Any experience with Alaska Yellow Cedar?
#11
I am curious how Alaska Yellow Cedar (AYC) compares to other durable--outdoor furniture--woods? I prefer locally native wood. I need to plan for new deck furniture, after the deck is rebuilt. The AYC will benefit from air drying a few months. I've built several Red Cedar chairs over the years, but am considering new material and AYC seems to be a better species for furniture.

This is probably a US West Coast question. Yellow Cedar is even rare here because the Asian market snaps it up. But I have found an unusually large offering of it, mainly for outdoor decking. However, looking at it in the lumber yard, it seems to have all the headaches that Red Cedar carries. And possibly, more.

To compound the confusion, the yard has been collecting Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) also. That and AYC are almost two peas in a pod, visually. Also, my data is Alaska based (slow growth) and the material is British Columbia sourced, which could mean softer wood.

If Western Red Cedar (WRC) wants to split, it usually has by the time it reaches the lumber yard. Warp and twist are the common surprise. And, it is easy to identify really good 'old-growth' wood, the safest and easiest to work.

Yellow Cedar, milled and kiln dried, is gorgeous to look at fresh under the mill wraps. If cream--uniformly cream--is pretty. But, heartwood and sapwood are hard to distinguish (also, grain) and AYC sapwood is not durable. Also, the lumber can split horribly after exposure to weather; even kiln dried wood. This is why I want to let it rest for several months.

The advantage of AYC over WRC is everything the Properties Tables say! Strength, and mechanical properties are impressive. Gluing is better than red cedar. Hardware in WRC requires careful planning. I hope density of AYC will improve screwed attachments.

Didn't intend to go so far with this.... But, anyway, has anyone worked with Alaska Yellow Cedar to a level to pass judgement?
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#12
I live just north of you, and lived for 6 years on Haida Gwaii ( formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands ).

With shame, I have to admit that I wasn't a woodworker when we lived there 20+ years ago, and I am guilty of burning, for house heating firewood, some of the most beautiful, creamy YC ( actually a Cypress) you could imagine. It makes great firewood if dried properly BTW.

It makes for durable outdoor furniture I am told, but it greys just like WRC if not kept up finish wise.
It is strong as can be, makes great siding and shakes, but you don't see it often as it is indeed snapped up by the overseas market. In fact, in 1992 when we lived on HG, yellow cedar cants were going for $6,000.00 per 1,000 board feet - IN CANT FORM!! The wood buyer I spoke to said ' the Japanese were buying up nearly everything he had, as long as it looked like ' plastic ' ''. They were also buying whole logs and sinking them in lakes for future use.

The Canadian Navy has 5 1950's vintage mine sweepers that are YC hulled ( impressive boats - I had a tour in about 1995) so it has its place to be sure.

It is soft at times and stringy when planning, so tool sharpness is paramount. I use it or Pacific Yew if I am making anything project wise, if forced to use a softwood.
I just gifted a board to a young man - 1'' x 5'' x 96'' and without a word of a lie, there were over 80 growth rings per inch - crazy.

I don't think you will regret using it for outdoor furniture at all. Just make sure the end grain can't soak up water, and you use a good finish.
Good Luck!!
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#13
Thanks, Dave. I believe you, after losing count on some WRC I have. Maybe, what I am looking at has grain too tight to distinguish! The material properties Alaska posts (Haida Gwaii is close enough) puts it up with most US hardwoods. The taxonomists change the name every decade. I learned Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, and I am sticking with that.

I think I will splurge. For decking, AYC is nearly 150% the cost of similar WRC. I don't have chairs designed yet, so will be guessing a total quantity. Chairs will be hard, literally, and design-wise. I rarely use wood chairs due to discomfort. Maybe, wood frames and fabric body contact?

I thought Incense Cedar might work, and picked up a 4x4 a year ago. It's pretty dry/stable now. That stuff is incredibly light! Almost balsa class.

I forgot.... Stainless hardware. No cheating with deck screws this time...
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#14
I've worked with AYC and have a small stock in my garage from a local sawmill who gets his stuff from alaska.

I have not used it on outdoor furniture, but for Haida art projects and greenland kayak paddles.

It carves and takes detail very well and is much stronger, decay and bug resistant than WRC based on the documents I've read. No doubt it is more suitable for furniture than WRC, though I'm sure you are aware of the low quality of the cedar that is generally aware of.
Cellulose runs through my veins!
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#15
It's the Japanese temple wood, I was told. I built a cedar strip canoe with it. I'm very allergic to western red, but OK with yellow.
A man of foolish pursuits
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#16
It carves like butter, planes nicely and smells AWESOME! We brought Peter Follansbee, to AK last year and made 17th century style boxes with it. Peter enjoyed working it, he took a bunch of wide boards home with him.

Jonathan


I only regret the tools I didn't buy!

“Think about it: Everything with a power cord eventually winds up in the trash.” John Sarge
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#17
I worked for a time as a millwright in yellow cedar sawmill. When I told a millwright friend where I was working, he said" Sorry to hear you have to work in such a stinky place"
A man of foolish pursuits
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#18
hbmcc said:


AYC is nearly 150% the cost of similar WRC.




I'd be happy to get AYC at that premium over WRC.
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#19
All I know about it is that it is great for outdoor signs.

Arlin
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification.  Thank You Everyone.

It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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#20
I think I will shuffle on over next week and feed my Prius. But there is nowhere to store the wood. I have too many projects!

Price can be all over the place, but comparable grades for decks weren't too different. 5/4x6 WRC is $1.28; and AYC is $1.00. I am thinking there is a soft market. Like I mentioned, AYC is rare here and only little bits have shown up at specialty yards.

I remember now that you mention, Follansbee having a good time with AYC when he was up in Alaska. It is definitely good for carving. I spent time sniffing for fragrance, but it wasn't what I was expecting.
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