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Todd,
Like Rehd, I've used it as a utility wood in a cabinet shop. My experience here in Missouri is similar to Rehd's as well--splintery, tends to split, and SOME of it green in color. Seems to mill well WITH the grain. Very soft for a hardwood but fairly flexible when I've tried to break up scrap--one caution here, when it breaks the splinters tend ot fly so you might expect any failures to be catastrophic (I'm no engineer though, just guessing.) SOME of what I've come across was really tempting to drag home--widely varying colors from the predominant creamy white to dark chocolate brown to bright pink-red to redwood red to various green tints. I have put a clear laquer on it occasionally at work and used some on a mixed wood deck on a canoe (glues well enough) that was then varnished (Captain's) with no unexpected results. As I mentioned there have been pieces that have tempted me for their wild colors, but since I decided I should drag some home, as luck would have it, I haven't run across anything of the extraordinary colors I'm looking for. The creamy color that is common is still a possibility as an accent against the redwood I have stockpiled (or vice versa). I think if I ever use it as the primary wood on a boat I would select for the white color, avoid the green and use the reds and browns for accents. Around here the price is sure right--about $1.10/bd.ft. through my employer (compared to $2.25 to $3.00 for red oak). For what it's worth, Tom
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Guillemot Kayak - High
Performance Wooden Sea Kayak Designs
