Sweet Gum Wood

[Joe Mendel]

Is there any woodworking use for Sweet Gum? Our city is on a campaign to cut down Sweet Gums, they just cut down one near my house. The trunk is about 28" in diameter,
10' long and straight as an arrow. There is about 6" of light brown heartwood in the middle. It was a beautiful, healthy tree, even though I don't like walking around on the gumballs I wish they had not cut it down. If there is a use for it I may inquire about saving it from the chipper.

[Bill McCall]

It used to be used in mill work for moldings and doors, probably sash as well. We used some in the 70's to match existing items. Can have very nice grain.

- - - Updated - - -

And woodturners make bowls from anything they can get.

[sunburst]

To be honest, I have very little knowledge of sweet gum wood and no experience with it, but if the log was near me I would salvage it.

[j. condino]

Here is an old thread on the subject:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...-an-instrument

[Bob Schmidt]

I am not sure how it would work for making instruments. It is heavily cross-grained and difficult to split.

[tonydxn]

I can't tell you anything about the wood, but my experience of asking for felled trees or other unwanted timber is that those responsible for taking it away are only too pleased to let someone else do it. I got a whole maple tree (quite plain though) for nothing, and a whole staircase made of 2-inch thick slabs of mahogany for just £10. I have enough wood to make guitar and mandolin necks for the rest of my life.

[fox]

If the branches have a contrasting centre core, then they would look fantastic as didgeridoos.

[Charlieshafer]

I am not sure how it would work for making instruments. It is heavily cross-grained and difficult to split.

That would make it interesting for furniture, if it didn't move too much once dried. If quarter-sawn, cross-grains can make some beautiful patterns

[David Newton]

Yep, if you read the linked thread about Sweet Gum, you'll see the guitar I built, back & sides, of Sweet Gum.
I would say, if the wood is like mine was, it is "stripey pretty" and a exact drop-in for Poplar.
It would be nice to have some more, but I'm not logging any trees for it.

[Joe Mendel]

That's a very nice looking guitar David. What is the sound like?
Thanks everyone for responding, I'll see if I can get it, lots of times around here if a tree has any potential use as lumber it is sold before they cut it down.

[David Newton]

Hi Joe. Of course it sounded great! A Size-1 guitar hits the sweet spot for Parlor guitars, Carpathian Spruce is a very light and resonant wood, the Sweet Gum was very resonant in itself. It sold thru Retrofret Vintage Guitars.
Being an "alternative/domestic wood, people don't know how to react to it, but if you can get some and can process it, I would not hesitate.

[Bluetickhound]

Nice to see "non-traditional" woods getting a serious look from builders. That's a gorgeous guitar!

[BradKlein]

You could make a canoe!!

[tree]

From FS-466, Important Trees of the Eastern United States, published by the USDA Forest Service, copyright 1968:

"Sweetgum wood is classified as moderate in heaviness, strength, and stiffness, but moderately high in shock resistance. Heartwood is low in decay resistance, and intermediate in nail-holding ability and splitting. It requires special drying before successful gluing can be accomplished. Sweetgum ranks above average in turning, boring, and steam-bending, but below average in other machining properties."

"The wood from sweetgum is used for lumber, veneer, plywood, and slack cooperage. The lumber is remanufactured into boxes, baskets, crates, interior parts of furniture, and interior woodwork. Minor uses include crosswise, fuel, fencing, excelsior, and pulpwood."

Caveat: I've worked with wood from enough different tree species to realize that they commonly contain individuals that never read this book . . .

[Bob Clark]

Yep, if you read the linked thread about Sweet Gum, you'll see the guitar I built, back & sides, of Sweet Gum.

David, that's a real beauty! I don't play guitar, but that instrument you made makes me wish I did. Who wouldn't want a beauty like that?!

Bob

[Joe Mendel]

If I can get someone here to get it before they come to pick it up I can have it. I've got until Monday sometime. Unfortunately I don't have tools big enough to get to more manageable pieces. I've got a call in to a local place that specializes in wood cut from yards & other urban and suburban areas, waiting to hear back from them. They do wood for luthiers as well and do a good job of processing it. I found some pictures of other guitars, in addition to David Newton's, and people seem happy with them. We'll see how this plays out shortly. Thanks for everyone's input.

[Jim Adwell]

Sweet gum tends to warp and twist when it dries, so be prepared for that. If you get some relatively straight boards, I can tell you that it makes a pretty good mandolinetto:

Attachment 152767

[V70416]

I have 8 Sweet Gum trees on my land. Anyone who wants to come and cut them down can have them for free.
Wish there was a market for those damnable balls.

[Joe Mendel]

Well, I managed to get the best part of the tree. I have two pieces, one roughly 26" long x 28", the other 38" x 2'. I have a guy to mill it for me when I can get it to him, it will take a handful of good sized men to get it onto my truck. It was much heavier than I had anticipated. I knew it was going to be heavy, but even the smaller pieces that are going into an outdoor fireplace felt more like chunks of lead than wood. I'll be heading out to paint the ends shortly.

[sunburst]

If there's any way you can split them in half (chainsaw?) quickly, that will help keep the ends from checking badly (along with sealing the end grain, that is).

[Joe Mendel]

Thanks John,looks like that is what we will end up doing. I wasn't sure if that was a good idea, or not.

[Mandopotter]

Good luck splitting it.