Author Topic: Butternut as a stock? (Read 3716 times)

WestBranchSusquehanna · « **on:** January 07, 2021, 06:52:25 PM »

Recently, I had what I believe to be a butternut tree snap in the middle and come down across an access to my driveway. Got around to removing it and realized that it is not a bad looking piece of wood and the main portion of the trunk is in great shape. It won't make it to 8 feet but 6 will be out of any rot that was the cause of the fall. It is 15 1/2 inches with about 3/4 inch of sapwood. I could have it sawn and kiln dried if it may serve as gun stocks. Looks like a nice tight grain.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Michael

jm190 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 07, 2021, 07:02:33 PM »

I don't have any experience working with this wood but here's a link to a woodworking site with a description of it's qualities. I'm sure the more qualified members will weigh in...
http://www.woodworkdetails.com/knowledge/wood/species/domestic-hardwood/butternut

smylee grouch · « **Reply #2 on:** January 07, 2021, 07:20:59 PM »

I don't know, will a
15 inch dia be wide enough? Quarter or slab sawed? $:-\$

rich pierce · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2021, 07:40:06 PM »

It will be pretty but dent easily. Slab sawn for sure.

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2021, 08:21:24 PM »

I have used it for carving Santa's and such. It is fairly straight grained and soft. I don't think it would well for a stock. Similar to Basswood for carving.

Tim C.

WestBranchSusquehanna · « **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2021, 08:32:56 PM »

Quote from: jm190 on January 07, 2021, 07:02:33 PM

I don't have any experience working with this wood but here's a link to a woodworking site with a description of it's qualities. I'm sure the more qualified members will weigh in...
http://www.woodworkdetails.com/knowledge/wood/species/domestic-hardwood/butternut

Here's what that site had to say:
In many ways, butternut resembles black walnut especially when stained, but it does not have the same strength or hardness.

Soooooooo. I think it will go to heating the shop next year. Will keep the log for awhile to think on it though. Someone may be looking for just this and I'd hate to burn it up.
BTW, I have several friends that come over to hunt with me during bear season who are from Europe. They cringe when they see what I throw into the fireplace. Walnut, cherry, various species of oak and hickory. Of course, all scrape pieces.

Thanks for the input.

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #6 on:** January 07, 2021, 09:49:42 PM »

If you end up cutting blanks I would be interested in one. The Gillespies were supposed to have given Davy Crockett one while he was visiting his second wife to be, she lived not too far from their shop. It was said to be of "White Walnut" cut on Forge mountain across Mills River from Philip Gillespie's shop.
It's my understanding "White Walnut" was butternut.

Interestingly enough I have found several of Davy's Crocket family that married into the Gillespie gunmaker family.
Dennis

Pete G. · « **Reply #7 on:** January 07, 2021, 09:53:27 PM »

Perfect for a barn gun.

shifty · « **Reply #8 on:** January 07, 2021, 10:51:59 PM »

Well i would use it for a stock,i used Poplar once and it turned out nice.

moleeyes36 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 07, 2021, 11:11:32 PM »

It surely makes for a nice mountain dulcimer. I have a very mellow sounding one made in the Smokey Mountains.

Don Richards

GANGGREEN · « **Reply #10 on:** January 08, 2021, 12:00:58 AM »

I've always talked about using Butternut for a stock, but have never gotten around to it. Like Dennis, if you mill it and end up with appropriate stock blanks, I'd love to have one. I'm not far from you and while I don't want to pay a lot for it, I have other nice stock blanks that you might wish to trade for. Also, if you choose not to mill the wood yourself, I have a friend with a mill and I might consider a small trade or cash price for the log. In addition to possibly using it on a stock, I have plans to build a barrister's bookcase one of these days and would like to do it in Butternut.

B.Habermehl · « **Reply #11 on:** January 08, 2021, 12:54:16 AM »

I have a piece that i bought from Allen Martin. The barrel is in it but that’s as far as I’ve got. It’s pictured in the gunmakers horse pictures. When I carved it a bit with my pocket knife it worked nice. So much for my opinion any how. BJH

GANGGREEN · « **Reply #12 on:** January 08, 2021, 01:03:59 AM »

Interesting. I just looked at the photo and it looks nice, albeit quite plain, rather a warm, mellow, plain stock. I have a piece of American chestnut that I'm considering making a rifle out of that looks similar. I've seen Butternut used in some unpainted duck decoys and I think it's a very pleasant, warm-looking wood.

Quote from: BJH on January 08, 2021, 12:54:16 AM

I have a piece that i bought from Allen Martin. The barrel is in it but that’s as far as I’ve got. It’s pictured in the gunmakers horse pictures. When I carved it a bit with my pocket knife it worked nice. So much for my opinion any how. BJH

B.Habermehl · « **Reply #13 on:** January 08, 2021, 01:41:18 AM »

I built one rifle on a piece of Curley chestnut, I planned to do come simple carving, that changed as soon as I started my first inletting. Too much variation from one spot to another inside of 1 to 2 inches. The gun came out fine but no carving. BJH

AMartin · « **Reply #14 on:** January 08, 2021, 04:02:48 AM »

Speaking of ... I believe I have a 2 sticks of Butternut blanks ..
Drop me a note if interested ..

Allen

Clint · « **Reply #15 on:** January 08, 2021, 04:14:17 AM »

I have sawn up three big butternuts and the wood is great. Not great fire wood because it burns up very fast. Most of the logs that I have cut up starts as 5/4 slabs, same thickness boards are easy to manage and dry. I would not hesitate to make a .36 or .40 cal southern rifle from butternut and would take the two planks on either side of the heart out at 2-1/2". I air dry every thing, by the time you have cut, stacked and stickered everything you will be ready for a break. I "flip" plank stacks twice a year to look for bugs, wet spots etc. Tending a hard wood stack is similar to having a garden, It's fun.

Timberdog · « **Reply #16 on:** January 08, 2021, 04:43:30 AM »

I have a stash for wood carving, and wood carvers search for it (like someone already said it is like bass wood). It has value if you had time to peddle it.

I don’t see it making a rifle stock with the strength/hardness you would want for the time spent... but it is very tight grain and carves much easier than black walnut. Fast growing tree and getting to be a rare Tree. Dyes made from bark used for stains (eg the butternut Confederate uniforms/clothes).

Clark Badgett · « **Reply #17 on:** January 08, 2021, 06:31:08 AM »

Quote from: Timberdog on January 08, 2021, 04:43:30 AM

Dyes made from bark used for stains (eg the butternut Confederate uniforms/clothes).

I hate to be a stickler here, but I have examined a lot of original CS uniforms in years past, and most of them started out as various shades of gray and faded tan/light brown due to unstable dyes , ie Sumac, logwood etc.

BillF/TRF · « **Reply #18 on:** January 08, 2021, 07:23:27 AM »

I have used butternut in my wood carving hobby when I wanted to show some grain pattern as basswood is very plain and i usually end up painting it. Here are a couple of examples of butternut. It is very easy to carve.

LilysDad · « **Reply #19 on:** January 08, 2021, 02:30:08 PM »

Butternut is a much prefered carving wood. Due to a blight, it is dying out. (Many of the trees you see have open cankers in their bark) It would be a shame to burn it.

GANGGREEN · « **Reply #20 on:** January 08, 2021, 03:51:02 PM »

BillF/TRF, well done on the Crappie (the leaf as well). Hate to sidetrack the thread, but that's some nice carving and I enjoyed seeing it very much.

My brother has a farm in Central NY that has a lot of Butternut on it. He's told me I can grab whatever I want, but I've never really gotten to the point of finding a nice log and cutting it for milling. Maybe this spring I will.

Daryl · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2021, 09:39:13 PM »

Quote from: shifty on January 07, 2021, 10:51:59 PM

Well i would use it for a stock,i used Poplar once and it turned out nice.

Aspen (poplar) properly dried, is a very tough wood. I figure it would also make a good self bow.
I tried to break a branch once under my knee - just about broke my knee. It was springy and hard.

flinchrocket · « **Reply #22 on:** January 08, 2021, 09:57:15 PM »

I have seen poplar trim so hard you would have to drill it to get a finish nail through.

Eric Krewson · « **Reply #23 on:** January 08, 2021, 11:10:23 PM »

We have tulip poplar here in Bama, soft wood with a specific gravity of .42, to be bow wood the specific gravity needs be over .50, osage is in the lower .80s and is King.

WestBranchSusquehanna · « **Reply #24 on:** January 09, 2021, 06:46:26 PM »

Well, it seems that maybe I should have it sawn into blanks. Here's a deal for someone: I will load the log up and deliver. Whoever feels inclined, can saw and mill and kiln dry. I only want one rifle blank back. AND, it doesn't have to be from this log. A sugar maple, cherry or walnut will do. AND, I will pick up that blank so no delivery charges. Think this is fair?
PM me if interested.

Realizing that this is a trade offer, maybe it should be in the other forum. However, I started it here for those builders interested. Apologies to the moderators if warrented.

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Author Topic: Butternut as a stock? (Read 3716 times)