Willow

[WoodAddict]

What's your thoughts on it. I cut a box out on the bandsaw from a willow log and I've found that it's very "hairy?" I don't know how else to describe it. I find it impossible to sand smooth. I don't mind on this project as it's quite a rustic looking box so as long as it look nice when varnished, I don't mind if there is a little texture to it. The only thing bothering me is that I can't seem to get the gluing surfaces flat. The bits I glued last night seem to have held well but I've not got a lot of confidence in the joints as there are small gaps where the wood surface is uneven.

Using a finer blade on the band saw may have made a difference but the cuts were quite thick so I didn't want to risk my fine blade.

Is this a characteristic of the wood or am I missing a trick?

TIA

 

[Harbo]

I have never worked with willow, but many years ago I visited a cricket bat maker who used to compress the shaped wood by passing it through a series of rollers. The wood came out very smooth.

Are you sure the timber is dry?

Rod

 

[Harbo]

Deleted

 

[WoodAddict]

Are you sure the timber is dry?

Maybe not? It's been stored in an outbuilding for around 3 years in amongst a pile of logs. The outbuilding is double glazed and very dry but has no heating.

The log was around 4 inches in diameter and around 6 inches long with the bark still on it. How long would you normally leave something like this to dry and under what conditions? By touch it's bone dry right the way through but I guess you wouldn't be able to always tell just by feeling it? :?

 

[jimi43]

The willow I am drying at the moment is very very white and the wood tends to separate in layers...each ring being separated from the other one by a kind of membrane...that is all I can describe it as.

First the bark came off so cleanly it actually left the impression in the next layer. At the moment, planing it causes these fibres which you describe as hairs (very accurately) to be left on the surface...you're splitting each layer and that is the result.

I was hoping as it dried that it would harden up...I believe it will....but it might not if what you are finding is the case.

Invest in a good moisture content meter...they are quite cheap now...if you want to test wood moisture content.

Cheers

Jim

 

[tekno.mage]

Some types of willow have a reputation for being rather "woolly", which I think are the symptoms you describe.

You might find applying sanding sealer before sanding hardens up the surface of the wood enough to make it more workable - that's certainly what I do when turning if I encounter any "woolly" types of wood (I remember a bad experience with some lime that was like that - and the sanding sealer sorted it out.)

tekno.mage

 

[paulm]

Agree with tekno.mage, it's a characteristic of the willow to often be woolly like that, don't think it's to do with moisture content, three years under cover is a fair old time.

Cheers, Paul

 

[shipbadger]

I suspect it's the 'woolly' fibres that give the required properties for basket weaving and similar things, probably also why it was chosen for cricket bats.

Tony Comber

 

[WoodAddict]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll carry on gluing up and hope that it holds well. The ones I did on Wednesday night seem to be solid enough and the whole thing can only get stronger when I glue the base on.

I'll pretend that the texture was deliberate. 8)

Thanks again.

 

[Mekkemikkel]

I made this changing table https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/wip-changing-table-t41878.html of willow, and I did not experience any "hairs". But i found it very brittle and had to be careful to avoid splitting when chiseling the mortises.