Mixing Alder and Soft Maple

Re: Mixing Alder and Soft Maple *LINKS*

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>It's really difficult to say whether the aspen will work for you, as we don't know how it was seasoned, etc.

The technical information you will need to figure it out for yourself is contained in the USDA Forest Products Lab Wood Handbook, Chapter 3, Physical Properties and Moisture Relations of Wood which you can download in PDF (495 Kb) here.

FPL-GTR-113

Lee Valley also sells the whole handbook on paper.

49L80.67 Wood Handbook

If you go to this FPL page, you can find links to the physical properties of most any wood you might want to work. Comparison of lateral and tangential shrinkage values of soft maple and aspen should tell you what you need to know. You may find that the growth ring orientation will make more difference than the mixing of these particular species. Do the math for any pair of species you might be interested in gluing together.

Center for Wood Anatomy Research Tech Sheets

Aspen and soft maple will be found under the button for North American Hardwoods, of course.

Re: Mixing Alder and Soft Maple *LINKS*

Darin in Victoria

>Thanks. I'm actually trying to compare Alder (not Aspen) to Soft Maple. However, Alder seems to be in some of the information on the websites.

Re: Mixing Alder and Soft Maple

Michael R

>The alder I have worked with is awfully soft, even compared to "soft" (not very) maple. Are you going to put something more durable on top of it, or just live with the dents? Have you considered Birch or Beech? Both are considerably harder and birch is pretty cheap in my area.

I can't comment on the expansion coefficients without looking up; William has already covered that.

If you use Fir, just weigh the same board from week to week, and when it stops losing weight, it will be in equilibrium with its surroundings. It's usually dried to either 19 or 15% MC at the mill,depending on grade, and in a heated home in the winter will probaly balance out around 8 or 9%, a little higher than most hardwoods because of its lower density.

I used to buy pine by the flatcar load, and always tried to get it in at less than 11%, but even then it was wetter than I wanted it. The mills I bought from just wouldn't dry it any further.

Michael R

Re: Mixing Alder and Soft Maple

Alan Bierbaum

>I shutter every time someone talks about using Alder in a place where it will take a beating. I have used it in kitchens for over ten years and love to work with it; however it dents from just a hard look. The pounding (and other abuse) that a workbench takes, would severely damage an Alder top. SYP is much harder. Get some more soft maple or birch if hard maple is too much money to spend.

Re: Mixing Alder and Soft Maple *LINKS*

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>Sorry for the confusion. Probably what you are being offered is Red Alder, Alnus rubra.

Here are its working properties.

Sounds like soft maple or birch

Darin in Victoria

>Sounds like I should stick to either soft maple or soft birch. I think that I can get either of those in 1" commons. Those alternatives are the cheapest next to the alder and fir in my location. Someone on another forum said that fir splinters badly so I think that I'll keep away from that (ouch!). Not looking forward to laminating all those 3/4" boards, but then again, I'd rather save my money for furniture supplies. Thanks everyone.