American chestnut available from Ocooch Hardwoods

[Cloud of Sawdust Farms]

I'm not selling this myself -- so if the moderators move the post, that's OK with me. But it seems that the largest surviving stand of American chestnut, over 300 trees, dodged the blight until 2021, when it got infected and had to be logged off. Ocooch Hardwoods has lumber from this grove and is now offering it in a range of sizes. It's relatively expensive, but you're not likely to find this much chestnut available again. I just bought some -- not without a twinge of regret and a conviction not to waste any of it -- and I thought you good folks should know.

American Chestnut Wood | Ocooch Hardwoods

ocoochhardwoods.com

 

[Big Ry]

I already ordered 10bf of 8/4 a couple days ago lol

 

[Cloud of Sawdust Farms]

I already ordered 10bf of 8/4 a couple days ago lol

Somehow I thought you might. . .

 

[Webb]

The top of a chest from my mother has what appears to have a repair that was poorly done. It looks like it was done by hand and the wood is pithy and is coming out. According to my folks, it’s made from chestnut. It’s extremely old and valuable and needs a little TLC.

Which brings me to the point, I need a piece that somebody probably has in their scrap box that doesn’t have a lot of growth rings in it.

Can someone help me out? In return I can send a walnut bowl blank (defect free).

 

[Big Ry]

The top of a chest from my mother has what appears to have a repair that was poorly done. It looks like it was done by hand and the wood is pithy and is coming out. According to my folks, it’s made from chestnut. It’s extremely old and valuable and needs a little TLC.

Which brings me to the point, I need a piece that somebody probably has in their scrap box that doesn’t have a lot of growth rings in it.

Can someone help me out? In return I can send a walnut bowl blank (defect free).

View attachment 293326 View attachment 293327

Looks off to me for chestnut, but I'm far from an expert

 

[daniscool]

Looks off to me for chestnut, but I'm far from an expert

It darkens a lot but I agree. Too few pores.

 

[Big Ry]

It darkens a lot but I agree. Too few pores.

Yeah it's the grain that looks off to me

 

[Webb]

I hope someone can figure it out.
Here are some pics.

 

[Big Ry]

Hearne has chestnut too but it's much more expensive

 

[JD1137]

I hope someone can figure it out.
Here are some pics.

View attachment 293355 View attachment 293356

Maybe Oak (Red?)

 

[Big Ry]

Maybe Oak (Red?)

I was thinking the sides looked oaky but def not the top. The grain honestly looks like walnut to me, but it's too light. Butternut?

 

[Mr. Peet]

I hope someone can figure it out.
Here are some pics.

View attachment 293355 View attachment 293356

Chestnut is ring porous and the wood you showed is not. It looks like bleached walnut to me. The side is veneer, based on the mirror image knots.

Where was the piece made? I understand the Butternut comment. It does occur in MS and could be a possibility. However, based on the arrow accents, I'm leaning heavily toward walnut.

 

[Webb]

The chest is 200+ years old. Not veneer. I don’t know where it was made. Probably Kentucky area. Book matched on the sides. I’ll pull drawers and take some more pictures.

 

[Alancw]

I already ordered 10bf of 8/4 a couple days ago lol

Unfortunately nothing thick that I can make a hollow form from.

 

[Big Ry]

The chest is 200+ years old. Not veneer. I don’t know where it was made. Probably Kentucky area. Book matched on the sides. I’ll pull drawers and take some more pictures.

You sure those drawer fronts aren't veneer?

 

[Webb]

They look like 3/8” boards on top of walnut. Even has square nails on back of fronts. Pictures coming when light is good.

 

[turff49]

200 years old. If veneer it would be thick veneer. Not the thin of the 1900’s. What’s the dovetails look like on the drawers?

 

[Webb]

The drawer fronts are two pieces of wood laminated together to get 1” thickness. The inside half looks like a lesser quality wood and the front side a clear wood. Same wood. The dovetails are old school hand cut on all 4 corners. A band is on each drawer front with same wood as the front. The drawer sides & back are oak and the bottom is solid poplar. Nothing veneer about this chest.

The cabinet sides are solid boards. You can see the same pith on each side. The back is overlapping solid boards.

The top I need to repair are book matched boards and you can see the glue line. Also you can see some lighter color in places on the top.

To me it looks more like mahogany than walnut.

 

[Big Ry]

I still think the top looks like juglans. If it were swietenia, I'm pretty sure it would be swietenia mahogani at that age. You'd really struggle to find a matching piece of S. mahogani for the top. Its hard enough to find any S. mahogani at all. Is the underside of the top exposed? Any way to sand it and get a feel for scent? That would be an easy tell if its juglans nigra or any other domestic juglans.

 

[Webb]

Did a little research and I’m coming up with 18th century based on the shape of the legs, drawer bands, and fluted columns.