Sycamore

[Darknight]

Hi all - My brother-in-law has two very large sycamore trees in his front yard that he has to remove due to the roots ruining his sewage lines.

He was thinking about turning the trees into boards, but wasn't sure if it was a good wood to build stuff.

He asked me, but don't think I've ever seen a piece that was made from sycamore and I don't ever recall reading anything about this species on these forums.

Has anyone ever built anything from sycamore?  I appreciate the feedback.

Thanks!

Dark

[Alan S]

Get it quartersawn!  Quartersawn sycamore has as nice a pattern as any exotic, in my opinion.

Image from Hearne Hardwoods:

[rayknight]

quartersawn sycamore is gorgeous (lace like figure). Google for pictures.  mod soft for hardwood, I have used shop cut veneer for Federal furniture drawer fronts, and shaker box top and bottoms.  A local sawmill owner has QS sycamore floors.  If you can't get it quarter sawn I wouldn't bother, but if you can get it QS, congratulations.

[EdL]

Mill it, either way, you'll find a use for it, if nothing more than shop projects.

I've used lots of un-desired woods for shelving etc. After drying, I'll seperate pith wood just for that purpose. Your paying for the milling, don't throw it away.

Ed

[R Clark]

I built a Hal Taylor rocker from sycamore.

Flat-sawn is bland.  Quarter-sawn is awesome!

Works well.

If I was going to cut any, I'd make sure it was quarter-sawn.

It was very stable for me.

I don't know if anybody has mentioned this yet, or not, but quarter-sawn is the way to go!  

[iclark]

Quarter sawn sycamore can be gorgeous. I have seen it referred to as American Lacewood.

It also makes nice peppermills. For peppermills, cutting it at 3"x3" is good.

Depending on what the root sizes are, they can make good turning stock as well.

[ianab]

If the logs are big enough, get it quarter sawn for the figure and stability. 

Do that, and it's definitely worth messing with. 

Plus the "I made this from a tree in my back yard" factor, even if it costs as much as just buying the wood.

[Redman]

I can't really add anything just to second others opinions. Sycamore is awesome especially quarter sawn if you can.

[Darknight]

Thanks for the replies! If he does mill the trees, I'll recommend he quarter saw them.

They appear to be good size so the yield should be good.

He did say that he would give me some so I hope it works out.


Thanks

[EricU]

I got some sycamore really cheap.  It does have a reputation for being a little unstable.  But QS makes that better.  This stuff definitely dried funny.  It was S2S and wasn't really dry when it was surfaced, had some warps that I have never seen before in any other wood.  OTOH, it really hasn't moved on me after I cut it up.  It is a shame it wasn't QS, it's really boring except on the edges