Chinaberry

[Cody Colston]

I need to pick the collective forum brain again. I have some Chinaberry in 4/4 and 8/4 that I sawed a couple days ago. It's stickered and air drying for now. I've never dried or worked with Chinaberry before but I have a cabinet project in mind for it.

My plan is to let it air dry for a couple of weeks and then put it in the solar kiln for another 3 weeks while I'm away at work. I was thinking it would be ready to bring into the shop when I get back home.

Anybody familiar with Chinaberry see anything wrong with that plan? Although it's an invasive "trash" tree, nice straight logs are not easily obtained and I don't want to mess it up.

[Dennis Ford]

I have not yet sawed any, have turned it a few times. The open grain allowed it to dry fast (too fast in hot dry weather). It is very soft and easily damaged, did not warp much. It should be great for a cabinet that does not see hard use.

[Cody Colston]

Thanks, Dennis.