I guess this is a lesson on going to the wood supplier to get all your wood.
I took pictures of all 34 boards and they all look this bad with sap wood
Walnut quality
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I guess this is a lesson on going to the wood supplier to get all your wood.
I took pictures of all 34 boards and they all look this bad with sap wood
You could always consult the National Hardwood Lumber Association handbook for Walnut grade rules.
http://www.nhla.com/nhlaimpak/members_online/members/viewitem.asp?item=RULEBK&catalog=P&pn=1&af=NHLA
I bought the book and would post the rules for you but the book is copyright so I won't
http://www.nhla.com/nhlaimpak/members_online/members/viewitem.asp?item=RULEBK&catalog=P&pn=1&af=NHLA
I bought the book and would post the rules for you but the book is copyright so I won't
Steamed just "washes" the wood to make the sapwood more uniform with the heartwood. It is usually performed either in the whole log or in the green stick BEFORE the kiln drying process. In lumber grading, the sapwood in Walnut and Cherry is not considered a defect.
Select is supposedly the same quality as FAS but does not meet the criteria due to width and or length.
If you want all heartwood give me a call..I have GREEN and KILN DRIED..
Select is supposedly the same quality as FAS but does not meet the criteria due to width and or length.
If you want all heartwood give me a call..I have GREEN and KILN DRIED..
I bought some 8/4 about a year ago from Steve Wall that was about the same.....
The vendor told me that the wood quality is good and they have sold 1000's of bf of this same stuff with no complains. I just wanted to ask others if this is normal now. It's been four months since I bought Walnut. I'm been building cherry furniture lately. I love working with Walnut but buying it is a real pain with trees being cut younger and younger which mean more sapwood. I would pay more not to have to deal with it but this seller promises 30% sapwood or less. I have about 15 of the 34 boards that are ALL sapwood both sides and a sprinkle of darkwood. Could use it for maple I guess:rotflm:
I would have to drive 400 miles to return it I was told. I live in Western N.C. 2 hours west of Ashville.
What make me mad is that he keeps telling me that it can't be only 20% usable.
I would have to drive 400 miles to return it I was told. I live in Western N.C. 2 hours west of Ashville.
What make me mad is that he keeps telling me that it can't be only 20% usable.
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I bought 100 bd ft of walnut from a lumber dealer a few years ago, the first time I'd worked with walnut. It was steamed. It looked very much like your stock.
I would prefer to have heartwood and sapwood colors show in contrast rather than the muddy, blended appearance of the steamed product.
I stained before finishing and the result is okay, just different than the red, orange, gray, browns in non-steamed walnut. Here's a pic.
I would be more ticked off at the rough/live edges in the stock than the steamed color wash.
On a positive note, many of your boards have nice grain patterns. I bet the finished product will look just fine if you are careful with the board arrangement in your pieces.
Chuck
I would prefer to have heartwood and sapwood colors show in contrast rather than the muddy, blended appearance of the steamed product.
I stained before finishing and the result is okay, just different than the red, orange, gray, browns in non-steamed walnut. Here's a pic.
I would be more ticked off at the rough/live edges in the stock than the steamed color wash.
On a positive note, many of your boards have nice grain patterns. I bet the finished product will look just fine if you are careful with the board arrangement in your pieces.
Chuck
I would take it back, if for no other reason to see what the guy says face to face looking at the wood. I've never understood why sapwood was not consider a defect in grading (sorry Roger, nothing personal) Don't know which direction you would go from Hayesville to take it back, but you could pick up replacement wood on the same trip. If you go 400 miles east, Kyle has some primo wood and I'm sure you will be happy with anything you get from him and enjoy your visit with him also. Closer to you (and me here in Clyde) is Mountain Sawyers in Fletcher NC. I have gotten walnut from them, and it was beautiful, all heartwood, kiln dried, not steamed, cut from big trees. I got some cherry from them yesterday and it is just as nice. They have also just started carrying cabinet grade plywood and hardwood plywood, which is great for us here in this area.
My first reaction is the same as Randy's - take it back, just based on principle. It's just how I am, how I was raised to be.
I don't know if it's 400 miles one way or 400 miles round trip for you to return the wood. If 400 miles one way then maybe you can try to get a partial refund after sending pics and talking with the provider. If it were me I'd argue for a discount on the live edge areas.
Most larger lumber providers will NOT tell you the walnut is steamed. Anymore, assume it is until you hear otherwise. I will ask specifically whether walnut is steamed before making a trip to buy and I just won't buy online unless it's from one our own providers here.
The steamed walnut I bought worked out okay after staining/finish. Yours will look much better than it does now after applying a finish coat. Wipe some mineral spirits on a few pieces and see how it looks.
Here's a Before pic of my steamed walnut:
Again, here's the AFTER staining pic of the steamed walnut:
The difference before and after is not just stain. I mixed a Japan colors dry pigment stain of burnt umber and mineral spirits for the table. It was NOT a dark stain. It did even out the color a little and made the stock very usable.
If you don't like stains then dyes or maybe toners could help. :dontknow:
Chuck
I don't know if it's 400 miles one way or 400 miles round trip for you to return the wood. If 400 miles one way then maybe you can try to get a partial refund after sending pics and talking with the provider. If it were me I'd argue for a discount on the live edge areas.
Most larger lumber providers will NOT tell you the walnut is steamed. Anymore, assume it is until you hear otherwise. I will ask specifically whether walnut is steamed before making a trip to buy and I just won't buy online unless it's from one our own providers here.
The steamed walnut I bought worked out okay after staining/finish. Yours will look much better than it does now after applying a finish coat. Wipe some mineral spirits on a few pieces and see how it looks.
Here's a Before pic of my steamed walnut:
Again, here's the AFTER staining pic of the steamed walnut:
The difference before and after is not just stain. I mixed a Japan colors dry pigment stain of burnt umber and mineral spirits for the table. It was NOT a dark stain. It did even out the color a little and made the stock very usable.
If you don't like stains then dyes or maybe toners could help. :dontknow:
Chuck
Everyone has gotten bad wood from time to time it's more the attitude of telling me I can't have received that much sapwood when I have 8 boards that are all sapwood and the remaining ones all contain it to. I like the sapwood if it is blended into the walnut may times. The problem with edge sap wood is finding another piece to match on the other side to get it from not looking like a dead end with the contrast with nice walnut on the other board. I have tired placing it on the outside but these are mostly 6" widths which is fine and I enjoy building up wider boards with small width boards(less warping).
It's 200 miles one way and if I return it then I very close to the Hardwood store to hand pick the new batch from. I assume they don't mine picking through it there. Most places seem to not mind if you return the boards back in the stack and are willing to take some bad with the good.
I have ordered the wood grading book just to be more informed and be prepared on sapwood.
I think most wood supplier are wood workers and they must ask themselves if they would use this. I expect around 70% usable wood when I buy and if it costs a dollar more then that's ok. I can even live with 60% if the price is cheap and I have to work harder to get the wood milled.
Lesson learned look at it yourself and then you can't blame anyone.
It's 200 miles one way and if I return it then I very close to the Hardwood store to hand pick the new batch from. I assume they don't mine picking through it there. Most places seem to not mind if you return the boards back in the stack and are willing to take some bad with the good.
I have ordered the wood grading book just to be more informed and be prepared on sapwood.
I think most wood supplier are wood workers and they must ask themselves if they would use this. I expect around 70% usable wood when I buy and if it costs a dollar more then that's ok. I can even live with 60% if the price is cheap and I have to work harder to get the wood milled.
Lesson learned look at it yourself and then you can't blame anyone.
Thats Walnut?
Wow~! I have 4-5 pieces of Walnut about 6"-8" wide and they look nothing like that.
Sorry for all that sap.
PS I do like the grain pattern of board number 9 and number 4 looks pretty good.
Wow~! I have 4-5 pieces of Walnut about 6"-8" wide and they look nothing like that.
Sorry for all that sap.
PS I do like the grain pattern of board number 9 and number 4 looks pretty good.
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