Beavers are natural carvers

Last week my daughter and I went for a walk in the Don Valley Brick Works Park, which sits in Toronto’s extensive ravine network. You would never know it was once a quarry for the nearby Brickworks, as it has been extensively restored to include the establishment of a wetland, a great place to walk and see an abundance of bird life in the middle of a major city. What I didn’t expect to see was one of Canada’s national symbols making a mess of the trees, setting up residence somewhere in the myriad of ponds. Now beavers have lived in the area for years, with archaeological finds dating back to almost 130,000 years ago, when 200 pound beavers the size of black bears roamed the land.

The beavers presence is hard to miss, a myriad of trees cut down with the signature beaver cutting method, the remainder caged up to prevent more deforestation. What an incredible animal. It only takes it 5 minutes to bring down an 8 foot tree. Imagine having a chisel that continuously grew, and actually sharpened itself through the process of being used? In addition the enamel on their teeth is laced with iron, which is the reason their teeth have a reddish-brown colour. Not surprising the targeted trees were among their favourites – cottonwoods and likely some poplars. Surprisingly the conifers weren’t even touched, likely because they don’t like them (maybe they taste bad because of the tannins and sap).

Beaver teeth may also have been prized tools for indigenous peoples of North America, used as a gouge for cutting grooves for fashioning utensils such as wooden spoons and bowls. In fact beaver’s teeth have been used to carve what is considered the oldest wooden statue in the world, some 11,000 years old. If you look closely it’s amazing how beautifully smooth the cut marks are. A certain level of craftsmanship abounds in the beaver’s ability to cut down a tree. What if they had the ability to carve? I mean they are exquisite engineers, being one of the few animals that actively reengineers its landscape to suit its requirements. Recently Japanese artist Aki Inomata created a series of sculptures using the talents of various beavers from zoos in Japan. One has to ask who is the artist?

Alutiiq (Sugpiaq) artist chisel (<1884), Peabody Essex Museum

The trees? Never fear, it seems the beaver also understands the ancient art of coppicing. They seem to be growing back already.

Why MDF is just horrible

I never really liked the idea of making anything with chip-board (particle-board), although having said that it does exist in my home in the guise of kitchen cabinet carcasses, and IKEA closets. I also have some vintage mid-century modern furniture where uses it as a base for veneer. I mean from a sustainability point of view it’s not a bad way to made flat sheet material from leftovers of the lumber industry. The wood-based product I dislike the most though is MDF, or Medium-Density Fiberboard.

Of course it is beloved by the likes of interior designers and some furniture makers. Maybe because it is cheap, and straight? But it is more sinister than chipboard, deeming some to term it the “asbestos of the 90’s“. Sure it can be manufactured to just about any thickness, it’s easy to cut into just about any shape, easily moulded, veneered and painted. I mean I even have a piece on the top of by Festool MFT. it is just a compound of wood dust and scrap bonded together by a resin containing formaldehyde. And here in lies the problem – when it is cut it releases a cloud of wood dust coated with formaldehyde. I mean that just isn’t good for you. The worst thing though, is when I see people not using proper respiratory protection when cutting it (construction people, DIY, and novice woodworkers alike). People should be using a respirator with cartridges approved for dust and formaldehyde.

Like asbestos, MDF has been touted as a wonder product, but like asbestos it may be as equally as deadly, at least in the production phases. So much so, that I won’t really think it should be used by DIY enthusiasts. Woodworkers should stick to plywood. I get that it is good for woodworking jigs etc because it is so flat, but we should try and avoid it where possible – Baltic birch may be a better choice. Seemingly it’s not very green either. While chip-board is typically made from recycled lumber or wood waste, MDF can be made from virgin wood, typically from plantations. There are greener alternatives on the market now, like rice-stalk MDF.

P.S. The benefit of buying vintage furniture (1950s-1970s) is that if it does contain chip-board made with formaldehyde, it most likely off-gassed years ago.