Looking for Magnolia

[David Newton]

Great band name!
Really am just looking to buy some boards of Magnolia wood, and all my searches come up empty.
So if you know of anyone...

[Marty Jacobson]

What's the application? The magnolia I've split for the firewood pile looks an awful lot like good old hardware store tulip poplar, which is a close relative. I suspect most magnolia boards would be labeled "poplar", which might be why you're having a hard time finding it.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I read the OP's question purely because the Magnolia is one of my favourite blossom trees - although which of the 210 sub-varieties of Magnolioideae are we talking about here ?. What really puzzles me is why 'Magnolia' wood should be sold as 'Poplar' ?.. If it's good wood,then surely it's good under it's 'own name' - or does a name change alter its properties ?. Weird (to me),but the easy way out is to buy some Poplar & call it Magnolia,
Ivan

[HoGo]

Is there variety that grows large enough to yield usable sizes of logs? Most magnolias I've seen were smallish bent trees.

[journeybear]

There are a couple hundred plants called magnolia, occurring all over the world. What is commonly called magnolia or southern magnolia in the warmer regions of the US is a pretty good sized shade tree known for its large flowers. It is a symbol of the South. I've never heard of it being but its wood is hard enough to be used for instruments. They tend to have a short-ish trunk and many branches, so finding boards wide enough may be slightly challenging. But it's so widespread that it shouldn't be too difficult.

Great band name!

Why, thank you!

[Jim Adwell]

I read the OP's question purely because the Magnolia is one of my favourite blossom trees - although which of the 210 sub-varieties of Magnolioideae are we talking about here ?. What really puzzles me is why 'Magnolia' wood should be sold as 'Poplar' ?.. If it's good wood,then surely it's good under it's 'own name' - or does a name change alter its properties ?. Weird (to me),but the easy way out is to buy some Poplar & call it Magnolia,
Ivan

Tulip poplar aka yellow poplar is in the magnolia family, so your confusion is understandable.

You also see another magnolia called cucumberwood that sometimes shows up in the big box stores as poplar. It's a darker shade of green than tulip poplar, and denser. I've seen lumber from other species of magnolia at small local sawmills, but I don't think there's any large scale commercial logging of them.

[tree]

Magnolia grandiflora is the typical Southern magnolia of the SE United States. It grows plenty large enough to make lumber, although most trees that you notice will be in landscape plantings. It occurs in forests, but not with such frequency that it makes a common commercial lumber species. If you have a way to mill a magnolia log (basically, if you can locate someone with a bandsaw mill and you have the means to transport a log to them) you might want to contact several local tree service companies and ask them if they ever take down magnolia trees. You might be able to procure something that way.

According to the US Forest Service booklet (FS-466, 1991) Important Forest Trees of the Eastern United States, "The wood is hard and heavy, being utilized for crates, boxes, and some rough flooring."

Cucumberwood is likely from Cucumber tree, which is a different magnolia (Magnolia acuminata) that is found in the Appalachian mountains. I'm not familiar with the wood, but FS-466 says "The wood is light and soft, not strong but durable. It is used in furniture and cabinet-making, and sometimes for flooring."

[David Newton]

Yes, Southern Magnolia is what I am seeking, certainly not Poplar.
It is harder and much "smoother" when working, and hardly chips at all when cutting.

I have had lumber of Magnolia in the past, 4/4 and 6/4 boards, and used it all for instrument projects.
I recently had a clear board of it given to me by the son of a wood-carver, and glued it into a neck blank, and I am in love with the "buttery" yellow look of it under finish.

I am not at all interested in having a log milled, but to purchase seasoned lumber.

Trying to find some more.

[sunburst]

You probably already tried woodfinder, but in case you didn't, it turned up a place near Houston that is listed as retailing Magnolia. I don't know much about Texas, but I do know it is a big place, and it might be many miles from you.

[Steve Lavelle]

[QUOTE=journeybear;1328371] It is a symbol of the South. But it's so widespread that it shouldn't be too difficult.

Couldn't find the great Steve Goodman /Jethro version, but this discussion and particularly JB's post reminded me of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLb5eoJxA3M

[John Arnold]

My only expereince with magnolia was a pallet board that I made into an umbrella shaft. It stayed straight and got very smooth with use. It is harder and denser than poplar.
Sunday, I took Nathan and Matt Hampton up to Albright Grove in the Smokies. It's one of the larger virgin timber patches, and has some monster hardwoods. I saw large specimens of both cucumber magnolia and umbrella magnolia. Here is a photo of Nathan and Matt next to a red maple that is 18 1/2 feet around.

[journeybear]

Couldn't find the great Steve Goodman /Jethro version ...

No need. This is really nice. Snazzy!

[David Newton]

Thank you John Hamlett, I was not aware of woodfinder, and Houston is 90mi. from me!

Great picture of Nathan & Matt, John, good to see that they may have a few more years of wood-cutting for us!

[tree]

David,

The (redgum/sweetgum) guitar you posted in the "picture of what's on your bench" thread - is that the magnolia neck blank you mentioned in post # 8 above? If so, do you have a photo of the back? I'd love to see what it looks like under finish.

[David Newton]

Yes Clark, here it is:

[John Arnold]

Great picture of Nathan & Matt, John, good to see that they may have a few more years of wood-cutting for us!

Hopefully, a lot of years.......Nathan is 24 and Matt is 22. I know they have been bitten by the bug, and with some luck, they should make a good living.

[Ivan Kelsall]

From David Newton - "... "buttery" yellow look of it under finish.". Wow ! - I see what you mean David,it's beautiful. Good luck in your search,
Ivan

[whistler]

A frind of mine here in the UK was doing a research project a some years ago, that involved some traditional toolmaking. Among other things, he was experimenting with different shapes and materials for tool handles. He showed me one handle he had made out of magnolia wood; I've no idea what species but, I imagine, one of the small, gnarled trees that are popular as garden ornamentals over here. This was a very hard, dense wood, with colouration similar to that of David Newtons guitar.

[tree]

Nice color! I bet it ages well, too.

Reminds me a little of the color of boxwood - if only that grew big enough to mill for lumber . . .