Updated 8/10/2007

Pink Ivory (Berchemia zeyheri) comes from a relatively small South-East African tree.  This heavy and beautiful wood was considered extremely rare at one time, and still commands a high price.  The loss of color in dark-dry storage is a serious problem.  I have listed and described a number of cases of color changes below. 

In living trees, the cells in the outer rings of the tree that conduct water upward (sapwood), are nearly white in color.  As the sapwood ages, the wood changes from sapwood to heartwood.  At this time, the wood usually undergoes a rapid change in color (In some tree species, the heartwood stays white). 

In Pink Ivory the color change is much more gradual than in most species.  In Pink Ivory, the white eventually changes to light pink, then pink, reddish, and a finally a full deep red color. 

It is a well known fact that in nearly every colored wood, exposure to light will cause the colored heartwood to loose color; however Pink Ivory also loses color away from light (and under low moisture conditions) in ways that are not typical. 

As to the terms used in this guide, I'm pretty much using 'wood' to mean either the tree or the wood from the tree. Botanical name (or scientific name) means the genus and species of the tree. It's often difficult to pin down a wood as to an exact identity. There are a variety of reasons for this:

One wood can have many common names. Many woods have 20 or more commonly used names that change depending where the tree is grown and the local language.

• Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) may also be called Bodare Us, Bodark, Bodeck, Bodock, Bois d'arc, Bowwood, Geelhout, Hedge, Hedge Apple, Hedge-plant, Horse Apple, Maclura, Mock Orange, Naranjo Chino, Osage, Osage Apple-tree, Rootwood, Wild Orange or Yellow-wood.

The common name is different depending on whether the tree is harvested from the wild or plantation grown.

• East Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) is sometimes called Sonokeling Rosewood when grown on plantations in Indonesia.

Many different woods have the same common name: This is also fairly common and can be very confusing.

• Lacewood from Latin American is (Roupala brasiliensis).
• Lacewood in North America is Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis).
• Lacewood in Europe is the London Plane tree (Platanus hybrida).
• Lacewood in Australia is Silky Oak (Cardwellia sublimis).
• Leopardwood also from Latin America (Roupala montana) is also often called Lacewood.

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How to identify ANY type of wood !

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Did you know that the Center for Wood Anatomy Research, in Madison, Wisconsin,  will identify a maximum of five wood samples per calendar year as a free public service to U.S. citizens?

Wood identifications can take anywhere from 5 minutes to many hours, depending on the type of wood, the size and quality of the sample, the information provided with the sample, and several other factors. Generally, identifications will be completed 2-4 weeks following receipt of the sample for temperate woods and 2-6 weeks for tropical woods. Responses are hand-written on the letter sent with the request. Samples are held for 3 months and then discarded; small samples are often destroyed in the process and are not retained.

You can contact them by sending an eMail to Alex Weidenhoeft, Botanist: acwieden@wisc.edu



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Woodworking with Burl - Cracks, Voids & Inclusions

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This guide will tell you how we (It's a Burl) work with the cracks, voids and inclusions found in burl and highly figured wood. 

When I first started I would either trim off or fill any cracks and voids. I ended up with a much smaller piece that did not look as good as when I started. It didn't take me long to figure out that I was going about things the wrong way.

Most burls will have cracks, voids and inclusions. That is a normal characteristic and if dealt with correctly can enhance the unique beauty of the piece.  Don't look at them as a flaw, but see them as part of what makes that piece unique. Instead of trying to hide them, enhance them.

A lot of the time when a burl slab is cut cross grain, it will develop radial checking. Cracks spreading from the center outward toward the edges. We like to draw attention to these. If you take a propane torch and burn into the cracks lightly it will widen the crack a little, get rid of any loose fiber and make it dark inside.  After burning take a stiff scrub brush and brush out any loose charred material.  Then sand the face of the slab as you would normally. When you apply a finish it gives the slab a rustic antiqued look. You can do the same thing on rough outer edges too.

Most burl will form scattered bark pockets or inclusions. Some larger voids. If the bark pockets are intact you can strengthen them with a little CA glue (or crazy glue). If you pack in some sanding dust or finely crumbled bark and then saturate with CA glue you can make tha...

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Lumber Measure - Inches to Board Foot

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Measuring lumber whether it be for large planks or thin shorts can be a confusing and tedious venture if you are not fortunate enough to own a log rule.  This guide follows a reference from the Lincoln Library of Essential Information that I have found very informative and very simple to use.

A board foot is a square foot of lumber one inch or less in thickness.  Thus, 7/8 inch and 3/4 inch lumber is measured and priced the same as 1-inch lumber, but for thinner material, such as 1/2 inch and 3/8 inch stock, a reduced price is made.  The number of feet, board measure, for 1 1/4 inch stock is 1 1/4 times that of an inch board.

To Find The Number Of Board Feet In A Piece Of Lumber 1 Inch Or Less: 

Multiply the length in inches times the width in inches times the thickness in inches and divide by 144.

So, if you have a board that is 15 ft. long x 8 in. wide x 7/8 in. thick:

• (15 Feet x12 Inches) x 8 in x 7/8 in  / 144
• 180 in. x 8 in x 1 in /144 = 10 board foot

If the board is 10 ft. long x 8 in. wide x 1 1/2 in. thick:

• (15 ft. x 12 in.) x 8 in. x 1 1/2 in
• 180 in. x 8 in. x 1 1/2 in. / 144 = 15 board foot 

I hope this little guide is helpful in calculating your lumber.  If you have any questions or additional information, please contact me and I will be happy to answer and/or add the information to this site....

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Mesquite - A Guide to the Tree and Wood

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Mesquite (of the genus Prosopis) consists of about 45 species of leguminous spiny trees and shrubs found in subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas, Africa and southwest Asia.

There are three common species of mesquite in North America: Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), Screwbean Mesquite (Prosopis pubescens), and Velvet Mesquite (Prosopis velutina). The Honey Mesquite is distinguished by smooth (rather than hairy) leaflets. It grows primarily in the Chihuahuan Desert east of the Continental Divide, but its outer range extends across the Sonoran Desert as well. The Screwbean Mesquite with its distinctive tightly spiraled bean pods grows in the northern Sonoran Desert up into the Mojave Desert. The Velvet Mesquite is the largest and most common of the three species. It has velvet-surfaced leaflets and grows primarily in the Sonoran Desert, west of the Continental Divide. Where the species overlap, the plants hybridize, often making identification difficult. Most of the following information is specific to the Velvet Mesquite, but all three species have similar characteristics.

    

 

Common Names (North American species):

Algaroba, bilayati kikar, common mesquite, cuji, honey locust, honey mesquite, honey-pod, ibapiguazu, inesquirte, ironwood, mescrew, mesquite, screwbean, screwbean mesquite, screw-pod mesquite, scrub mesquite, tornillo, Torrey mesquite, velvet mesquite, wawahi, western honey mesquite

 

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Pen Turning & Working with Eastern Red Cedar

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I am a bit of a woodworker . . . but not a pen turner.  I do own a lathe . . . but have never turned or assembled a pen.

About two and a half years ago I decided to take a huge Cedar tree that had grown on our property over the past 75 - 100 years to a local saw mill.  It was in three massive logs and took me a loader and two trips with my trailer.  The saw mill operator said "That thing doesn't look worth cutting up - are you sure?"  We cut up that whole trunk (probably an 80 ft tree) and I found some of the most beautiful wood I'd ever seen -- or smelled.

I wanted to share this wood with others who would appreciate it - and Ebay has been the perfect method.  I've cut wood for duck calls, stoppers, lures, amulets, pen cases, boxes, small chests -- and, of course, pens.  I've also built six Cedar chests myself.

I've now sold and shipped over 500 pen blank sets (typically 12 blanks) all over the world.  I try to include a few extras . . . and maybe some Walnut, Pacific Coast Maple, Alder or Osage Orange.  Everyone has enjoyed the look, feel and smell of the Cedar and I have enjoyed meeting many new people!  I have never recieved a negative feedback on my pen blanks - and if I don't send a woodworker exactly the mix of heartwood and sapwood he (or she) was looking for that is easily fixed next time they order.  In over 500 orders I've never had one person not pay or send me a bad check or money order. Kudos to woodworkers!

I'd love to sell all kinds of wood . . . but for now, it's mainly this great slab of Aromatic Cedar.  Most of my wood is rough cut in full 1" planks - 4 to 6 inches wide.  But, I have some chunks that I can use - so if you have a special request just let me know.&nbs...

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exotic wood identification

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For extensive photographs and descriptions of both exotic and domestic woods, see my HobbitHouse web site.  Since ebay does not like (or even allow) links to pages off of ebay, you'll have to search for it on the internet.  If you enter the phrase "exotic woods pictures" in ANY search engine, you'll find it as the first non-paid site listed, as it now has over 16,000 uniques images of woods and is referenced by sites all over the world.  The information contained therein is far too massive to post here, thus this indirection.

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WOODWORKING 101(cleaning small cypress knees )

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QUESTION ON HOW CAN I CLEAN SOME SMALL CYPRESS KNEES??
THOSE ARE SOME VERY GOOD QUESTIONS , AND COULD NOT HAVE COME AT A BETTER TIME ,
 
USUALY WHAT I DO IS A FEW AT A TIME ,
 
I SELECT THE ONES I WANT TO WORK FIRST ( LETS SAY 5-10 SMALL KNEES),
THE ONES WITH THIN BARK SKIN SHOULD BE SEPERATED FROM THE THICKER ONES, THIS CREATES 2 DIFFERENT TYPES .
THE THIN SKIN ONES CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HOT WATER ,, AND BOIL THEM LIKE POTATOES,ABOUT 45 MINUTES ON HIGH BOIL, THE SKIN WILL ALMOST ALL COME OFF IN THE WATER ,A STIFF BRISTLE BRUSH SHOULD FINISH THEM OFF,
THE THICKER BARK ONES NEED TO PRESOAK A DAY OR TWO . TO SOFTEN UP THE BARK THEN REMOVE THE LOOSE BARK , BEFORE BOILINNG  . I USE A HEAVY SPOON . IT TAKES THE BARK OFF LIKE I'M PEELING A POTATOE .
PREASURE WASHERES WORK VERY GOOD ,ONE MEMBER USES A WEED WACKER, BUT THE SMALLER KNEES ARE HARD TO HOLD UNDER THE PRESSURE. TIEING THEM DOWN SEAMS TO HELP.
 
, DRYING CAN BE DONE SEVERAL WAYS ,, IN THE SUN, IN FRONT OF A SMALL HEATER,refrigerator,freezer ,, BUT WHAT WORKS GOOD FOR ME IS A SMALL FAN IN A DRY AREA(low humidity area) BLOWING ON THE KNEES ,, 6 - 12 HOURS LATER(usually over night)
THEY SHOULD BE DRY ENOUGH TO START CARVING ,,, THE WOOD IT SELF DOESN'T SOAK UP BUT VERY LITTLE WATER ,, SO IT DON'T TAKE LONG TO DRY ,, LIGHT SANDING PRIOR TO PAINTING OR COATING ,, ASSURES NO SKIN REMAINING.KEEP FINISHED KNEES IN A DRY AREA SEPERATED FROM EACH OTHER ,, UNTILL THEY ARE COSATED THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO BREATH DRY AIR ,UTHERWISE THEY MAY START TO WILT{ANOTHER SUBJECT}..
 I'M STARTING A WOODWORKING TIPS AND IDEAS NEWS LETTER T...

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Plywood, the miracle wood for projects

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Hi, this guide is to help the average joe craftman with tips and tricks to build and/or repair just about anything. I want to start by explaining the different types of plywood and their applications.

There are a few types of plywood that i will go over with you.

Marine plywood is easy to work with if you got the right tools, can be somewhat bent depending on thickness and is not limited to marine uses only, it is excellent wood for outdoor weather projects.



 

Common plywood is very easy to work with, even with simple tools, this type is used for just about anything, but for outdoor wheater application, it is not recommended, for its life is shortened considerably if unprotected. It is also the least attractive of all types of plywood. This is also the type of plywood that is most succeptible to cracking and snapping when under load.



 

Euro birch is one of the hardest, least flexible and most ply's of any type of plywoods on the market. If well sealed this can be used for marine and outdoor application. When you need strength and long durabillity, especially outdoors, this is probably a better option of plywood for your projects. My personal favorite for projects involving the building of shelves, racks, furniture or even a subwoofer box for car audio. My father builds furniture from scratch and the only plywood he will ever use for his projects is Euro birch. This wood can be easely stained and sealed. The use of any cutting tools on this wood have to be very sharp when cross-cutting is involved, but using a router for edges is so simple and easy. This is also ...

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Characteristics of Black Walnut That Woodworkers Love

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Black walnut with scientific name julans nigra, may also be known as eastern black walnut or American black walnut. Black walnut has medium density and is tough and hard. It has moderate bending and crushing strength. Stiffness is low. It has good steam bending characteristic.

Black walnut wood can be worked with hard or power tools without difficulty. Moderate blunting effect on cutters. It takes nails and screws well, glues satisfactorily and finishes high polish.

Black walnut is very resistant to heartwood decay. One of the most durable wood even under conditions favorable to decay.

Black walnut has several characteristics that woodworkers love.

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A History and User Guide to Amboyna Burl

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Pterocarpus indicus is the botanical name for a tree that has inspired a wide variety of names and has been used in a wide variety of applications. In the United States, the tree is usually called Narra and sometimes further delineated as red Narra or yellow Narra or even orange Narra.The Narra that grows in southern and southeastern Asia is called Solomons Pradauk or Papua New Guinea rosewood. Narra also grows extensively in the Philippines, Borneo, New Guinea, Cagayan, Mindoro, Palawan, Cotabato and the Malay Archipelago. Its Malayan name is angsana. Narra has also been called kiabooco, meaning "twisted wood." The Narra found in African countries is known as "Paduak" 

When in the burl form, Narra?s wood is usually referred to as Amboyna burl ? that name coming from Amboyna Island, another place the trees can be found. In "Veneers, A Fritz Kohl Handbook," produced by the Fritz Kohl Veneer Mill in Germany, Amboyna burl is described as "one of the rarest and most expensive woods in the world," adding that "the burly part of the log is often very small." The scarcity of burl in the logs translates into rather high prices, as do its demand for use in high-end woodwork. According to the handbook?s authors, Amboyna burl is used for the "highest quality architectural woodwork" and that it was the first burl wood used for dashboards by Rolls Royce. 

Ordinary Narra may not be as highly prized as the wood that comes from the burls, but it is still a beautiful wood in its own right that can yield a range of interesting figures. Experts believe these figures are formed from the existence of "terminal parenchyma" and irregularities in the woods. Parenchyma is the wood?s soft tissue that stores and distributes carbohydrates. Narra?s grain can be wavy, interlocked or crossed creating attractive figures s...

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