Elements of woodwork

by Charles A. King

Sap is not considered a defect, and on account of its whiteness the sapwood is often preferred to the heartwood for many uses.

Bird’s-eye maple is of this wood, but some peculiarity in the growth of certain trees, believed by many to be caused by woodpeckers, has caused the tree to have what seem to be numerous small knots, known as curls or eyes. The presence of these imparts a beauty which is possessed by no other wood, and has never been successfully imitated.

(S.) Mahogany (dec.) is an imported wood, and is much used in the finish of fine buildings and in the manufacture of fine furniture. It is of a rich red color, and has a beautiful grain and other desirable qualities which make it the finest wood for finish in use. It holds its shape remarkably well, unless it is very cross-grained, and is in every respect an ideal cabinet wood. Its cost is all that prevents it from being universally used.

(T.) Oak (dec.) is our best all-round native wood. It is found abundantly in nearly all parts of the country, and forms the larger part of our broad-leaved forests. There are a number of species of oak, but they are in general known to commerce as the red and the white oak. Nearly all these trees are cut for commercial purposes, but the white oak is the finest. The wood of some varieties of oak is so similar to the white oak that the difference cannot be distinguished after the work is finished, therefore they are all put together and sold as a medium grade of white oak for purposes where the strength of the genuine is not required. This will generally account for the difference in the grain and the color which is noticed in handling the commercial white oak.

Red oak is a coarser wood, and is more apt to give trouble in seasoning than white oak, though they both have to be dried very carefully, or there may be checks and cracks to such an extent that the wood will be ruined. Both the red and the white oak are used extensively in finishing and cabinet work, but the red oak is used commonly upon the cheaper grades, as it is easier to work.

The two varieties should never be used upon the same job, unless the wood is to be stained a dark color, as there is a marked difference in their appearance when finished. White oak is much used for flooring, quartered oak resulting in a beautiful floor, if the work is well done.

Oak is not a suitable wood for exposure to trying climatic conditions, though if buried deeply, or in water, where there is no alteration in moisture or dryness, it gives satisfaction. White oak is used to great extent for railroad ties, but what these are to be made of in the future is causing much speculation, as the end of the present supply of white oak is already in sight.

(U.) Pine (con.) in its different varieties is used more than any other kind of wood. It is found in nearly all parts of the United States and in Canada. Certain sections of the country which were once covered with virgin pine forests have, however, been so denuded of their wealth, and so many of their young trees destroyed, within a few short years, by the depredations of lumbermen who cared more for their immediate profit than for the prospective good of the nation, that instead of a permanent and continual supply of this valuable wood, there are now nothing but barren hillsides, and the moss-grown ruins of the lumber camps and sawmills by means of which this irremediable wrong was perpetrated against posterity.

White pine is soft, easily worked, and when thoroughly seasoned will hold its shape better than any other wood except mahogany. For these reasons, and on account of its adaptability to gluing, it is used almost exclusively by pattern makers. It is found in the Northern states and in Canada. Farther south is the belt in which grows the grade of pine known as “Carolina,” the bastard or yellow pine. This belt extends from the Mississippi valley to the Atlantic coast, and is of a width to include Virginia and the Carolinas. This pine is harder to work, and has a more pronounced grain than has the white pine, but it makes a handsome wood for interior trim, as it is capable of a fine finish. Carolina pine is neither so hard nor so strong as “Georgia” pine, which is also known commercially as long-leaved pine, pitch pine, or hard pine. This wood is found from Virginia to Texas, in the states bordering upon the ocean and the gulf.

Pitch pine has a finer, closer grain than has either of the two above described, being much stronger and more dense. This is the wood which is used for heavy timbers of large buildings, and the above described grades should never be confused with it, the Carolina pine resulting in work of less strength, for instance, if used where the pitch pine was intended. Although this wood is very hard and strong, and is the best wood for heavy construction, as has been stated, it should never be used in any place which is not dry and well ventilated, as it will decay rapidly if placed in a damp location, or where it will come in contact with the earth.