WHITE ASH
They say the Iroquois hunter would look for a standing ash tree in the dead of winter when he needed fire. Of the deciduous trees that grow in the Northeast, ash is the one that stands the driest.
He fashioned his bow and arrows from its wood and split out ash pieces for his bent snowshoe frames. A notable feature of this species is an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. It is for this reason, and for its willingness to be steam-bent, that ash has been so important in traditional boat building. These properties are important in our shop too. The long, strong fibers lend strength to the chair parts that we steam bend and the mortise and tenon joints we cut. We love the sweet smell of ash when it's sawn and its warm color that ranges from bone to honey. This is a ring porous wood, sometimes referred to as open grained. These strong grain patterns appear as parallel lines or swirls and waves, which add beauty and interest to the end result.
SUGAR MAPLE
A freshly milled stack of maple wood makes a certain hard click as pieces knock together. Maple wood is hard - one of the densest hardwoods that grows in the Northeast. A sharp tool will move through it with some effort and leave a polished cut. This is a stable wood that is not quick to dry, but with patience will do so nicely and with a minimal amount of distortion or cracking.
As with any hardwood, the closer to the center of the tree the board came from, the more challenging the drying. We think the rewards justify the extra care. Though maple is relatively light in color, it darkens with age. This darkening process is called oxidation and is one of the primary ingredients of the desirable and lovely patina that maple furniture develops over time.
BEECH
Some estimates suggest that beech represented 40% or more of the hardwood in the Northeast before European settlement. One can only imagine the quality of light found beneath these enormous trees with smooth silver bark and almond-shaped leaves. Bears must have been particularly well fed in those days. Beechnuts are a favorite of bears and a host of other wildlife. Bears will climb beech trees, rip off nut-laden branches, and feast in preparation for their long winter's sleep.
We don’t harvest trees with evidence of bear activity, but we, too, are fond of beech. The sapwood is creamy, the heartwood is tan, sometimes with salmon hints, and both have conspicuous cocoa-colored flecks that add warmth and unique charm to each piece.