Re: ### Micro-FAQ on wood # 002

[Doug Miller]

1. Some Frequently Asked Questions:

>

[snip]

Q: "Cherry" is the wood from the Cherry tree. Right? >A: False. The tree that cherries grow on does yield a classic wood, called >cherry, but this has always been fairly rare. There is a US timber tree that >yields a look-alike wood almost as good, and certainly a lot more available. >This is called cherry for convenience.

Well... IMO it's a bit of a stretch to say, categorically, "false". The two trees are very closely related. The fruit tree is Prunus avium. The North American timber tree is Prunus serotina, and it does bear edible cherry-like fruit, although it's much more commonly consumed by birds than by humans.

[snip]

Q: Steel is stronger than wood. Right?

>A: Depends. A piece of steel of a certain size will almost always be >stronger as a piece of wood the same size. A steel rod of a particular >length and mass as compared to a rod of wood the same length and mass ... >

Depends on the conditions it's exposed to as well. One of my woodworking books has a dramatic photo of the aftermath of a major building fire, showing steel I-beams softened to the point of failure by the heat of the fire -- bent in parabolas, draped over and hanging from a heavily charred but still intact wooden beam.

-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

[Charlie Self]

It's also a decade old and out of print. I'm expecting to do better with the next one, which I will know something more about in 2-3 months--I hope (the book business moves at a really high rate of speed).

Charlie Self "Take care of the luxuries and the necessities will take care of themselves." Dorothy Parker

[P van Rijckevorsel]

[snip]

called cherry, but this has always been fairly rare. There is a US timber tree that yields a look-alike wood almost as good, and certainly a lot more available. This is called cherry for convenience.

Doug Miller schreef

two trees are very closely related.

• + + Depends on what you call closely related. To most people Almonds, Cherries, Peaches, Plums, etc are quite distinct, and they have been in different genera (on and off) for centuries. At the moment they are all in Prunus.

• + +

timber tree is Prunus serotina [syn Padus serotinus], and it does bear edible [overstatement] cherry-like fruit, although it's much more commonly consumed by birds [understatement] than by humans.

• + +

A more closely run thing would be walnut wood and walnuts. The American walnut tree (Juglans nigra) is not the tree yielding the walnuts bought in the store, which should be from the real walnut tree (Juglans regia). Both species have been in the same genus forever and the seeds from Juglans nigra are edible (also IIRC they are the walnut in walnut ice cream).

• + +

books has a dramatic photo of the aftermath of a major building fire, showing steel I-beams softened to the point of failure by the heat of the fire -- bent in parabolas, draped over and hanging from a heavily charred but still intact wooden beam.

• + +

Quite PvR

[Bridger]

wow. could you scan and post that?

[Doug Miller]

In article , "P van Rijckevorsel" wrote: [snip]

It all depends... you can buy black walnuts (the fruit of Juglans nigra) in some grocery stores in the US, as well as what we call "English" walnuts (the fruit of Juglans regia). Whether black walnuts are edible or not is a matter of personal opinion, though. I can't stand them.

-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

[Doug Miller]

See post titled "Fire aftermath photo" in abpw. Photo is from "Modern Woodworking" ISBN 0-87006-246-8, page 313. Text attributes the photo to the Forest Products Lab, and notes:

"... wood beam construction ... provides a high fire resistance factor. Wood beams do not transmit heat like unprotected metal beams which lose their strength and quickly collapse under extremely high temperatures. Exposure of a wood beam to flame results in a very slow loss in its strength. It is weakened only in proportion to its slow reduciton in cross section due to charring. This takes place slowly and thus provides precious time in an emergency that may save life and material."

-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

[Bridger]

got it. thanks.

[P van Rijckevorsel]

walnut tree (Juglans nigra) is not the tree yielding the walnuts bought in the store, which should be from the real walnut tree (Juglans regia). Both species have been in the same genus forever and the seeds from Juglans nigra are edible (also IIRC they are the walnut in walnut ice cream).

in some grocery stores in the US, as well as what we call "English" walnuts (the fruit of Juglans regia). Whether black walnuts are edible or not is a matter of personal opinion, though. I can't stand them.

• + + I have no personal experience with black walnuts, but I understood that the reason they were not widely sold was size not taste. IIRC they do taste different.

Technically speaking the fruit is the whole thing including the "husk". What is eaten is only the seed, like with almonds. PvR

[Larry Blanchard]

Yes they do - more flavor.

Used to collect them and husk them as a kid. Took forever for the dye to wear off of your hands - and your face if you wiped the sweat off :-).

A friend of mine's son found the magic cleanser though - Purify mouthwash. I made a mental note never to let it in my mouth if it'd take off walnut dye :-).

[Bob S.]

Interesting and informative - Thanks.

Bob S.