Alaskan Cedar

[Essayons]

Curious of the pro's and cons through your own experience of using Alaskan Cedar for framing, planking, etc,  vs. Boxwood, and Beech..

Randy

[Thistle17]

I have limited use of AYC to date but much more experience with boxwood. What I would say about the AYC in comparison is that it is obviously softer i.e. less dense, it produces a machined edge reasonably well in comparison but I find it takes more care keeping it. In terms of sanding it is easier to sand than boxwood. If you are using laser cutting it's char is easier to remove. I find you have to be more attentive to keeping it clean compared to box as it seems to smudge much easier. It has almost no grain evident but I can't say that it is characteristicaly so as I have not bought large billets. I understand it bends well in comparison owing to its density and fiber construct. In terms of price I believe you will find it considerably less expensive.

 

I have even less experience with Beech so others should be able to help.

 

Joe

[mtaylor]

For other woods for framing instead of boxwood which is pretty pricey, there's maple, cherry, pear, and other fruit woods.  They have the tight grain we need and the hardness.   

[Bob Cleek]

AYC isn't always devoid of visible figuring. Sometimes, it also will have knots. What if frequently seen in the context of modeling is highly select AYC. Great stuff for a lot of purposes, but for modeling, specific pieces should be selected for modeling use.  See: https://www.wood-database.com/alaskan-yellow-cedar/

 

 

 

[Essayons]

Thanks all for the repllies. Mtaylor, yes I think I will look into maple and pear depending on the application, saving boxwood for carving. 

[Jaager]

On 8/26/2021 at 7:43 PM, Essayons said:

framing, planking, etc,  vs. Boxwood, and Beech..

If you are framing at a scale larger than 1:96, any of the species that go under the name Boxwood would be an indulgence.  They would do the job, but other more available and less expensive would do just as well.  The loss to waste in framing is significant.

Beech is very close to Hard Maple in color and density.  The variation in possible grain pattern is (I suspect) much less with Beech.  In Europe, I suspect that Beech is less expensive and much more available than it is in North America.  There, for a light color framing timber, the cost and availability options are probably Beech or Sycamore maple, European sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus).

In North America, the price advantage goes to Hard Maple (Acer saccharum),  Beech seems to be a premium price import.  There are other domestic species of Maple commercially available, but most are close to awful when compared to Hard Maple in density and friability.   If domestic Beech is locally available and the price is right, it may be worth using, with the caveat that Fagus grandifolia is less dense and similar to Black Cherry in this.

For components, other than framing timber, The reduced loss to waste evens the field and makes availability the main factor.

For commercial species that are darker, in North America,  Black Cherry is much less expensive and easier to obtain than European Pear.  Pear is by far the superior as far as density and uniformity of grain.  If you can get and mill it, ornamental Pear (Pyrus calleryana var,) wins against either.