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Author Topic: cherry stock  (Read 2728 times)

Offline RichG

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cherry stock
« on: January 06, 2019, 09:53:12 PM »
working on a stock of figured cherry. purchased off ebay so I really don't know anything about it's history.
question-is cherry usually prone to grain tearing out our do I just have a "wonderful" peice of wood?
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2019, 09:58:22 PM »
The quality of cherry is all over the place. Some is very soft and some is excellent for making guns.
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Offline D. Taylor Sapergia

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2019, 09:59:33 PM »
Make fine cuts with crazy sharp chisels...no problems with cherry.  And watch grain direction, as with all stock carving.
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Online Dennis Glazener

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2019, 10:15:55 PM »
Quote from: RichG on January 06, 2019, 09:53:12 PM
working on a stock of figured cherry. purchased off ebay so I really don't know anything about it's history.
question-is cherry usually prone to grain tearing out our do I just have a "wonderful" peice of wood?
I have made 3 or 4 rifles out of cherry and love the finished product. My only problem was how easily it chips out. One was a Drepperd with full patch box that had lots of short sawtook like cuts to make, I actually had a couple of chips pull out when I pulled the chisel straight up after the cut. Was able to glue them back but no fun having to make the repairs.
Dennis
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Offline RichG

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2019, 11:58:56 PM »
I've already glued two chip outs back in. The dark figured spots are very hard and the rest seems kinda soft. I think it will look good when done but frustrating getting done.
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2019, 04:39:48 PM »
I did the last fowling gun in cherry. This piece was very soft. It did turn out fine though. I really like working with harder wood if I can.


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Offline Stophel

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2019, 01:59:26 AM »
Yeah, cherry varies WIDELY in quality... unfortunately, most of it seems toward the lower end of the spectrum.  Very soft, very light.  I consider this stuff to be unsuitable for gunstocks.  I think tulip poplar would be better.  I have one figured cherry stock blank that I started on years ago (I got the barrel in it, and that's about it), and it is better, and is just passable, as far as I'm concerned (though it does look good).  I have another blank that I've been holding onto for years that is every bit as hard and heavy as sugar maple. This quality level of cherry seems to be fairly rare today.  From what I have seen and understand from others, pretty much all cherry has the tendency to split and chip and pop out chunks of wood VERY easily, so one must be especially careful when working it.
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2019, 04:43:23 PM »
Cherry I have had cut locally (IA/IL) has always been hard. Unfortunately I had all that cut 30+ years ago, only have one piece left. :-\
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Online Bigmon

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2019, 07:52:32 PM »
Just now I am working on two guns, both in cherry.  The one I cut here in western Pa is pretty hard, lots of figure.  The one I bought from southern Va, is much softer, harder to work with.  I don't know if that's where the tree grew, but that's where I bought it from.
The the stump for the hard piece is with in sight of my house, so I know where it came from.  I got about a dozen usable blanks from that one tree.  HArder is better.
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30coupe

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2019, 08:42:41 AM »
Quote from: Mike Brooks on January 08, 2019, 04:43:23 PM
Cherry I have had cut locally (IA/IL) has always been hard. Unfortunately I had all that cut 30+ years ago, only have one piece left. :-\

I might be able to help you out with that, Mike. I've got lots of cherry trees on my place.
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Offline Ky-Flinter

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2019, 08:59:37 AM »
Hi 30coupe,

Welcome to ALR.  What part of the country are you in?

-Ron
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Offline Lucky R A

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2019, 03:26:23 PM »
       Some of the finest cherry is grown here in the mountains of north central Pennsylvania.  The furniture makers pay a premium for cherry from this area.   There are huge cherry trees in these mountains that bring thousands of dollars at the mill.   I have made a number of stocks from local cherry, some figured and find it easy to work, but it will split easier that good maple. 
 
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2019, 04:02:45 PM »
Quote from: Ky-Flinter on January 19, 2019, 08:59:37 AM
Hi 30coupe,

Welcome to ALR.  What part of the country are you in?

-Ron
He's just north of me in God's country. ;)
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Turtle

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #13 on: January 19, 2019, 06:19:36 PM »
 We also have good cherry in southern western NY. I have made several gun from trees here with a good experience. Question--does cherry need to be quarter sawn like curly maple?
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Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #14 on: January 19, 2019, 06:22:55 PM »
I tried and abandoned one cherry stock blank from a tree I slabbed up on my place. This stuff was impossible for me to inlet, one had to just look at it and it would splinter off.
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Offline Robby

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #15 on: January 19, 2019, 06:33:42 PM »
I've had very good luck with cherry, maybe its a climate thing, shorter growing season up here. Once its seasoned it is a very honest wood that stays put, pattern makers wood of choice for those reasons. It carves nice and whether naturally aged or stained it retains a nice warmth and richness.
Robby
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Offline David Rase

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #16 on: January 19, 2019, 07:13:35 PM »
The best cherry stock blanks I have bought came from Michael Barton of Tiger Hunt.  I have a couple of his black cherry blanks and they are very nice.  I stocked up my over the log gun in some IDK type of cherry and it tore and split and did all sorts of things to make my life miserable.
David
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Offline Robby

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #17 on: January 19, 2019, 09:16:44 PM »
Dave, the cherry I am referring to is black cherry, you may have had sweet or sour cherry, which to me is as you describe, though it does make nice raspy turkey calls.
Robby
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #18 on: January 20, 2019, 12:02:11 AM »
Quote from: Turtle on January 19, 2019, 06:19:36 PM
We also have good cherry in southern western NY. I have made several gun from trees here with a good experience. Question--does cherry need to be quarter sawn like curly maple?
Who says 1/4 saw is a good thing?
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Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: cherry stock
« Reply #19 on: January 20, 2019, 12:33:24 AM »
My cherry debacle was black cherry.





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