Hornbeam

[Froggy]

Hi Everyone, I'm going to an auction soon and among the lots is a parcel of wood which includes Hornbeam. I've come across this wood before. Does anyone have any experience of it? What would you use for? Any info might be useful before I go spending money on it. What it the cost like compared to say Oak?

T.I.A. Froggy.

 

[Harbo]

I've got some but only used it for making handles - it's very tough and durable.
I don't think it's used for making furniture?


Rod

 

[Froggy]

That's what I thought Rod. I've only ever heard it used for handles and other small objects.

 

[sunnybob]

Chess pieces. or Parquet flooring, 'cos its HARD. The americans call it "ironwood".
Lots of sharpening of tools coming your way.

 

[AndyT]

It's also used for making wooden planes, especially in Germany.
Not easy to work with hand tools but it turns and machines well.

 

[bugbear]

It's the most similar UK timber to hickory.

BugBear

 

[Phil Pascoe]

According to The New Sylva (ISBN 978 1 4088 35449 an excellent tome which should adorn the shelves off all wood and tree lovers) it makes the best butcher's blocks, as with a beech outer the surface of the block tends to remain convex, hornbeam being so much harder than beech.
It's used as understorey in oak forestry as the shade it casts prevents epicormic growth on the straight trunks of the oak. Possibly a reason why it's far more common in France? France has loads of managed oak forestry. That's today's bit of useless information for you.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

well what a coincidence. Part of my grand wood milling clearout has uncovered two massive chunks of hornbeam and I was bandsawing them just yesterday into turning blanks. This must have been quite a tree because the trunk sections I have are big.

it was very hard going through the saw although the blades coming to the blunt phase in its life. But it was an interesting, rather gnarly, swirly grain pattern, almost like a burr. Very understated though, you could hardly make out the grain, very faint. Bark very thin and closely stuck to the wood and a rather non descript creamy colour.

But I can understand the nickname "Ironwood" cos its dense and tough.

I'd also venture it would make useful understorey in oak forestry :shock:

 

[Droogs]

I've seen kitchen treen etc made of hornbeam over the years

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It was used for cogs in mill wheels, chess pieces, dominoes and piano strikers as well. Makes good charcoal and is the best firewood. Here endeth the lesson.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I bet it'll be useful for finial stock then as it'll keep the details.

 

[custard]

well what a coincidence. Part of my grand wood milling clearout has uncovered two massive chunks of hornbeam and I was bandsawing them just yesterday into turning blanks. This must have been quite a tree because the trunk sections I have are big.

That's a good find. Smaller sections of hornbeam are fairly easy to source, but it's certainly not common in larger pieces. I'd save them for a larger project that'll take advantage of the dimensions.

 

[bugbear]

But I can understand the nickname "Ironwood" cos its dense and tough.

IIRC more species have picked up the name "ironwood" than any other name.

It's almost useless as a specifier!

BugBear

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

well what a coincidence. Part of my grand wood milling clearout has uncovered two massive chunks of hornbeam and I was bandsawing them just yesterday into turning blanks. This must have been quite a tree because the trunk sections I have are big.

That's a good find. Smaller sections of hornbeam are fairly easy to source, but it's certainly not common in larger pieces. I'd save them for a larger project that'll take advantage of the dimensions.

I'll do that Custard...thanks

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

But I can understand the nickname "Ironwood" cos its dense and tough.

IIRC more species have picked up the name "ironwood" than any other name.

It's almost useless as a specifier!

BugBear

Yes...Lignum Vitae et al. But it does help to pigeonhole what they're useful for which while I'm building my monster turning blanks store is a useful label because I can put all my "ironwood" in one area for ease of access when I need handle material.

In fact it raises an interesting point I've been thinking about of late as I stash these shelves with all this lovely timber. How to classify?

The obvious is species and that's pretty much what I've done but other categories useful to the wood turner and indeed other forms of wood working include colour, (I want a contrasting dark timber to go with this blonde bowl for a lid for example), function....I'll group all the ironwoods for handles, grain density....where's my little pile of finial stock...size, I need blanks of 2x2...the list is almost endless and as I've been pottering and cutting log after log, end sealing and labelling, the point at which I stack them on the shelves has me constantly pondering if I should start a "finials bin" or a 2" square bin etc.

I know what you're going to say.....you've got too much time on your hands!!

 

[Froggy]

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm always keen to get my hands on new types of wood and this sounds interesting so I may have to bid high. Bob you have too much time on your hands!

 

[Sawyer]

I get deliveries of firewood which often includes lumps of hornbeam. I keep bits aside as it has become the first choice whenever I want to make a new chisel handle or similar. It is remarkably tough and I ought to get round to making a carving mallet, for which I imagine it would be rather good.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm always keen to get my hands on new types of wood and this sounds interesting so I may have to bid high. Bob you have too much time on your hands!

Dammit...I knew ppl would say that!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I have a set of Lidl iirc chisels that have hornbeam handles - it's hard. I believe the Aldi ones I had were ash.

 

[dickm]

Also used for stakes (formers) in jewellry making on account of its hardness and close grain which does not transfer to softer metals like silver.