Issue 468

Issue 468

Cherry Tree, Cherry Wood

George Washington and the cherry tree. You’ve all heard the story. It’s a pretty popular motif this time of year, in all of those Presidents Day ads.

My interest as a woodworker, of course, is in the wood. I cannot tell a lie: cherry is one of my favorite woods. It has its faults, of course, or at least what some might perceive as such: cherry wood has a tendency toward burning while you’re machining it; and as a completed piece ages, it turns darker over time rather than retaining all of its redness.

But still, there’s a great beauty to this hardwood.

I have to say, I understand the temptation to cut down a cherry tree.

Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal

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