rmtannerjr Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 We had a portable mill cut some floor boards for our construction lowboy trailers out of Sweetgum. While the sawyer was here I had him cut a cherry, red and white oak. After quarter sawing the oaks and admiring some of the grain I noticed a few slabs of the gum that were basically waste. I've heard nothing but bad things about working with Sweetgum but they look so nice I would like to see what you guys thought about them before passing. I plan on kiln drying the oaks and cherry. Is this worth drying even to just build a slab bench or hang on the wall? It may split before it dries for all I know. Thanks, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Grondin Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 That looks beautiful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Looks near the pith...lots of surface checking. I'd pass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmtannerjr Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Yes definitely is the pith where it's splitting I think. There are 2 more slabs underneath that one that may still have some color. I'll check them Monday. Couldn't hurt to throw them under a shed with the rest of my lumber. Was hoping I could flood it with maybe some epoxy if I didn't check too bad drying. Maybe I will know more after it air dries a bit before taking it to the kiln. Is gum really tough to work with or just twists while drying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 I've never built with it but I know it's pretty soft. I wouldn't bother with the pithy slabs, but if you can find one that's intact and dry it properly, there's no reason that I know of you couldn't build with it. Wood is wood, just has to be handled the right way, and finished according to its protective needs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 It does look pretty but id guess with the pith running through the center, it would be a pain to use full width. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 i've used it on some small projects, the stuff i had was kiln dried and never had a problem with it twisting or moving around, it is pretty wood and i would save what you can, if nothing else use it for small stuff or accents on a larger piece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 This is a timely post. A large sweetgum on my property has suffered storm damage, and is likely going to have to come down, or risk falling on my neighbor's house. I was about to ask if it was worth saving for lumber or turning stock. Mine looks to be a good 36" or more trunk diameter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 II i a picture frame in redgum which i think is the same tree? It twisted and bowed a bit on me when cutting it. It was pretty soft as well the stuff i had made pine seem hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 I hate Sweetgum. It was a great day when I finally discovered something that would finally kill it-Arsenal. We had some in our yard for 30 years that I fought with, and I finally got rid of them. The last timber we sold from storm damage brought 15 dollars a ton. The Sweetgum brought one dollar per ton, and I'm glad there was only one load of it. An old guy told me a long time ago that he built a chicken coop out of green Sweet Gum. He said after about a year, the inside was on the outside. Red Gum, and Black Gum are a lot different than Sweet Gum. We burned wood for heat for maybe 20 years. I kept some Sweet Gum for when we wanted to keep the fire going, but didn't want any heat. If you cut a tree down, the roots will never quit sending up shoots, and will continue to spread. If you hit the sapwood ring around a stump with Arsenal at the right time in the Fall, you can kill the stump. Otherwise you have to wait for the shoots to make leaves, and hit them at the right time. Any cutting back is just pruning, which will make it spread more. I've had a hard time getting rid of it even with an excavator. A little bit of Arsenal sprayed on the leaves of small trees, in the fall when Poplar trees turn yellow, will kill it. Some may come back the next year with really small leaves, but another treatment will get it. It rots really fast after it's dead. Large trees have to have their bark hacked into, and sprayed with Arsenal. The Poplars turning yellow is my key that the sap is going down, and the Sweet Gums don't turn color quite as fast as the Poplars, so I know the timing is right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmtannerjr Posted August 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 The sawyer said he called the heart red gum but I only know it as a sweet gum. I hope I can keep the checking under control and work with it. I do understand the hatred of sweet gum. We have plenty on some acreage in Mississippi and after Katrina it brought next to nothing (but then again neither did pine at the time) and was a huge pain to dig the stumps and burn even with a big D68 dozer. Between them and what we called popcorn trees (I forget the actual name) there was no remorse in pushing them down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 If you plan on kiln drying the oaks and cherry, I would sure throw a couple of slabs of the gum in, just for the heck of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 On 8/19/2016 at 8:04 PM, rmtannerjr said: The sawyer said he called the heart red gum but I only know it as a sweet gum. I hope I can keep the checking under control and work with it. The tree is generally called sweet gum and the sapwood is called sweet gum and the heartwood is called red gum, but the heart and sap mix quite a bit so it's hard to say what to call some pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 2 minutes ago, phinds said: The tree is generally called sweet gum and the sapwood is called sweet gum and the heartwood is called red gum, but the heart and sap mix quite a bit so it's hard to say what to call some pieces. Paul, so how would you make the call, salvageable for projects if kiln dried? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 2 hours ago, K Cooper said: Paul, so how would you make the call, salvageable for projects if kiln dried? I have little direct knowledge, only having owned a few planks and some veneer. I have put what my research shows in the "fact sheet" for the wood on my site: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/gum/gum fact sheet.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmtannerjr Posted October 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 Well, not looking good for the gum. On the plus side, the slabs provided some weight for the white oak underneath. I am going to kiln dry the white and red oak and cherry you see but the gum won't be making the trip. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 Looks like that sweetgum is more cracks than wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 Pith. Happens every time. My lumber dealer always says, "Well, damn...that's a pither." And he gets a big laugh out of it. And I just kind of look at him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmtannerjr Posted October 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 That's true, every 2x4 I've ever purchased from lowes has been pith. It sure looked good freshly cut, what a shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 Ouch. Bummer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 7, 2016 Report Share Posted October 7, 2016 4 hours ago, Eric. said: Pith. Happens every time. My lumber dealer always says, "Well, damn...that's a pither." And he gets a big laugh out of it. And I just kind of look at him. That kind of joke, just pithes me off. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 7, 2016 Report Share Posted October 7, 2016 I don't understand everything I know about pith. Limited research shows that it's the center of a tree and it's soft and spongy, does that mean that as a slab, the center most of my walnut slabs, is the least desirable? If so, that's gonna piss me off as I had it cut at 10/4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 7, 2016 Report Share Posted October 7, 2016 Yeah you're gonna be pithed. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 7, 2016 Report Share Posted October 7, 2016 So, cut the pith out of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted October 7, 2016 Report Share Posted October 7, 2016 Cut it out and replace it with a complimentary inlay / filler. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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