Light weight and pretty strong.Why Cottonwood ?
Cottonwood has always been the go to wood clear back when? It is light and forgiving, it will give and take . We have used pine and Cedar but in my experience cottonwood has held up much better ,roll overs ,big wrecks etc. I still have an original O.P.Robinett tree that is 80-90 years old and the cottonwood bars are still in tack.Why Cottonwood ?
Cottonwood is a popular ,basswood I'm not familiar with, but I'm interested in what you have. thanks GaryBasswood or popular light and strong readily available
Great info, thanksThey use to use cotton wood 6x6 timbers for cribbing in house moving.. they were light to handle and would pop and crack along time before breaking giving guys a chance to get more cribbing under the structure they were moving..
Anyone out there Mill or sell Cottonwood boards or know of where I can but some? Trying to build packsaddle trees and can't come up with the wood for the bars in this area.
Northern CaliforniaWhat part of the country you in?
basswood is a poplar from tulip poplarCottonwood is a popular ,basswood I'm not familiar with, but I'm interested in what you have. thanks Gary
Hi Jim, not familiar with White Ash out here, what does white ash have over cottonwood? Just asking for my own info.The last packsaddle trees I saw and used were in the Bitterroot mountains about 45 years ago so I don't have a lot of experience with what is used now or in any specific location.
What I do have is a lot of experience working with wood for specific purposes, and I know cottonwood. I have no doubt the cottonwood packsaddles work for you, however, if someone commissioned me to build a packsaddle, my first choice would be White Ash.
Jim
I realize this is different use that you have mind, but 50 years ago, my dad and I built coral for a gentleman farmer. He insisted that we use cottonwood. Dad figured it was because the lumber was way cheaper than pine or fir. Well, we built it the way he wanted it: posts on 12' centers, 1x6x12' boards, 3 16 penny spikes in each board to the post, painted bright white. It was a thing beauty in central Illinois. Fast forward one year. Half of the boards were laying on the ground. They had twisted and warped and shrunk to the point where they pulled the nails right out of post. Moral of story, we never used cotton again for anything. FWIW
Hi Jim, not familiar with White Ash out here, what does white ash have over cottonwood? Just asking for my own info.
So you are saying it can be worked a bit green with out warping ? Would you no if it is much heavier than cottonwood? thanks GaryIn my opinion, the advantages are Ash is more “elastic”. It will bend more before breaking. When it does break, it is usually in the form of a green stick fracture that can be glued and screwed and can be put back into operation easily. It holds screws better, it is harder, and it holds a finish well, and does not rot easily.
Ash can be worked while fairly green, in other words, the moisture content is not critical for success.
Typically, single and double trees, spanners, buggy parts, etc. were made of Hickory. However, where Hickory was not easily available, White Ash or Oak was used. All of my hand tool handles (axes, hoes, mallets, mauls, hammers, scythe…) I have made of White Ash.
I am sure a lot of pack trees were made of Cottonwood because it was readily available “down by the creek”. But if I had to order something in to build them, my choice would not be cottonwood. That is where I am coming from, so to speak.
Jim