GG’s,

This discussion of end grain boxing begs the question “How did they ever find
quantities of quarter-swan pith-free Boxwood in widths greater than the length
of a wooden molding plane?”

Am I missing something? Would not a 9-1/2” piece of 90-degree end grain without
the pith require a tree more than 19” on diameter after barking?  A 9-1/2” piece
with 45-degree grain could come out of a 7” piece of QS, and that’s still bigger
than any Box tree I know of because again one must account for the pith.

Many years ago, there was a discussion of Box trees on the Porch, and some
knowledgeable person came up with the correct Latin name(s) for the genera (
possible just Buxus? ) and species used on old tools. ( Note: I had to look up
the plural of genus. )

The only boxwood I’ve ever seen for sale was about 30 years ago, the Lee Valley
store in Toronto had a stock of kiln-disinfected bark-on Boxwood about 2 to
2-1/2 inches in diameter.  One cannot get much end grain out of that!

As an aside, I now wish I’d purchased and planted some Box TREES way back when
it was identified on this list. It could have been a sort of legacy of my life.
Whomever harvested them in the future might have looked up at the sky and said
“Thank you for having the foresight to plant this.” Then again, perhaps s/he
would just be feeding it to a wood chipper...

I have planted a Boxwood shrub, but I think it’s the wrong species to ever yield
anything useful.

John Ruth
Wondering what would work well in place of Boxwood.