Milling gorse timber

[spandit]

I want to make a small plank to take hooks for keys on and cut a thick piece of gorse today. Has anyone tried making anything from gorse wood? Hoping it will dry and remain solid or will it just fall apart?

 

Planning on using my friend's table saw and thicknesser

 

[Muddy42]

Gorse is ok a best in my experience.  The knotty curvy bits can have a bit more character, but the fast growing bits (looks like what you have) can be a bit bland and fibrous.  But by all means open it up and see.  But honestly, for the amount of work you are going to put into, just find some pretty wood - yew, laburnum, any fruit tree, then all the hardwoods.  I like holly, hazel or box which have very pure close grained pale wood.

[spandit]

I could cut some holly or hazel. I'll give this a go, though. I'm told it's good firewood - seems very dense.

[Peasgood]

"good firewood" and "best on the bonfire" are not quite the same thing. 

[spandit]

Just now, Peasgood said:

"good firewood" and "best on the bonfire" are not quite the same thing. 

Not a fan?

[Peasgood]

Never had any big enough to qualify as firewood tbh but I would be happier putting it on the bonfire than getting prickled to feck sorting the good bits out. Hawthorn is good firewood but you are at high risk of septic splinters getting that far with it.

Same as all wood, if it is dry, free and you haven't anything better it's fine.

[woody paul]

Never bothered cutting gorse by hand always ripped it out with loader or digger, or just mulched it with flail hedge cutter.