# Cherry Questions



## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

I have several cherry questions. 

Does cherry get the spalting like other woods I have seen pictures of on this forum? Does a tree have to be on the ground to spalt? I have a cherry tree that blew over in a storm last summer. It is a leaner, maybe 16" in dia., and the only thing in contact with the ground is the stump. Will this tree get any spalt leaning or does it have to be on the ground? Should I cut it now or let it go longer? It blew over in July.

I've seen a pic of a cherry crotch that had a feather like walnut does. Are feather crotches common in cherry? What other common Midwestern woods show a "feather" when the crotch is sawed?

Thanks, Gary


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Gary,

Spalting does occur in cherry, but seems to be rare and even more rare for black-line spalting (which I have only ever seen in one pic of European black cherry) ... it's sometimes more of a discoloration/rotten look.

Feather crotch likewise, does occur in cherry but also seems to be pretty rare. They sawyers on this forum will be able to tell you more about that than I can.

You can find out lots more about cherry and a little more about spalting on my site.

Paul


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

*Generally speaking* 1)* cherry heartwood does not spalt-2)*spalt occurs in a downed log (on the ground) better/easier/faster-3)*cherry can show crotch feather...

Having said that I will show examples that are exceptions to the rule. This white oak laid in the mud for untold years. It was so soft on the outside I could shove my finger in the wood to the second knuckle...But it milled out beautiful heartwood.

































While this white oak (a very rot resistant species and that is what spalt is=rot) Spalted standing, this is a picture of the end the day it was cut down.









And what it looked like milled out.

















But that last example is rare, I will probably never see a spalted white oak again, nothing to that extreme anyway.

So cherry _can_ spalt (if white oak can anything can)...and a tree can spalt standing...But I don't think your standing cherry tree is going to spalt. IMO waiting/hoping for spalt in cherry is just inviting bugs to come eat it. I would mill it sooner rather than later.

As far as crotch feather, yes cherry is one of the hardwoods that can show good figure. Any tree with a fork/crotch can...but it doesn't mean they will. You mention walnut, one of my favorite crotches to mill...many show feather, but not all and you don't know for sure what you will have until you open it up. It may be bark included/rotten/just boring.

Species in our neck of the woods that can show feather that I like to mill, walnut-cherry as mentioned, elm, mulberry, white oak can be nice, pecan, just about any fruit tree (apple-plum are a couple good ones) Well as I am typing I realize the list is long, so I am not going to continue. Generally speaking darker woods show better feather...given it grew right and is sawn right. But like I said even with years of experience I'm not 100% sure what I will get until I see it sawn open... It's always worth a shot though, 4/10 is good enough odds for me (4 being nice/6 being so-so) those 4 can be awesome and make up for the disapointment of the rest.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Great Pics Daren:thumbsup:,

Got a question re: book matching. I always notice (have to have) one edge squared/sawn but my question is... Do you cut this before or after slicing and if it's prior...is it a guess or do you split log down center or offset??? is most of it planned or just happens???

Have a Blessed day,
Tim


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Tennessee Tim said:


> is most of it planned or just happens???


Not sure I understand the question...but yes everything is planned (right or wrong) Planned before I ever fire the mill, planned before I even pick up the log to set it on the deck. I look at a log and decide where/what face I am going to make my first cut-the rest of the cuts follow.

As far as sawing bookmatches the 2 logs above I knocked the log into a cant, I had to the sapwood was too punky. From that heartwood square I just milled straight down and kept the lumber in sequence=bookmatches. I don't always square a cant, sometimes (on highly valuable logs ) I just saw through and through, flitch sawing, keeping the lumber in boule form. The flitches are later sold/used as bookmatches.


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

Thanks Daren, for the great reply to my questions. Also, thanks for the link to your site Paul...it's an amazing site, the first time I've seen it. Gary


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## jarheadmike (Feb 9, 2014)

Ok, if cherry is rot resistant then what is this..



















I have a log cabin home up in NY that I plan to retire to in a few years. A couple years ago my father in law had some of live standing trees removed from my property that was near power lines. The mill didn't want some of the logs so my father inlaw had it milled out for me along with a lot of ash, red oak, and pine. 1 year later I traveled back up there on leave and took a few boards (looked like pictures with out white rot spots)) home. The wood milled out beautifully full of curls. (Wood was all stacked and stick in covered shed). Now 1 year later I go back to get a lot more with woodworking plans and it still looks beautiful with these light spots that are soft and all over the boards. What the hell is it?


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Cherry is NOT rot resistant; they stated above it's not likely to spalt (just one form of rot). I've sawn up cherry firewood that is solid on the outside, but the inside crumbles in your hand.


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