English Lime

[KBo]

I purchased some 30 years ago three English Lime, not Bass wood, planks about 7 foot by six by two inches. Ron McCarthy uses lime in his book “Building plank on frame ship models” book.  Am think of going over to the dark side and using this to make a 1/4” Swan cross section. 
 

Thoughts?  If not, other uses?

[druxey]

I've used limewood in the past. It is very nice to work and carves well. (Grinling Gibbons' work was mainly in lime.) I found it a little soft, so one has to work carefully in order not to accidentally mark or dent it. It's certainly a little harder than basswood, a close cousin.

 

Try it: I think you'll like it.

[bruce d]

It was the standard material for all the pattern makers I used to work with. According to them, despite the cautionary tales (see druxey in post above) about accidental damage, it was the best for producing a sharp edge or taking carved detail.

 

BTW: That is a lot of lime wood! Let me know if you have some pesky offcuts cluttering up the floor 😁

 

HTH

Bruce

[Jaager]

If you are limited in access to tools and have to use only muscle power then the Lime is your friend.

If you have power tools, for POF you might could consider a harder species of wood -

if light color is your choice - Sycamore Maple, Beech, or Birch.

darker would be Pear - we have opposite economical choices - over here Pear is an exotic, difficult to source, and expensive.

for the eastern half of this continent Black Cherry is an adequate but lower quality substitute for Pear.

 

Lime has about everything going for it- except that it is not nearly as hard as should be wanted.