Basswood differences
 

The piece on the right I bought at Rockler, the left piece I ordered on
line. The Rockler piece seems tighter, or finer grained. For what I do with
it, drill holes basically, the holes are much, much, smoother and cleaner.
Is the difference in this wood due to moisture during growing, how fast it
grows, or something else. The online ordered basswood may be fine for
carving, I dunno, but for me, it's junk.

Thanks,
Paul

Basswood differences
 

We have redwood trees here and one can tell the grain as per the #1 tree or
#2 or #3.
First growth, 2nd growth and on and on.
In typical old growth forests the trees are spaced wide apart and have been
there for 1000's of years some of them that is.
The grain on those trees is very tight and no space.
On a 2nd and 3rd growth tree the grain increases in size with the increase
in number.
When the forest is cut, the smaller trees grow real fast, suck up moisture
and climb for the sun.

I would imagine the wider growth tree ring is that.
One that received lots of rain and sun over a shorter period of time.
We call the trees that are rdwd. and wide growth, "popcorn wood"
not sure why either. soft and does not split.
The insects also like the softer large grain wood compared to the tighter #1
tree.
john

"Paul" wrote in message ...

The piece on the right I bought at Rockler, the left piece I ordered on
line. The Rockler piece seems tighter, or finer grained. For what I do with
it, drill holes basically, the holes are much, much, smoother and cleaner.
Is the difference in this wood due to moisture during growing, how fast it
grows, or something else. The online ordered basswood may be fine for
carving, I dunno, but for me, it's junk.

Thanks,
Paul

Basswood differences
 

On Sun, 2 Oct 2011 17:10:14 -0700, "Paul" wrote:

The piece on the right I bought at Rockler, the left piece I ordered on
line. The Rockler piece seems tighter, or finer grained. For what I do with
it, drill holes basically, the holes are much, much, smoother and cleaner.
Is the difference in this wood due to moisture during growing, how fast it
grows, or something else. The online ordered basswood may be fine for
carving, I dunno, but for me, it's junk.

Thanks,
Paul
Looks like you have a piece of new growth and a piece of old growth.

Basswood differences
 

--
Paul
"tommyboy" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 2 Oct 2011 17:10:14 -0700, "Paul" wrote:

The piece on the right I bought at Rockler, the left piece I ordered on
line. The Rockler piece seems tighter, or finer grained. For what I do
with
it, drill holes basically, the holes are much, much, smoother and cleaner.
Is the difference in this wood due to moisture during growing, how fast it
grows, or something else. The online ordered basswood may be fine for
carving, I dunno, but for me, it's junk.

Thanks,
Paul
Looks like you have a piece of new growth and a piece of old growth.

Which is which?

Paul

Basswood differences
 

Paul wrote:
The piece on the right I bought at Rockler, the left piece I ordered on
line. The Rockler piece seems tighter, or finer grained. For what I do with
it, drill holes basically, the holes are much, much, smoother and cleaner.
Is the difference in this wood due to moisture during growing, how fast it
grows, or something else. The online ordered basswood may be fine for
carving, I dunno, but for me, it's junk.

Thanks,
Paul
I've bought and whittled a lot of basswood. Never seen a shaggy piece
like the one on the left.

--
Gerald Ross

What's a nice girl like you doing in a
dirty mind like mine?

Basswood differences
 

On Sun, 2 Oct 2011 18:31:10 -0700, "Paul" wrote:
Tighter grain is old growth.