Choke Cherry

Re: Choke Cherry

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I am wondering if you are really talking about black cherry, a common furniture wood. The choke cherry that grew on our farm was a shrub that would not yield any lumber.

Re: Choke Cherry

Don Wagstaff

Yes, it's this shrub-version I do mean. What I have in mind is that much like the hazel that grows here can be copiced, that is to say cut back from time to time to generate regrowth, the wood useful in many ways, does this choke cherry give us useful wood? On top of this, many woody shrubberies can give interesting wood even if on a reduced format.

no idea

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I spent my youth trying to kill it growing in fence rows. Blessed with quality furniture woods like cherry and walnut I never considered its possible utility. I did give a turner some wild plum once and it was so unstable when drying he was never able to successfully use it for a bowl.

Re: no idea

Don Wagstaff

Yes, it's this persistence that makes it interesting. If you cannot kill it why not make it into something you love like good tool handles or even a stock for beating off a pesky hound, (have you ever felt the sheer brutality of a dense hazel nut stick in your hands? And let's not even mention the blackthorn) . I realize this is treading on ground at the very fringes of our woodworking experience.

Re: no idea

Hank Knight

Don't worry, the fringes are pretty wide around here.

Re: no idea

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

The turning Forum would be more likely to have experience. They scrounge anything. I found that dogwood limbs make excellent chisel handles material.

Re: Choke Cherry

William Duffield

Mark Sfirri told us several years ago that if you can find it in sizes large enough to turn that it can be dangerous, as it suffers from ring shake. That means that pieces can easily separate off along the growth rings, resulting in high speed, sharp shrapnel from the lathe. Heeding his advise, I have never tried to turn or carve either choke cherry or pin cherry.

Re: no idea

Don Wagstaff

Oh, I normally keep a distance from turning - I probably miss out on a thing or two.

Re: no idea

Don Wagstaff

The handle of my dearest hammer is dogwood. Just a little trick I picked up from the old French blacksmiths.

Yes, that's its problem

Bill Howatt

I have turned a little choke and pin cherry and as was mentioned you have to be careful about pieces having ring shake. Around here, any pieces that get much over 6" or so in diameter often are starting to decay in the center.

Bill

Re: Yes, that's its problem

Don Wagstaff

Ring shakes, so often associated with sweet chestnut. One of the nastiest of all wood defects for sure.

Re: Yes, that's its problem

John K Jordan

I've seen severe ring shake in walnut and chinese chestnut, some in oak and ash. I read that it can affect any species and even now not all the experts agree on the cause.

JKJ

Re: Yes, that's its problem

Don Wagstaff

And poplar and robinia, I've also experienced in these. Only in sweet chestnut though do I specifically look out for wind-shake at the lumber yard because it is so known to be susceptible to this problem.