[kelsochris]

Every now and then I buy green lumber and dry it. A guy at an area sawmill has three cottonwood logs he said he can cut pretty cheap. If any what have you used it for.

 

[Steve Neul]

Cottonwood works about like poplar or willow. It kinda has the appearance of basswood so if you don't mind bland wood go for it.

 

[firemedic]

It's a close cousin to poplar - stinks to HIGH HEAVENS when you mill it. A lot of my buddy's saw mill is built from cotton wood timbers. It's prone to rotting but if kept dry it last a long time.

It shrinks a lot so be sure it's milled thicker than you will need it once dry.

I know of boats and skiffs being built of it but I can't think of any great furniture uses - except secondary perhaps.

Edit-
Oh and it spalts readily.

 

[kelsochris]

Yeah I'm starting to rethink this. I had worked a small amount a few years back and thought I would revisit it. Given the info you all have shared and what I got from other sources I will probably pass on it now. I'll probably look into some hackberry or something similar. I was looking for something I could pick up cheap and dry myself to build a few things in a couple of years.