Thread: Chesnut

dunno about them but they look interesting.

todays mitre 10 catalogue has them on special for $149

I must be slow or something tonight...

Mitre10 is selling 20yo chestnut trees? :confused:

oops right answer wrong thread

G'day Robri

Chestnut is fairly stable, straight grained timber. It turns well and is easy to mill. Is a pale creamy yellow color, I have a bowl here, that I turned about 2 weeks ago. I will take some pictures and post them here tomorrow. One thing to watch out for is rot in the heart. Don't know what price range it is in but I would expect it to be high as it a nice timber

Cheers DJ

pictures as promised

I obtained a small piece a while back that was absolutely beautiful - but certainly not straight grain. Good to work, though. When I recover my pics from the backup after computer crash, I'll post a pic.

Interesting looking wood.

I wonder what it looks like quartesawn?

In Europe we have two species of chesnut.

Sweet chesnut, I found was a good and attractive timber, I made an embroidery box 30 years ago (hand made in those days) and at the moment is in the loft awaiting a new lease of life.

Horse chesnut we use for fence paling in the UK and usually has a very wild grain. Perhaps could have a new lease of life for grain appearance projects

So what type of chesnut above?

Well Horse Chestnut is not chestnut but a Buckeye different species all together. But in US The American chestnut was once a magnificant species dominating the eastern mountains and most of my State. these trees were hugh with girths and then someone got the idea to bring in the chineese Chestnut and it came attached to a Virus (Blight) that distroyed ALL the forrests in our area. Only the chineese Chestnut remains, Although a few pockets of Blight resistan trees are showing up in remote areas of our state. Much effort is being made to reestablish the Chestnut forrests that once dominated the hardwoods in the area.

The wood is dense and great for structure strong and pliable as Oak. the color is loverly and the fruit is devine. Deer eat most of the fruit but all creatures gather at the Chestnut in the fall. I

I have several projects made from Chestnut and all are just great. Yhe Spalt is magnificant in color change and the turning of the wood is great as well. I feel any Chestnut find is well worth the effort.

However if it is Buckeye (Horse chestnut) then think second thoughts as it is so full of moisture it dries horribly.

Only likeness to Horse Chestnut to real Chestnut is the seed. The Buckeye is bitter and to some poisonous while the Chestnut is sweet and tasty Europian chestnut is similar to American Chestnut although not as grainy as the American.

It isn't the horse chestnut as the fruit is eaten.

Is there a market for it in Australia?

Rob

Horse chestnut.

Provides the game of conkers, to compensate for their inedible qualities.