The Workshop: "when I find western cedar I buy it"

I know grown men who discuss - at great length, often drawing tears from close friends - their favourite types of wood and best deals on slats or planks. I'm one of them, and many of my lumber tales relate to one particular theme: I'm drawn irresistibly toward western red (WR) cedar.

Who wouldn't be, I ask? It cuts and stacks beautifully and smells delicious.

["Three bird feeders from WR cedar from local store"]

["The wood was half price because of a few mars"]

["No more mars; I cleaned it up and went to work"] 

["Can you make feeders from better lumber (fence slats)?"]

Delicate or precision cuts are usually completed without problem (but, one should be careful when cutting through very dry knots so that projectiles are kept to the minimum). Finished results often require just one last look and rub down with a cotton cloth, not a manufactured finish found in a can.

Three times in the last two months I've found gold mines of WR cedar, and future projects, e.g., over the next 2 - 3 years, will be enriched with the best wood money can buy (or scroungers like me can find).

One - Gord finds a gold mine

Two - Gord finds another gold mine

Three - Two weeks ago I found treasure under a dirty tarp at a local lumber yard. Though I named it 'the mouse pile' for good reason, I knew a sponge and bucket of warm soapy water would clean off the dust, dirt and grime. And it did. The lumber yard was happy to see it go, though they didn't appreciate the little dance I did as I filled my trunk. Then I shed many tears and sang heroic Scottish folk songs all the way home. I won't say more until I've had my fill of it.

Do you like to wax eloquent re WR? Begin now. I'm listening.

Photos by GH

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Please click here to read The Workshop: "cats fit right in"