Still (edit: coppicing) going on around my parent's (Kent) - and saw someone putting up a new field of hop poles last time I drove down.
What type of chestnut is this?
- Thread starter julianf
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Still (edit: coppicing) going on around my parent's (Kent) - and saw someone putting up a new field of hop poles last time I drove down.
Woody2Shoes
Impressive Member
This does look more like sweet chestnut!
Woody2Shoes
Impressive Member
I think that your board has been cut at a slight angle to the central axis of the tree, sort of diagonally, so the board is effectively made up of trapezoidal sections of short grain (rising grain?) - a bit like putting a pack of cards on end and slanting it at an angle. I guess that this makes the figure more interesting, on both sides, but perhaps makes it somewhat weaker mechanically.
It must be regional, I have never seen it coppiced in Yorkshire or Lincolnshire although I don't doubt that it probably is somewhere.
Thank you.
The part in the second set of photos is the outer slice of the one in the initial photo. Its mostly bark, and what isn't bark is very shallow. The larger slice is the better of the two.
I only want to cut small parts from it, similar to the bit i posted the other day -
They do not need to take a lot of weight, and cracks etc seem to add to the interest when done with resin. Grain and, indeed, resin filled cracks etc. are a feature rather than a detriment in this case. What i mean is, I'm not making tables etc.
Someone wants a pair of the above but in 3 box height (the one in the photo holds two of the metal boxes) and i was hoping that the part in the initial picture would be wide enough to tessellate them nicely on the cnc machine.
Woody2Shoes
Impressive Member
It's an import from southern climes (hence its other name Spanish Chestnut). Although it will grow at higher latitudes (and increasingly well, if the climate continues to change) it grows more vigorously in the south of the UK, and that is where's it's been traditionally exploited commercially (Kent - for hop poles and fencing, Sussex/Hampshire for walking sticks/furniture/fencing/hop poles etc.). The fact that the wood grows straight (in early life) and is readily coppiced in a cut-and-come-again way, is full of tannin preservative, and (re-)grows fast makes it extremely useful, it also makes reasonable firewood!
ade_tumu
Established Member
I recently made a clock case out of sweet chestnut. The freshly milled timber showed a distinct pale green and pink colouration, which also seems to be showing in your pics. It gave the wood quite a bland greyish appearance but once I'd sanded it and given it some coats of (Danish) oil the colour changed to a very lovely warm golden colour, which looks fantastic. Indeed, I was quite surprised at the level of colour change the oiling generated. I found the wood to be nice to work with; overall I think an underrated timber.
I went over it with the sander, and took more photos -
I presume these patches of discolouration are the statings of rot? They seemed no softer than the surrounding area.
And this? -
I then put some solvent on the surface just to wet it (i had solvent but no water) -
It made the discoloured areas show up even more.
The black flecks are the same as the black at the bottom -
They are no softer, but im assuming they should not be there, and i would to best to avoid those sections?
Again, i only need to cut small bits from this, so can avoid the discolouration, and black flecks, but id still like to understand what they are. They dont seem like rot really, more just staining of some sort?
Thank you again.
I presume these patches of discolouration are the statings of rot? They seemed no softer than the surrounding area.
And this? -
I then put some solvent on the surface just to wet it (i had solvent but no water) -
It made the discoloured areas show up even more.
The black flecks are the same as the black at the bottom -
They are no softer, but im assuming they should not be there, and i would to best to avoid those sections?
Again, i only need to cut small bits from this, so can avoid the discolouration, and black flecks, but id still like to understand what they are. They dont seem like rot really, more just staining of some sort?
Thank you again.
Doug B
Shy Tot
I don’t think it’s rot, I’ve load of sweet Chestnut & it shows similar colour to what you’ve got there @julianf if you look at the gate I posted the middle piece of timber is completely different & not dissimilar to what your photo shows, personally I think it gives character, it certainly looks more like Sweet Chestnut from your latest photos
Woody2Shoes
Impressive Member
I think that most of the marks are of fungal origin - like spalting in beech and other species. I think it's a fair bet that either honey fungus killed the tree, and/or it lay on the ground for some significant length of time before it was cut into boards. I would leave the stains/marks, as any attempt to get rid of them may fail and/or make more problems.
Woody2Shoes
Impressive Member
The board may be relatively freshly cut, but the tree has been dead for some time. As I mentioned earlier, I think that the yellowy patches near the edge are fungal attack on the sapwood.
Sean Hellman
Established Member
Defiantly Sweet chestnut, it did stain and the planed ones show a ring porous wood, the yellow colour in some of the photos is a dead give away. All the little clues are there, all the ones that I cannot really put into words. Its a lovely wood, your board in not the best, a lot of splits, looks like the log was sitting about for some time before being sawn.
It was the sections circled that i was most curious about - are these the same parts you are talking about?
The two on the right look almost as if they will dry out, but i suspect not.
I dont have to use that area at all if it does not "recover" - im not wanting to treat it or anything, ill just avoid it if it stays there.
Im more just interested if this is what you are referring to, as i thought, initially, that you were talking about something else.
Thank you.
Danieljw
Those that never make mistakes, never made anythin
The pictures above show extensive fungal invasion and the wet patches are the beginnings of fungal rot.
I work with chestnut almost every day, a beautiful wood with lots of character.
The pictured slab sawn,
although structurally useless, is perfectly good for small non load bearing furniture once treated.
This piece may appear to dry out, but without treatment it will rot.
I would use it, it will produce spectacular results when polished.
Attached is a couple of pics, I'm busy with this project now.
I work with chestnut almost every day, a beautiful wood with lots of character.
The pictured slab sawn,
although structurally useless, is perfectly good for small non load bearing furniture once treated.
This piece may appear to dry out, but without treatment it will rot.
I would use it, it will produce spectacular results when polished.
Attached is a couple of pics, I'm busy with this project now.
pgrbff
Established Member
I use sweet chestnut more than any other wood here in Italy. It is very high in tannin and will stain black where it comes into contact with iron.
pgrbff
Established Member
Sweet chestnut has a fairly straight grain, I think that is just particular to how your board has been cut.
J-G
Established Member
You might be able to edit your post - - - If you Right Click on the image a visual menu will appear at the bottom. The first icon is an [Alignment] tool. Click on whichever way you want the picture to justify - Left, Right or Centre.Lol...
Dont know what I did there, but made a pigs ear out of the pictures
