question on box elder

[Roger Chandler]

Hi all,
I have noticed some beautiful turnings with box elder. The reds in the wood make exquisite turnings. Having never seen any at local lumber suppliers, I have a question as to where it grows [I live in Virginia] can it be harvested by going out in the woods and cutting a tree [storm damaged of course] or do I need to go to a specialty supplier on the internet?

Your expertise would be most welcomed!

 

[Art Deboo]

Box Elder

Box Elder or Manitoba Maple grows quickly and plentiful here in Ontario.
A soft Maple not always containig the so disired red color.
It seems to be most visual in stressed wood or a tree containing burls.
It is most often seen in the first 10 feet of growth in the above mentioned tree.

 

[john lucas]

Around here Box Elder has color if it's in a stressed environment such as in a farm lot or near power lines or in a yard. We rarely seen color in the ones that are in the woods.
Be aware that the red fades extremely fast in direct sunlight. It will last for years in a house with a good finish on it but does eventually lose the brightness and after about 10 years will start to turn brown.

 

[Aaron G+11]

Box elder grows in Maryland and No. Virginia. It looks pretty much like silver maple, until you cut into it. The color is the trees response to an infestation of the box elder beetle.

 

[Arkriver]

Box elder is pretty widely distributed. A look at the distribution map shows it occurs in perhaps 40 or more states. It is scattered in Colo, Ariz, NM, and Utah were it usually does not get very large. I can't speak for its size in the Eastern States

 

[Gary Chapman]

Box elder

I cut some from a tree that had fallen on a farm of a friend of mine.
I cut from all parts of the tree but did not find andy red.
I found a beautiful piece of driftwood in the Ohio river last weekend and but into it to find it was an elder and had some large red areas.
You just never know until you start most times.
We have the box elder all over Indiana.

 

[Charlie Knighton]

Roger,

[I live in Virginia

depending on what part of Virginia you live on, you might try the New River valley, around Blacksburg and Radford. the best bet is drive down beside the New River and look for organized multiple camp sites and then look for country store. inquire within. there should be several around what is known as the "Falls". in the spring is when the locals cut, it is private land so take some "trade goods"

throughout the rest of the state along streams, remember most of it is private land

enjoy

ps: Roger, are you going to Fisherville?????

 

[Roger Chandler]

Virginia symposium - Fishersville

Roger,



depending on what part of Virginia you live on, you might try the New River valley, around Blacksburg and Radford. the best bet is drive down beside the New River and look for organized multiple camp sites and then look for country store. inquire within. there should be several around what is known as the "Falls". in the spring is when the locals cut, it is private land so take some "trade goods"

throughout the rest of the state along streams, remember most of it is private land

enjoy

ps: Roger, are you going to Fisherville?????

Charlie,
I live 40 miles from Fishersville, and that is affirmative in my plans. The woodturners club I belong to has our president highly involved in bringing this symposium to fruition.

Regards. . .

 

[idahohay]

Box elder grows in Maryland and No. Virginia. It looks pretty much like silver maple, until you cut into it. The color is the trees response to an infestation of the box elder beetle.

Box elder bugs are often found on maples and ash as well. Some studies such as http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/php/research/redstain/
suggest reasons other than bugs for the red color that is found in both the male and female trees. The box elder bugs are usually found on the seed bearing trees and only eat on the vegetation and lay eggs on the bark. In no part of their life cycle do they bore into the tree.

hr

 

[Tony Latham]

As you can see in this picture, the red can be associated with damage....

TL

 

[Aaron G+11]

Interesting article. Thanks for the new info.

 

[Wyatt Holm]

There are quite a few here in Utah, however I have not used much with red. I found one that was fairly rotten with a little. I like to turn box elder, turns like butter.