Idaho Woods????

[Tom McMillan]

My Son & Family moved to Idaho last November. He's outdoors scouting for hunting, and hunting, fishing, and doing family activities outdoors quite a lot around Idaho, and he'd like to get me some nice Idaho woods. Would appreciate any knowledge you have about what woods might be available in Idaho and where they might be found. Thanks so much for the help!!! (Don't worry Bill, he won't raid your stash of Cocobolo---I'll clue him in that's not native to Idaho.)

 

[fiferb]

A potato pen?[}][]

 

[ahoiberg]

i like the idea of a potato pen...

i think most of idaho's "native" trees are softwoods.

i'm sure there's a decent chunk of hardwoods as well, but probably mostly planted in urban areas. you might find some nice big cottonwoods also.

this link has some info about idaho's softwood trees: http://www.idahoforests.org/trees1.htm

here's another dealing with the panhandle: http://www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/eco/yourforest/trees/index.html that's got info on a few deciduous trees, cottonwood, aspen, birch, most likely found long rivers.

i just couldn'd dig much up on hardwoods there but just go around your neighborhood, take some pictures, post them and we'll tell ya what they are! []

 

[gokartergo]

I used to hunt in Idaho a lot.. The trees I loved we called quakies.. Not sure if that is correct or not. But the color changes are very, very beautiful in the leaves... I now that didn't help.. But I just got a mental picture of them.. Brings back a lot of great memories.. Thanks

 

[wdcav1952]

Dan, I believe you are remembering quaking aspen trees (Populus tremuloides).

 

[Tom McMillan]

Thanks guys!! I don't live in Idaho myself--my Son now lives in Nampa and has been traveling around some to see new country for him in Idaho. Seems they call Nampa the city of trees?---and when I was there I did see some neat looking old trees in the town---will have him keep his eyes open for opportunities. I was thinking most of the trees native to Idaho might be soft woods too. Thanks also for the links, will check them out.

 

[ilikewood]

Hi Tom....we have quite a few good species here that are fairly good to turn. In the southeast section there is Box Elder. Everywhere in the south, there is Russian Olive (a weed tree that actually has nice burls at times...watch out for the 2" thorns though). Sagebrush actually can be used (the roots are the best). We have Desert Ironwood, but there are some regulations about picking it up. In the north, there are the same trees as what you have in Washougal, but no Devils Club.[]

 

[ilikewood]

OOPS, sorry to correct you Tom, but Boise is the the city of trees (Boise is french for tree I hear).

 

[gokartergo]

Originally posted by wdcav1952
<br />Dan, I believe you are remembering quaking aspen trees (Populus tremuloides).

Yep that's them.. Love those trees.. How is aspen to turn???

 

[Tom McMillan]

Thanks for the info Bill---that'll help to let him know what to look for. No problem, thought my Son told me that about the city of trees, but maybe he said Boise. But, there were a lot of interesting looking old trees in older residential areas in Nampa I saw when I helped him move.

 

[bjackman]

Yep that's them.. Love those trees.. How is aspen to turn???

Quaking Aspen is very soft to turn. I would say softer than most pine I've turned. You would probably want to have it stabilized or do it yourself with thin CA.
It also spalts very nicely and easily.

 

[jclark58]

I grew up inIdaho prior to relocating to Arizona 10 year ago. Quaking Aspen is one of my favorite wood to turn, any time we go back to visit family I alway stry to bring some back with me. It's so soft it really makes you feel like a hero with the big heavy cuts you can take. Like bjackman said it spalts easily, sometimes a little too easily.

Below are 2 pieces of Quaking Aspen I recently finished. Both are 8" across.

Jason