What About Pear...

[Greg H]

For cleets on a small boat?
I know it's used for tool handles and I have a chunk of it that I've been triping over.

[Donn]

I'd think pear would make fine cleats. It's lovely wood to carve and turn...made alot of treen with it. It's certainly strong enough, and, with a good finish, should hold up well. I had orchard wood, constantly pruned, and full of beautiful knots.

[Mrleft8]

Pear is very weak. It's pretty wood, but not strong.
If I were making wooden cleats, from found wood.... I'd try to find Dogwood, or american hornbeam, osage orange, white mulberry, hackberry, even american elm....

[Donn]

Pear is plenty strong enough for a small boat. We're not talking about mooring a multi-ton cruiser here....the man said a small boat. Plus, it's a pretty wood....very important. Greg...If you can't find something to do with that chunk, ship it to me, and I send you back a nice carving.

[Greg H]

I may need some name plates, Donn smile.gif
My concern with pear is, the trees have a tendancy to split. I never thought about Mulberry, and there is one I can get a branch from, but I'd have to wait for it to dry. Hmmm.
I've been waiting for the Locust to drop a branch, but no luck yet. Maybe Holly? Could be good for fairleads and turn buttons, I know it's hard, but I don't know how strong it is.
Ever worked with Zelkova serrata?

[ 01-01-2003, 09:12 AM: Message edited by: Greg H ]

[Donn]

I don't know if I've ever even seen a seratta...Japanese Zelkova...an elm. Never carved elm. Pear that I've worked with was done green, and soaked in PEG....never even checked, much less split.

[Mrleft8]

... And this is why yer called "Loon"....Right? :D

[imported_Steven Bauer]

I got about 20 1' long pieces of 5/4" x 6" ipe if you want one of them. I don't know what it would cost to ship, though. This is the hardest, heaviest, oiliest(sp) wood I've ever worked with. It makes oak seem like balsa :D
Steven

[Memphis Mike]

Pear trees, as a whole, are weak. We have
a species of Pear here called the Bradford.
It's non fruit bearing. When we had our
last big ice storm they sustained more
damage than any other tree in the area.
But that's the whole tree. I see no reason
why a cleet made of pear would not be strong
enough to do the job.

What good is a locust tree except for shade?
They provide no fruit for wildlife, at least
not to the best of my knowledge. Locust makes
darn good boat wood and good fence posts too.

JAHHO.

[Donn]

I have half a black locust in the backyard, and it provides damn little shade. It litters the backyard throughout the season, with everything from seedpods to dead twigs and leaves....but the birds absolutely love the tree! During daylight hours, there's never less than several dozen birds, of almost every local variety, it this tree. They clean their beaks and faces (yes, Meerkat, and lips) on the branches. Kingfishers sit on the branch that overhangs the canal, and fish from there. Doves roost on the sunny side of the tree. Sparrows chase each other around (as do squirrels). The male Cardinals sit up high, and direct the females in their nest-building activities. A Night-Heron stages in the tree every evening at dusk, before moving down closer to the canal.

The tree is also a structural statement in my yard. There are no trees, south of this Locust, that are as tall or as old, on my street. The bay has gotten all the rest of the trees to the south (and will ultimately get my locust). Last summer, I had a limb that was overhanging the boathouse removed...and now I have nearly half a cord of Locust in various sizes and formats, to play with.

I love Locust trees and shrubs.

[Memphis Mike]

Wait till ya cut one down. It'll have
lots of young uns! :eek: