The following is excerpted from “With the Grain,” by Christian Becksvoort.
It is, above all, succinct, easy to understand and perfectly suited for the furniture-maker. As important as what is in its 160 pages is what is not. It’s not a detailed analysis of cell growth. It is not a heap of tables and equations for figuring truss loads in residential construction. It is decidedly not a scientist’s approach to the material.
Instead, “With the Grain” contains the facts you need to know at the lumberyard, in the woodlot and in the shop. It gives you enough science so you understand how trees grow. It explains the handful of formulas you have to know as a furniture-maker. And it gives you a hearty dose of specific information about North American species that will inspire you. Becksvoort encourages you to use the trees in your neighborhood and makes the case that just because you cannot find catalpa at the lumberyard doesn’t mean it’s not a good furniture wood.
You’ll learn to identify the trees around you from their silhouette, leaves and shoots. And you’ll learn about how these species work in the shop – both their advantages and pitfalls.
Butternut, the closest relative to black walnut, is sometimes called white walnut, oilnut or lemon walnut. It is a rather short, spreading tree growing only to 30′-50′ (9-15 m) in the open, and occasionally reaching 60′-80′ (18-24 m) in the forest. The wood is not as strong as walnut, and branches are subject to wind and snow damage. The trees are short lived, seldom becoming more than 75 years old. Their natural habitat extends from New Brunswick through southern Canada into Wisconsin, south to Missouri and east to Virginia.
Several differences in leaf, branch and fruit structure make butternut distinguishable from black walnut. Butternut has 11-17 light green, sticky leaflets on its compound leaves, reaching a total of 15″-30″ (38-76 cm) in length. The twigs have a long terminal bud and a small, downy pad between the lateral bud and the leaf scar of the previous year. The pith in the twig is dark brown. The nuts have a green husk and are oval in shape, almost like pecans. The bark is gray-brown and ridged.
Butternut has light, creamy sapwood less than 1″ (2.5 cm) wide. The heartwood is medium brown and quite lustrous. It is very soft and light in weight, having a density of 27 lb/ft3 or .42 g/cc at 12 percent MC. The pores of this ring-porous wood are easily visible by eye and are filled with tyloses, while the rays are almost too small to be seen. The wood is used in cabinetwork, paneling, veneer, toys and millwork such as doors, sash and trim. It tools and machines well, and is a pleasant wood to work with. Unlike other woods, which darken or bleach with age, butternut tends to remain a medium-brown color.
Courtesy of Univ. of ME School of Forest Resources, A. Autio
Am I right in thinking that all the panelling in Château Sur Mer, Newport, Rhode Island is made from Butternut???
I’ve been to so many of the mansions, I forget which was which. The one that stands out most was the interior woodwork that was all birdseye maple. I can’t recall butternut being used.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. If you had to recommend 10 Books to read for a somewhat experienced woodworker, what would they be?
erm…that’s difficult to answer. “Beginner” is a little easier (https://blog.lostartpress.com/2018/07/18/why-these-books-in-what-order/) – but once you have a little experience, your needs will differ based on your interests. So what kind of stuff do you like to build?
Actually been building for several years. Anything from full bedroom suites and woodworking benchs to small tables.
Agree with Megan… it’s so much easier to start guide people to the spot that says ‘start here.’
But once you know your way around the basics, I feel like the next step is figuring out what you like and want to do, and chasing more in that direction. Could be learning more about furniture styles, alternate methodology, or how to run the business better.
Honestly, after a while my reading list contained everything from various furniture styles and coffee table books, to The Toyota Way, vintage books on Gantt charts, vintage black and white issues of FWW, and other things that just helped my shop flow better. If I needed something like a period detail for a specific project, I chased it down and found old images and source material.
Coffee table books on the history of furniture design held a lot of rabbit holes. Especially for mid-century modern, when so much was being driven by modern manufacturing methodology.
When I felt like something wasn’t flowing as well as it should, but I didn’t know why, Toyota way/ TPS helped a lot. Lean philosophy helped cut down on shop clutter and hoarding of scraps.
Old (late 1800-early 1900) books on drafting and math helped me approach layout in more interesting ways that were useful on the bench, and even translated to how I put my Festool stuff to use…
What do you think you need to learn more about? Where do you stumble?
For those of us who do not own Beeksvoort’s book this is one of the best columns you’ve put out. I’d appreciate more, similar columns about other domestic ‘hardwood’ species.
I love working with butternut but can never really find it. I used to get it from a mill in Indiana that has since gone bust. Anyway, it is easy to work with, smells good, takes finish well, and is deceptively light for its strength. I feel butternut is a perfect wood for large pieces as I wax nostalgic pining for a new source. 🙂
When I have been able to find it, the quality has been really poor.
My local lumberyard has a large load of holly. It’s the first time I’ve seen more than one or two boards in person.
I recently bought butternut for the first time. Asked for d/t reputation as good beginner carving wood. I was surprised that they had it as I am in SC not in native range, and surprised it was relatively cheap.