Using Alder. Any pointers?

[Alan Smith]

I milled up a few Alder logs last winter and now have them dry enough to use, air dried not kiln. Anyone got any comments on the use of this timber? My experiences so far are that it dries well, easy to plane and thickness although some faces go a bit fluffy but this sands out well. It's pretty soft. I'd like to know a bit about colouring it as it's pretty bland. Never had any real experience of staining wood but I think this stuff will need it. Thanks in advance for any ideas or tips.

Alan

 

[mister henderson]

One thing about stain is that the take up tends to vary depending on the angle of grain to the face, so if the grain is anything other than fairly parallel to the face then you may well get a blotchy effect.
You might do better by using a tinted varnish, or making your own by adding a few drops of the desired solid colour to some clear lacquer. That way you will get an even tint and can control the depth with the number of coats applied. This technique is often used on guitars (the relevance being that Alder is/was often used by Fender for electric guitar bodies

 

[CHJ]

My only observation on Alder is based on turning it, I found it very soft and easily marked when handling a finished surface, somewhat like Lime, I would not think it would be very knock resistant in furniture use. I'm surprised at its use for a guitar body other than the ease of working and I would think neutral resonance, perhaps the lacquer/painted coatings protects the surface.

I do know from it's use on a riverside farm that it won't stand constant wet/dry cycles when used as a fence post, but like Elm will remain sound if left submerged, most frustrating to see last years fence posts rotted off 2 ft above ground but still sound in the waterlogged soil alongside the parent trees.

 

[Alan Smith]

Thanks for the replies. I'll try experimenting with tinting the varnish/oil, that sounds like a good approach. CHJ, yes we have a riverside property. I have used Alder in the round for pining back fascines on the river bank and like you marvelled at its durability when kept wet.

 

[CHJ]

The other interesting thing was the same fellow that used the Alder trimmings as posts also used Pollarded Willow trimmings on an adjacent fence, could not be bothered to strip the bark, but just knocked them in upside down to stop them growing :roll: . Haven't been back there for several years but there should be a very interesting row of mature willows by now with a substantial galvanized Pig fence running through their main trunks :lol: .