigments throughout the wood and lets them sell the whole tree.

I cut up my first walnut tree last spring. It is so much more interesting than the commercial stuff; as you say it, contains a wide range of colors that are all smeared together when steamed. I also quarter sawed most of it; that too is more interesting than flat sawn, but is never (at least not around here) available commercially. I saved some of the sapwood as a novelty, though it is pretty ugly.

Reply to
Toller

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