Shedding light on the Ghost of the Forest

I T IS KNOWN as "The Ghost of I the Forest." After shedding its outer bark in irregular patches during the late fall, the tree maY stand out in the forest on a dark winter night due to the stark white expanses of its smooth inner bark.

This shedding tree is sYcamore (Platanus occidentalis), an abundant hardwood used primarily to manufacture furniture and furniture parts. The wood is claimed to possess selflubricating properties and, as such, has been used for years in the construction of drawer slides. It somewhat resembles the more costlY maple and birch, resulting in its use as a substitute for or a comPlement to these hardwoods in millwork and cabinetry.

Sycamore has also been used for paneling, interior trim, slackcooperage, flooring, handles, butcher blocks, novelties and accessories, while the lower grades go into shipping containers.

The tree features a thin, scaly, brown bark on the lower Part of the trunk and very thin greenish bark on the upper trunk and limbs. During the autumn, this upPer bark will shed, exposing bare areas of white or pale green inner bark, which becomes darker come the following summer.

The tree grows throughout almost every state east of the Great Plains, except for Minnesota and the northernmost areas of Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine. But it is most abundant in the moist Deep South. SYca- more is seldom seen in dry areas, though plentiful in the rich soil along the borders of streams and lakes. One reason sycamore has become so abundant is its expansive method of dissemination. The sycamore fruit is a round, closely-pressed ball about one inch in diameter, made up of thousands of tiny individual seeds attached to a three to six inch stem. When dry, the seeds will blow for long distances in the wind and, being very light, will also float on water.

Story at a Glance

Sycamore can substitute for maple, birch . . Plentiful in the Southern states... inexPensive, lots of untaPPed Potential.

season. and plain-sawn stock, if placed under adverse moisture conditions, may be subject to slight movement due to its interlocking grain. In addition, it is not considered durable under conditions favorable to decay.

Still, many consider the finished surface of true quarter-sawn sycamore to be unsurPassed in sheer natural beauty. Its subtle wood is pinkish to flesh color, the heartwood several shades darker than the sapwood. When quartered, sycamore will resist warping, cupping, splitting and shrinkage.

The fine grain wood is moderatelY heavy, hard, stiff, strong and shock resistant, displaying intermediate nail-holding capabilities. It turns well on the lathe and has good bending qualities. Sycamore must be surfaced with a high-speed cutter, since low speeds may chip the wood. Its grain is rather fine and subdued.

American sycamore, also known as planetree, buttonball or buttonwood, is the only sycamore found in the eastern United States. Two others (California sycamore and Arizona sycamore) are native to the West, although theY are both commercially unimportant.

Yet sycamore's growth well exceeds its cut. The wood is diffrcult to

The tree does hold one distinction among its peers: sycamore trees have grown to greater uniform diameters than any other hardwood in the North American forest. Trees have beenreported with trunks more than 10 feet wide, consistent for their entire height of 130 to 140 feet. Still, this is the exception. Most felled logs will measure between 16 and 30 inches in diameter at the small end.

Sycamore is a neglected hardwood. readily available as lumber and veneer and comparatively quite inexpensive. Its uses are many, but its potential has yet to be taPPed.

PowerToolsOf The Trade

A 24-p. pneumatic power tool catalog is free from Nitto Kohki U.S.A.. lnc.. 808-C N. Central Ave., Wood Dale, ll. 601 91.

See Saw Sales

A saw blade and related products catalog is free from American Saw & Mfg. Co., by calling(800) 628-3030.

Silent Walking Floors

"The Mystery of the Squeaky Floor," a brochure on a new floor system, is free from Trus Joist Corp., Box 60, Boise,1d.83707.

Look Into Sunrooms

A 4-p. screen room booklet is free from Alcan Building Products, Box 1100. Warren. Oh. 44482.

Pine Span Tables

The 12-p. "Southern Pine Maximum Spans for Floor Joists with Heavy Live Loads" is free from Southern Forest Products Association, Box 52468, New Orleans, La.70152.

Gardening By Ear

A multi-volume series of audio-cassette garden guides may be ordered from Garden Way Publishing, Schoolhouse Rd., Pownal, Vt. 05261, or (800) 4415700.

Blueprint For Success

"How to Become a Master Sales Builder," a hardcover guide tomultiplying sales, is $20 from Personal Selling Power, Box 5467, Falmouth Dr., Fredericksburg, Ya.22403.

SaveYour Energy

"A Guide to Superior Energy Efficiency in Homes" is 650 plus a stamped, self-addressed envelope from the Mineral Insulation Manufacturers Association, 1420 King St., Alexandria, Ya.22314.

HardwoodPlywood Reports

Two 22-p. annual statistical reports, on the total U.S. supply of stock panel hardwood plywood and on prefinished wall paneling, are $250 each for nonparticipating Hardwood Plywood Manufacturers Association members and $1000 each to non-members from HPMA, Box 2789, Reston, Ya.22090.

Calling On The West

West Coast lumber mill buyer's guide is free from the West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau, Box 23145, Portland, Or.91223.

Cement & Plaster Pamphlet

Masonry & cement and drywall & plaster catalogs are free from Hyde Tools, by calling(800) USA-HYDE.

Preserve Us

A preservative and fire-retardant treatment buyer's guide is free from Western Wood Preservers Institute, 5830 Oberlin Dr., San Diego, Ca.92121.

Bright& Contemporary

A 4-p. art deco lighting brochure is free from Aamsco Mfg., Box 15119, Jersey City, N.J. 07305.

A Side Of Redwood

A 6-p. redwood siding brochure is lree from Simpson Timber Co., Box I 169. Arcata. Ca. 95521.

Weathering Hardware

A weather products catalog is free from StanleyHardware, 195 Lake St., NewBritain, Ct. 06050.

Georgia-Pacific Videos

Five different 5-min. continuous loop how-to videotapes for do-it-yourselfers are available from Georgia-Pacific, 133 Peachtree St., N.E., Atlanta, Ga. 30303.

Parquet Attendant

A solid red oak, tongue-and-groove parquet tile stuffer is free from PermaGrain Products, by calling (800) 5485000.

lmproving Orderpicking

A guide to making orderpicking more productive is free from The Raymond Corp., by calling (800) 235-7200.

Veneer Shopping

An expanded 58-p. hardwood plywood and veneer buyer's guide is free from the Hardwood Plywood Manufacturers Association, Box 2789, Reston. Ya.22090.

Directions To The Roof

"A Homeowners Guide to Quality Roohng" is 500 from Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, Box 3248, Grand Central Station, New York, N.Y. 101 63.

Rust Reversal

Converting rust to a non-rusting, paintable protective barrier is described in a free bulletin from Rust-Oleum Corp., l1 Hawthorn Pkwy., Vernon Hills, Il. 60061.

For all New Literature offerings write directly to the name and address shown in each item. Please mention that you saw it in The Merchant Magazine. Many thanks!

The Sales Floor

A hardwood flooring sales training package including two videotapes, five retail salesguides and two installer's handbooks, is available from Bruce HardwoodFloors, 16803 Dallas Pkwy., Dallas, Tx.75248.

September 1987

News Briefs

(('()ntinued front puge 18)

Sauder Industries, Vancouver, Canada. opened its lOth Hardwoods, Inc. branch in the Western U.S. in Orange, Ca.; Steve Palmer, sales mgr., Mike Leach, branch mgr. of' the wholesale distribution yard . .

(-opeland lAholesale ('o. has opened a new distribution branch in Modesto, Ca., the facility is expected to be completed by January, Donn Massett,mgr....

A tunnelfire near Willits, Ca., has halted railroad service between Humboldt County lumber nrillsand the SP railroad terminus at Willits; damage to the 600 ft. tunnel is extensive

A value of $364 million for 26,000 acres of Louisiana- Pat'i/it' timberland taken in 1978 bv the government to expand Redwood National Park has been confirmed by a San Francisco. Ca., liederal Court; L-Phas made no decision on an appeal

Mottlditrg & Millu'ork, Int'.. Irair Oaks. Ca., is building a new warehouse and office in Vinton (El Paso), Tx.

Wit'kes ('o. rvill split its conrmon stock 1 for 5 this month . . Grossrttutr ls 1lc. is ntaking a public of f'ering of I I nrillion conrnton shares. .

Tru Litte ,lltttttt/ttt'ttrring, lnc., Redntond, Or.. has been acquired by ,lesxtp Door C,,., l)owugiirc. Mi.. lr() Price revealed The Amerit'an Forest Council recognized the Western Timber .1ssot'iation, Sacramento, Ca.. with an award for innovative and effective public comntunications . .

The Perlite Institute, 1nr'. has relocated its headouarters to Chicago. Il., lrom Comnnck. N.Y.. .. Dashwood Industries, Ltd., recently acquired by Trus Joist Corp., Boise, Id., is establishing U.S. tJq in I)etroit. Mi ...

Vacancy r0tes in industrial buildings in the U.S. clinrbed to 6.1(Xr during the quarter ending June 30 economists expect mortgage and other interest rates to trend up during the rest of this year and all of 1988. sales of existing homes in July were up 0.9rh at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.-53 million unlts . .

The l\,/tttional Dt'c'ctrating l)rodtrcrs .;lssociation is markinc its ,10th anniversary . . Llnrtcrground storage tonks for oil products or chemictrls ntay be banned under a new EPA rule.