anybody ever worked with applewood I’m building a towel rack with wood off of our apple trees and was wondering dry times and best stain to bring out the grain of the wood
My favorite wood oil is Watco Danish Wood Oil. It really brings out the beauty in cherry. I have never used it on apple. It’s not a stain but I really like it. JW nailed the dry time but you could use it a little green. It might warp a little but as long as it doesn’t split. Towels won’t care.
Have worked with it occasionally for 35+ yrs.Very high shrinkage,tends to warp/split badly cause of its density & way the tree grows. Even straight grained knot free stuff can be a problem.End sealing with a wax emulsion is best (Anchorseal or similar brand of green wood sealer),even old paint or black jack roofing tar helps some) to slow the drying down.It needs some air to prevent mould & mildew but too much exposure to strong winds can cause premature cracking. Beautiful stuff for small projects,especially lathe turned items such as bowls,candlesticks,various tool handles.Back in the day the venerable handsaw maker Henry Disston & Sons of Philadelphia used Applewood for handles on their top of the line saws,from the 1870's up until the early 40's.Pennsylvania was a huge apple producer at the time & there was a plentiful supply of raw material from all the huge older non producing trees that would be culled in orchards on a regular basis. Since the tiny by comparison dwarf trees with hardly any wood hadn't been thought up yet. I prefer a natural color (no stains) to my projects so its usually rubbed in Watco Oil or similar product,followed by a clear varnish or lacquer.Depending on item's intended use.
It tests your patience both in drying & later when working it,but is well worth it IMO.Can be rough on cutting tools but finishes very smoothly,takes high polish. I have a couple late 19th century smaller wooden planes & a same age screwdriver handle made from it,like Black Cherry it looks better with age I think.Deep reddish/purplish brown,maroon almost sometimes.
Well thanks for the info fellas I guess I’ll get it prepped and let it dry. I left about 3” on either end to account for splitting. No worry about it being straight I intended it to be a little twisted. Wife likes the rougher look and clear as opposed to stain. This I’m actually making out of what we call here Water suckers These trees haven’t been pruned in 10-15 years So I’m pruning hard and they’ll either live or die
I take a pass or using it for projects where straight wood is required. I had a few pieces of apple that I put through my band saw. The pieces warped after being sawn. I think apple can have internal streesses, and once sawn, moves where it needs to. It is dense and better for small projects. I also have used Watco Danish oil with good results. Bit does darken the color a little, it pops grain depth out. Post up your project when finished. We'd love to see how it turned out.
Stains rarely bring out figure in wood grain. As many stated above, "natural" finished will be best for that. ***Warning*** If you use the following info, dispose of rags safeley. There's a significant likelihood they will spontaneously combust. Watco will too by the way. (it is mostly boiled linseed oil with some poly solids in it.) I soak mine with water and sit them under a stone in the middle of my fire pit until they dry. For a great looking oil style finish, mix 1 to 3 parts turpentine, 1 to 2 parts boiled linseed oil, and 1 part oil based poly or spar varnish. More turps and blo will penetrate deeper but build slower, less will run thicker and build faster. Lay it on heavy with a rag or brush to the point of pooling. Let it sit for ten minutes then wipe off the excess and rub it in to the wood with a soft rag that won't leave lint. I use cut up old t-shirts. Scuff sand with 120 or finer between coats and do at least three coats allowing 24hrs in between application. This finish is beautiful, water resistant, and tough. I actually use it on the floors in my house.
Wood from fruit trees can also be used for baby toys as it is not toxic if they chew/gum/keep it in their mouth for long periods of time.
