White Birch

achaundy · #1 10-13-2007, 11:37 PM

Just wondering if white birch is a decent wood for carving. Skip

bbeery · #2 10-14-2007, 06:31 AM

I cut a few White birch sticks (Betula nigra) a number of years ago and found the wood to hard for carving. Better types of wood exist for carving, in my humble opinion.

brian bailey · #3 10-14-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbeery

I cut a few White birch sticks (Betula nigra) a number of years ago and found the wood to hard for carving. Better types of wood exist for carving, in my humble opinion.

Betula nigra is river birch.

Betula papyrifera is paper or white birch.

I've worked with yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) and found it to be difficult when using hand tools, but that might be because the wood was curly.

The book "Hardwoods of North America" by Harry Alden states that paper birch is easy to work with hand tools.

Get a piece and give it a try, then you'll know for yourself.

AlArchie · #4 10-14-2007, 12:22 PM

I haven't carved a lot of the white birch (paper birch) but have made quite a few Christmas ornaments from it. I cut 2" to 4" rounds or ovals from small trunks or branches, about 1/4" thick, sand both sides smooth and chip carve designs onto either one or both sides. I add a small brass screw eye and hang them from ribons or metalic cord. These rounds are fairly easy to carve even after several years of drying. come to trhink of it, I better get busy and get some made up!

Al

Irishman · #5 10-14-2007, 02:39 PM

I carve both white and yellow birch. It is hard but fine if your using a mallet. Great wood for taking detail work and not prone to crumbling ie. when doing eye lids and such. Give it a try.
Patrick

achaundy · #6 10-14-2007, 04:24 PM

Thabks guys! Its pretty easy to come by around here. I thought I would get some, maby do a wood spirt. Skip

Clifford_Parker · #7 10-15-2007, 01:27 AM

I carve quite a few white birch sticks. While it is harder than basswood it takes details very nicely and finishes to a much more attractive natural finish. IMO

bbeery · #8 10-15-2007, 07:58 AM

[quote=brian bailey]Betula nigra is river birch.

Betula papyrifera is paper or white birch.

Sorry about that! Lost my head for a minute. Let me restate my opinion. I find Betula papyrifera more difficult to hand carve then Quaking aspen, basswood and D.willow. I wouldn't be surprised that it holds more detail.

brian bailey · #9 10-15-2007, 08:28 AM

[quote=bbeery]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian bailey

Betula nigra is river birch.

Betula papyrifera is paper or white birch.

Sorry about that! Lost my head for a minute. Let me restate my opinion. I find Betula papyrifera more difficult to hand carve then Quaking aspen, basswood and D.willow. I wouldn't be surprised that it holds more detail.

No need to apologize.

A common name for both species is black birch, so using nigra would be logical, but incorrect.

Dendrology is a hobby of mine.

.

Alice in Wonderland · #10 10-15-2007, 06:04 PM

I live in Birch country and I have had a lot after our Icestorm of 1998.I love it ,but I do use Powertools, I like it especially after a couple of years ,it begins to spalt and has just beautiful patterns ,but this phase only lasts a short time ,it is one of the woods ,which rots very quickly if exposed to Nature.
I hope this helps
Alice