100+ year alder

[BlackCoffin]

Some insect was in the roots/trunk of this alder and broke off at ground level after a windy day. It was about 28-30"at the base and I took a clear section around 10' up to use for milling. Never milled alder but I'm starting to like it after opening up this beauty. There are dozens more trees of the same age/size in the area with a few looking like they'll fall at anytime with the way they're leaning. It's along a creek bed so at times the ground isn't the most stable.

Let me know what you think compared to other alder's you've seen. This is a new one for me so looking for feedback on others' experience. Little color after getting rained on

 

[SeMoTony]

Thanks for the view of the new slice. That will make boards of nice contrast for what ever the use it becomes. Like me there is some time to wait till air dried enough for use. Now there is another species I will seek.

 

[jrhannum]

40 years ago at S. Umpqua River's Milo Academy (7th-day Adventist) they used locally-sourced alder for their furniture factory; it was very nice stuff.

 

[Reilly]

Where are you at in the PNW? I'm on the coast range of Oregon and have tons of Alder on my property that I've just started toying around with. I'm milling my first Alder this weekend.

 

[Marshy]

Beautiful

 

[BlackCoffin]

Where are you at in the PNW? I'm on the coast range of Oregon and have tons of Alder on my property that I've just started toying around with. I'm milling my first Alder this weekend.

Whatcom county, northwest corner of Washington along the canadian border. There is plenty of alder here too but I rarely see them this big. Luckily I have a honey hole with plenty of them.

 

[krustysurfer]

We Love Alder- very important species- beautiful slab there! aloha

 

[ArtB]

Old fart here -- grew up in central IL with black walnut and white oak and shagbark hickory, mover to King and Lewis Co WA 55 years ago.

Still of the opinion that alder is only good ro firewood and smoking salmon. Have 40 some acres of DFir with lots of alder mixed in, neighbor in Lewis Co was getting over $1k mbf for veneer grade alder. The streambed stuff is fat and straight with 30 foot branch free.

Have built lot of furniture over the years, cannot bring myself to bother building anything out of alder. The examples of OP notwithstanding. Don't even care for bigleaf maple as compared to eastern sugar maple, etc.

Heated with wood for 40 years, probably burnt 300+ cords of alder, but usually did cut stuff 10" dbh or less as easier to split. One big alder about 24" dia 40 feet from my Lewis co cabin has been cut about 5 times over the years, down come the 'stump sprouts' when about 6-8" dia.

Biased old Midwest guy.