Is pecan wood good for......


Nick2cd

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My wood guy just got in a huge pecan tree. he had it on the bandsaw when i got there. he insisted on slicing me off a 4/4 slab that's probably 14-16" wide. he wouldn't let me pay him a dime for it. it's as green as it can be, so it still needs a year or so to dry. what can i use it for? is it suitable for a cutting board? would it be better tasked for something else? it was extremely heavy, but i think that was mostly because it was still green. i just don't know anything about this species of wood.

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Hey Nick, nice score. I really dont think that a cutting board is the best application for a slab like that. First off I would get that thing stickered and some stuff on top of it to keep it flat. And me personally, I would use it for something like a table top for a hall table or even a Krenov style cabinet. I think that he used to use a bit of pecan for his stuff. the good thing is that you will have about a year to think about it unless you put it in a kiln. Let us know what you do with it.

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  • 1 month later...

Pecan is related to Walnut and Hickory and between them in hardness in my opinion. Medium colored and way too nice for a cutting board. Table top or fine handmade furniture come to mind. Seal the ends, sticker it, weigh it down and give it a year or so. An air dried plank should work well with basic hand or power tools. I hope you get something nice from your plank.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have had a boat load of pecan that I got from a local widow. There are some pictures in a thread around here somewhere.

Here is the thread: http://woodtalkonline.com/topic/1395-a-craiglist-bandsaw-and-a-little-someting-extra

Anyway, color in pecan can range from a creamy color in the sapwood and butterscotch to an almost walnut brown in the heart, as you can see in the pictures in that thread.

I have gotten good results filling knots and voids with epoxy. I tint the epoxy a bit to match the color of the surrounding wood. Knots and voids are ususally fairly dark, so I use a little walnut transtint dye in the epoxy.

With air drying, you are more than likely going to experience some splitting from the ends. Get some sealant (or a thick coat of latex house paint) on the ends to help prevent that.

Another problem I have seen is boreholes in the sapwood (and frass) from wood-boring insects. I have filled boreholes with untinited epoxy with good success.

You will have to do your own research about pecan insects, based on your area. Call you county extension agent, that would be a good place to start.

Like others have said, get it stickered, dry and flat and forget about it for a year or so.

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