Only Gum I've worked with is Black Gum and it was for firewood. MAJOR PITA to try.and split with a maul. You'll beat your brains out and it will be toothpicks before you got it split!
There are a small percentage of Black gum that do not have interlocked grain. You can split them with an ax. The rest, not so easy.
Another nickname is ‘poor man’s walnut’. Can be just as pretty as walnut if the tree is large enough to have a dark interior. That tree definitely looks big enough. In my experience sweet gum turns buttery smooth.
Part of that history: When separating the bad from the good walnuts, the bad ones would be placed in a tar lined bucket. After they brown down and start to wither, you add a touch of water. Once a slurry starts (days or weeks, weather pending) you add some rubbing alcohol just before you are ready to stain. The fine grain of Sweet gum sapwood was often used. Those with a bit more money got Butternut wood and stained that. Tulip poplar was the other poor man starter wood.
Might be good for tool handles - I don't know sweet gum, but I was told the Australian red gum is used for fence posts and is very durable.
Not durable and wares bad as handle stock when high pressure is involved. As mentioned before, Red gum is just a fancy name made up to sell American Sweet gum lumber with dark heartwood, marbled heartwood and streaked heartwood.
The linky goes to your physics forum. That may have been your intention.
Yes, jump on it. Worth your time.
