Basswood Ideas

My first thought is carving, but if your thinking about more standard types of projects, I kind of see Basswood in the same category as pine (at least regarding softness), not so much the grain. So I would say use it pretty much the same way. The nice thing is you could really make a nice furniture piece and accent it with various carvings.

By the way, 50 bucks for a truckload of Basswood, WOW I don’t think you would find a better deal, unless your mill it yourself.

Enjoy!

I think it’d be great for furniture! You might have to put a little more wood in some places for strength, but it should be awesome for milling into cool shapes (if the prospect of carving everything seems like its too much work).

Depending on how its milled, I can see chairs, side tables, pretty much everything. I’d think it’s a little harder than pine, but I’m also out here on the west coast where pine is softer than some of the east coast varieties, but there’s a lot of cool colonial furniture from pine, and basswood should allow for a lot more cross-grain milling and cutting (and, yes, carving).

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

Well, the seller and I couldn’t get together today, but I”m getting a bit concerned. He told me that he was cleaning out a house and the wood had belonged to a turner. I suspect its logs.

-- Dave, Colonie, NY

time to buy a lathe or send it all out west to me. basswood is fun to turn nice and forgiving. have fun.

-- Roper - Master of sawdust-

The great thing about basswood over pine is that it can be routed or carved and keep a detail. Very little fuzz and no splintering in my experience. It stains well also.

I started out with a lot of it due to being cheap bf and wanted to try scroll sawing. The scroll saw and I never bonded, but the experience with basswood was good.

I was thinking of carvings. That’s the wood of marry-go-round horses.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Besides turning, it is great wood for chip carving. There is a whole group of people out here by me that carve everything from wood decoys, decorative plaques and furniture. Resaw the logs and glue up the boards. Basswood is a blast to shape and work with. Buy it all.

-- Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy-May all your dovetails fit tight and right the first time

Wow basswod is, I believe what we call lime this tuff is ultra expensive the carvers go crazy for it.it will sell on ebay for big money I see small pieces go for high prices. Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

Just spoke to the seller and he assures me that this is “all boards”. He also offered to sell me all he has left, which he estimates to be 2 pickup trucks worth for $75. The wife is gonna kill me…

-- Dave, Colonie, NY

Grab it! Thats a great deal….and as Alistair said..you could sell your excess for more than you pay….

-- Woodworking.....My small slice of heaven!

Buy it! Basswood is cool stuff. And if it from a turner its probably even better. You can pritty much do whatever you’d do with maple with it.

-- Rogue

I am carving 2 blocks right now they are figured corbels to be used on a Morris Chair. It carves by hand and dremel.

It is actually listed as a hardwood.

http://www.connectedlines.com/wood/wood10.htm

It is a long list but a good idea about this versitle light wood

-- Measure once cut twice....oh wait....ooops.

Buy it and then sell it on fleabay so you can get some proper wood for building furniture. Keep some of it to practice carving.

-- Julian, Park Forest, IL

Well, I got the wood. The bad news is that there wasn’t as much as I had been led to believe. There was about a half a truckload. The good news is that it wasn’t all basswood. There are 3 or 4 cedar boards that are about 7” wide and 10 ’ long, a couple of pieces of TandG cedar for lining a closet, a nice piece of oak about 4’x6”x2 1/2”, and 1 or 2 maple boards. All in all, I’m happy with the deal. It as all rough sawn and will provide me with some nice pieces to practice with the new planer when I get it set up.

-- Dave, Colonie, NY

You can make tons and tons of spoons.

Basswood is a very stable wood. Also called Lime in Europe and Linden or Basswood in N. America.
It’s so stable it’s been used for hundreds of years for making keyboards in musical instruments. I have used
it in two Harpsichords and a clavichord.

It’s also a great wood for carving. Too soft really for furniture.

It’s used a lot for the solid hulls on model ships.

Very reasonable price also.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

fishing lures

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

I believe it is used some as drawer bottoms due to its stability, not as much worry about the movement vs other woods if you make solid wood drawer bottoms.

seems like a bargin.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

FWW had a feature on basswood about 1 year ago as a often overlooked wood.
I saw a bit of it from time to time. It is great as a secondary wood for drawer
bottoms, case sides, etc. Make sure it is good and dry and stable before using
it for furniture items. I’ve seen it used for carved mantels as well. For the price,
I don’t think you can go wrong.

-- Phil

Thanks Phil!! I believe I have the FWW’s from the last couple years, so I will definitely check that out.

-- Dave, Colonie, NY

Wood carvers prize basswood. It would be a shame to use it for furniture. Maybe you could trade it for some other kind of wood you really want. Or as suggested sell it and buy what you want.

-- Mike, American in Norway

Along with many wood models, I’ve also used basswood for drawer sides and bottoms. It’s light weight and wonderful to work.

In my area, it’s not expensive, less than $3 bd/ft for top grade stuff.

-- - Please help keep Lumberjocks an enjoyable escape by refusing to participate in political discussions. Simply spit out the bait and ignore the thread...

I agree, it makes great drawer and cabinet bottoms. It also can be used like many have said for carving. It is often used to make guitars, drum shells, and other wind instruments. Another use for it is window blinds and shutters. I have used it for shop jigs too.

-- Wayne - Plymouth MN