Sassafras?

[Brian Tax]

I have never worked with Sassafras before, but there is a guy locally (Seattle, WA) on CL that is selling some for ~3/BF, is this a good deal and what are your thoughts on this wood?

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/mat/912088318.html

Thanks, Brian

[Rick Gooden]

Fun wood to work with, smells great when milled. I will use it sometimes in place of poplar. I give $1.30/bf, @ $3/bf I would use something else but this could just be a regional thing.

[Kyle Kraft]

I once knew a feller who built boats for Lake Michigan salmon fishing and he used mass quantities of Sassafras in the hulls. Perhaps that's why it's fetching $3 b/f or maybe it's because Sassafras rarely lives long enough to be big enough to saw into lumber.

[Charles Trout]

I just built an Adirondack chair out of it...

Rick is right, it has an amazing smell when you work with it. Sweet, kinda like root beer, sometimes pungent with a hint of licorice.

I would highly recommend it, simply for it's unique aroma.

The wood itself is light and rather soft, like pine and machines easily. Dings easily as well.

I believe I paid around 2.00b/f for it.

[Mike Davin]

I used it for some raised panel doors. Easy to work with, nice color and grain. Paid aprox. $2.25/bf.

[scott spencer]

Sassafras has long been a popular substitute for oak. It's darker and has more brownish/green hue to it. The grain is contrasting much like oak, and is more fun say than "oak"....it's especially fun to hear a 7 year old who's missing their front teeth say. It seems to splinter a bit more than oak, but I'm sure that depends a lot on the moisture content. $3 isn't overly cheap but it's not bad...price is a geographical thing.