Uses for aromatic cedar?

Hope chests for your daughter ( or any other young girl ) ; line your closet; make new drawers for your chest of drawers; make a sauna...

Todd, You don;t have to limit using the cedar to linings only, you can build blanket chests entirely out of aromatic cedar. One good sized chest could take 75bf off your hands right there (with waste and all). It's soft and easy to work, and it's pretty stable too. You can also use cedar for drawer bottoms in dresser drawers. Or you can make shoe racks for your closets. I could go on, but you can use that cedar for tons of stuff.

Use it to panel a closet??

John

I used cedar as the lining for my entry cabinet: Woodworking Pictures #1 link It served both as an aromatic (I love the smell of cedar) liner and as a structural component, holding the front and back together in a way that addressed wood movement.

I just completed a linen closet that I lined with 1/2" x 4" cedar I resawed from a log. The plywood shelves are set on top of cletes screwed into the walls. These cletes have a rabbet cut into the bottom side that is 1/2" x 1/2" (rabbet is against the wall). I cut the shelves 1/2" short on each side and the back. I placed the cedar into the rabbet then secured the shelves such that the cedar is "trapped" behind the cletes and shelves. I then added a narrow face frame for the front of the shelves and sides to hide the edge view of the cedar. Basically a simple way to cedar line a linen closet. I had the cedar logs for a long time and never could figure out what to do with them.....

-Bruce

How about using the cedar in trade for some wood you do want?

Well let's see. I've used it to make a bathroom vanity. Helps keep the bathroom smelling nice. I also made a matching tank topper.

D. Mo

Some time with a scrollsaw would produce clocks and ornaments that not only look good, but smell great as well.

I thought about making chess pieces from it, but I'm not sure how well they would last.

Bob McConnell N2SPP

I just finished lining 3 5X5 walk in closets and it took 250 board feet! I resawed to 5/16ths. If I had it to do over I would resaw to

Another thing you can make with it is some real fine sawdust and a lot of red boogers!!

Of course you're kidding but Eastern Aromatic Red Cedar is one of those woods that is toxic enough that should really avoid breathing the dust. The acute effect is rather like the flu. Woodworkers without a history of asthma have developed asthma after working with it. A cow-orker had a contact dermatitis (skin rash) that persisted for about six months after working with it. I always wear a good respirator when I work with cedar. Just handling the boards, like stacking them, makes me cough if I don't.

See:

LOL! That's rich!!!