30 Year Old Cherry Tree

I'm going to be trimming a cherry tree that is about 24" wide at the base with two main branches that are 10" to 12" wide. This tree is growing too close to my house and the roots are a problem.

I know it takes a long time to mill and dry wood. Is there any demand for this wood green?

I would sure hope so. Cherry isn't all that common as a ukulele wood but probably should be. It is valued in other instruments like Native American flutes. There ought to be somebody in your neck of the woods willing to at least take it off your hands, if not give you a few bucks for it.

Frankly I would say there isn't that much demand for green, unseasoned cherry as a lutherie wood. Interesting that you are from Oregon where cherry isn't native so it is probably an eastern black cherry tree (Prunus serotina) that was a planted cultivar. This is nice wood. However after you get done milling and seasoning it, it is still just cherry wood and one can buy it pretty cheap at the local lumber yard. Not to be confused with the European cherry which is another cup of tea altogether. Both woods make a fine ukulele I'm sure, I just don't find the figure very interesting. I have no idea how it sounds.

Unless it happens to contain figured wood, in which case it will be of value and worth processing. Chances of figure are extremely slim though.

Convert this cherry tree - sell or give away the crotches to wood turners but do nt use branch wood for ukulele parts. It is not stable. This will make excellent tool handles or firewood!

Pete Howlett said:

Convert this cherry tree - sell or give away the crotches to wood turners but do nt use branch wood for ukulele parts. It is not stable. This will make excellent tool handles or firewood!

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As one who has processed many thousand feet of cherry both sawing and kiln drying. Do your homework and ignore most of what the Europeans say! Crotch wood is very seldom good is a true statement for most woods........but in cherry there are some exceptions. Martin for a number of years has used Cherry Necks for guitars.

I love well quartered cherry.

My best sounding tenor is made of cherry.

That may be so Kevin but I would never recommend crotch wood when using such thin sections - it will move in a way which is unopredictable as will branch wood. I have extensive experience using highly figured solid wood and veneers both in furniture making and instrument making. One of thre key offenders in this department is koa which looks stunning when flamed but willl never fremain 'flat' because of the continuing chnage in direction of grain. The crotch of the tree is a massive strerss point both when the tree is alive and when converted. Secondary limb wood has always been sold as a 'second grade' here in the UK and will exhibit irregulart annualar rings and growth. Might be a different matter in the US.