Certified Timber (FSC)

[G S Haydon]

This blog article from the lost art press has been provoking quite a stir about timber sourcing issues. What are your thoughts?

 

My view is it's ok to use timber like teak if the timber is old/reclaimed (if we don't will it not just go to waste?) or new from an FSC source with good evidence and provenance. 

[wdwerker]

I am on the fence on this issue. Untill you get to furniture manufacturer volumes I do not think it makes a difference.

[Tpt life]

Great video that I can't quickly find. It was a guitar manufacturer talking about using ebony that is not truly black and thus extremely less wasteful. I like this approach in its caution without throwing the baby out with the bath water. I think that for mass production, certain species cannot be sustained. For special regulated use though? I think we are intelligent enough to use sparingly if we stay in community like this with colleagues to hold us to account.

[Tpt life]

http://www.taylorguitars.com/about/sustainable-ebony

[G S Haydon]

I am on the fence on this issue. Untill you get to furniture manufacturer volumes I do not think it makes a difference.

 

For sure it's very difficult. However there are so many small business and hobbyists that if where the timber came from and how it was harvested was something we though about a little more perhaps it would have a big effect? 

[G S Haydon]

Great video that I can't quickly find. It was a guitar manufacturer talking about using ebony that is not truly black and thus extremely less wasteful. I like this approach in its caution without throwing the baby out with the bath water. I think that for mass production, certain species cannot be sustained. For special regulated use though? I think we are intelligent enough to use sparingly if we stay in community like this with colleagues to hold us to account.

All for this approach. Not all jobs would allow the variation in colour but on some more creative jobs why not. I like the wood with a bit of soul.

[RenaissanceWW]

Yes please do consider where your lumber comes from and do some research on how it was harvested.  Technically the US Lacey Act holds everyone in the supply chain all the way down to us lowly hobby woodworkers liable when lumber is in violation.  Truthfully, I highly doubt Joe woodworker will be prosecuted but instead someone higher up the chain will face the wrath of the regulation.  Bob Taylor's video was refreshing to see because it is something the lumber industry has been screaming about for decades.  It is the manufacturers like Taylor or Gibson, or yacht builders, etc that have been demanding perfectly clear lumber or in the case of the video all black Ebony.  We have been trying to find ways to use the "lesser" grade material because we are the one who have to buy it in the first place, then glean through our stocks to find the all red Cherry, or quartersawn Oak.  This drives up the price substantially and customers get angry so we try to find a way to introduce more of the lesser material into the market to prevent a loss or we seek an alternate species.  Afromosia for Teak, Sapele for Mahogany, Fijian Mahogany for Genuine, etc, etc.  I have so much to say on this topic and most of it will get me in trouble but I'll just close by saying don't assume that because there is an FSC label on it that the wood is now magically sustainable and "green". 

[dwacker]

My pet peeve is exotic flooring and decking.

[G S Haydon]

For sure FSC is not a tick box and like any system it has it's flaws. It just gives a clearer path to to where the timber came from and it makes it easier to make an informed choice. And on balance with the FSC goals of well managed forests and legal timber you can be more confident when using tropical species if they have come through an FSC chain of custody.

It's worthwhile taking these things into consideration, the UK has virtually no ancient or relevant forests anymore. When you contrast that with France who bought in a manged system for oak as far back as 1827, they still today enjoy a very handsome supply of Oak today.

We are trailing Accoya for external joinery at the moment in place of Idigbo for various reasons, one of them being issues around the harvesting of Idigbo. Anyone used any Accoya?