Woods of the World
A brief description of some wood types commonly used in wood turning and carving.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XY Z
A hard, durable, much under rated timber, greenish to honey brown in colour with prominent grain. Turns and polishes to a good finish, takes crisp detail for spindle work.
The source for this timber is Tropical West Africa. The name is misleading, as it is not a true Walnut. It has a wide range of alternative names including Dibetou, Apopo, Sida, Bibolo, and Dilolo to name but a few. Coloration of the heartwood is bronze to orange-brown with black streaks caused by gum lines, interlocked grain and a fine lustrous texture. A medium density weight average of 550kg/m3 (34lb/ft3) and a specific gravity of 0.55. The wood dries rapidly but is difficult to season. Medium crushing strength and blunting is slight The wood has wide range of use including cabinet making; gunstocks and rifle butts
This West African timber is known As Ayin, Egbi, and Ejen. It has a medium grain. Average weight is 690 kg/m3 (43lb/ft3) with a specific gravity of 0.69. Seasoning is slow with a small degree movement and decay. The timber is heavy and dense with a high crushing strength and has a wide application in decorative and functional applications. It has a very high resistance to decay and a high Tannin content that can cause a bluish stain. The wood should not be used in contact with ferrous metals to avoid corrosion. There is a medium blunting to cutting edges but it turns well and a good finish can be obtained.
This timber is from Tropical West Africa and is also know by the long name of (Akossika á Grande Feuilles). It has pale yellow heartwood with dark streaks and a fine even texture. Crushing strength is poor and it dries quickly causing it to split and check and dark bluish stains are often encountered when kiln drying, there is a moderate blunting effect to cutting edges and generally the wood works well. Used widely in joinery and turning.
This timber is widespread throughout the world and is a reddish-brown colour with some darker streaks. It is usually straight grained with a fine texture and low lustre. Average weight is 530kg/m3 (33lb/ft3) with a specific gravity of 0.53. The wood is fairly easy to season. Blunting is effect is low and the wood is easy to work if cutting edges are kept sharp. A very good finish can be obtained. It has been used widely in turnery for broom and brush backs, textile rollers, toys, and wooden clog soles.
This timber is not so common world-wide as the common alder and is restricted mainly to the Pacific Coast of Canada and the USA. Working characteristics are very similar to the common alder and it is often more yellowish in colour.
Distribution throughout East Indies with coloration ranging from light yellow through brown to red, grain is wavy and crossed, which produces some nice fiddleback effects. The deeper the colour, the heavier the sample with an average weight of 660kg/m3 (41ib/ft3) and a specific gravity of 0.66. This is a highly decorative wood with low crushing strength it dries slowly but does not degrade very much. There is a slight amount of blunting to cutting edges and a very good polish finish can be obtained. Extensively used in a wide range of turned items. Burl samples are much sought after and very decorative. These are known as Amboyna Burr.
Distribution is South and Central America, Caribbean. Other names include Crabwood, Krappa, Figueroa, Carapote, Carapa, Masabalo. Similar to mahogany in colour but lighter red brown with some fiddleback in larger pieces. The timber has a low crushing strength and needs to be dried slowly to avoid splitting. Used to turn high-class decorative pieces. Weight 576-736 kg/m3 (36-46lb/ft3) average 640kg/m3 (40ib/ft3) specific gravity 0.64.
Not an easy wood to air dry as it tends to bend and split. However once kiln dried it remains stable. It has a high resistance to cutting edges and therefore has a medium to severe blunting effect on tools. An excellent finish can be obtained if tools are kept very sharp. The wood is used for many decorative turned items and was used for the teeth on milling gear wheels. A heavy timber, weight 700-720 Kg/m3 (43-45 lb/ft3, specific gravity 0.71
Known also as Amarillo, Balaustrra, Amarelo, Carijo, Rajado, and Vermello. Distribution is tropical South America mainly Brazil. The heart wood coloration goes from yellow (Amarillo) to a darkish orange red with black streaks. This is a heavy timber with a weight of 750 to 1000kg/m3 (46-62 LB/ft3) averaging around 850 kg/m3 (53 ib/ft3) with specific gravity of 0.85. Needs to be carefully seasoned or warping will occur. Cutting edges need to be kept very sharp. Turns well and gives a very good finish.
Sapwood and heartwood are not well defined. Whitish to light brown, sometimes with a pinkish tinge, showing a distinctive figure when flat-sawn. A very strong pale timber, course straight grained and rather uneven, often with an ‘olive’ stain in the centre of the trunk. Bowl blanks may contain part ‘olive’ wood that is much heavier and may cause considerable imbalance with large blanks on lighter lathes. A wonderful turning timber that finishes very well, particularly with oils. A very satisfying wood to work. Burr examples can be very decorative. It dries very quickly and seasoning should be controlled carefully by keeping the end grain waterproofed. There is a moderate amount of tool blunting during turning.
The pod of the Bull Banksia tree. Select pods are used extensively in wood turning, jewellery boxes and inlay work.
Bay Tree wood is excellent for turning and gives an excellent polished finished, however it is difficult to season and tends to check and warp, also blunts tools very quickly.
Known also as lime tree, American lime, American linden, and American Whitewood. Distribution is Eastern US, Canada and Great Lakes states. This is a cream to white and sometimes pinkish brown wood. It weighs about 416 kg/m3 (26lb/ft3) specific gravity 0.41. Seasons well and works very easily with very small amount of blunting. Used in a wide range of general and turned objects including pattern making.
Sapwood and heartwood are not usually well differentiated, though some specimens are darker in colour towards the centre of the tree. The wood is white or lightish brown when freshly cut, and has characteristic markings of small boat-shaped flecks, often has orange or green streaks. The timber eventually darkens to a warm reddish-brown tint. The grain is straight and the texture fine and even. Blanks may also contain the odd spalt line that adds interest. Turns well and sands easily. Finishes to a good shine with most products. Dries quickly and is not very stable during the drying process, readily suffers from furniture beetle and death-watch beetle in older buildings. Moderate blunting to tools and easy to turn. Used for a wide range of turned items including furniture, cabinet making, bobbins, broom heads, wooden patterns and jigs for engineering, and children's toys. Considered perishable and subject to fungi attack therefore not used for external applications. This timber can be obtained in a sterilized form after undergoing a steam process to prevent fungi attack.
Mainly available in smaller sizes, this fairly hard and dense wood is found in all Australian states except Victoria & Tasmania. Care must be taken to avoid splitting but finishes well after filling.
Sapwood and heartwood are not well defined, the timber being whitish or very light brown in colour with a rather characteristic lack of figure. The grain is straight and the texture moderately fine and even. Very easy to work with and tool blunting is minimal. Needs to be dried quickly to avoid fungal and beetle attack. A good finish can be obtained and the wood is used for a wide range of turned items including furniture, bobbins and broom heads. Used in the manufacture of plywood.
This is a very dense wood that takes a long time to dry and easily splits if not sectioned. High resistance to cutting edges causes rapid tool blunting. Large diameter pieces are very rare, as most trees are quite small. An excellent finish can be obtained by keeping tools very sharp. The wood is used for many decorative items including inlays and banding. Used extensively in the past for wooden rulers and pulley wheels.
This very hard, dense and durable Queensland native tree is used in cabinet making and construction. Available in other states in smaller sections, it offers an excellent finish and superb colour but is difficult to machine.
Sapwood wide, whitish or yellowish well defined from the heartwood, which is dark or chocolate brown with a slightly greasy surface.
The sapwood is lighter in colour but is not well differentiated from the heartwood, which is a golden brown or reddish-brown, with darker longitudinal streaks. The grain can be rather variable from straight to slightly interlocked or wavy, while the texture is moderately fine or fine and even. It has no distinct smell or taste.
Sapwood and heartwood are not well defined, the timber being a uniform light yellow, with a faint figure caused by denser bands of late wood; lustrous. Grain variable, often rather curly or spiral; texture extremely fine and uniform. Heavy will only just float in water.
Used for furniture, flooring and pealing, this NE Australian timber is common as a veneer but rarely available in solid section. A dense, hard wood with a coarse texture and with preparation, a very nice finish.
Found in Equatorial Africa from Southeast Nigeria, through Cameroon and Gabon to the Congo region. Occurs in swampy or periodically inundated forests, also near river or lake shores.
Heartwood varies from pink, vivid red, or red brown with purple streaks or veins. On exposure becomes yellow or medium brown with a reddish tint. Veining becomes less conspicuous. Sapwood whitish and clearly demarcated. Texture fine and even. Grain straight or interlocked. Lustrous sometimes highly figured. Has an unpleasant odour when first cut which disappears on drying. A hard timber that turns fairly well and sands down to a high finish. Basic specific gravity (oven dry weight/green volume) mostly 0.65 to 0.78; air-dry density 50 to 60 pcf.
Mainly used for smaller items, this NE Australian timber is rough on hand tools. However with care taken in seasoning, it provides and attractive fine texture and excellent finish.
Found in NSW, Queensland, Victoria & SA, this hard and dense timber is often used in fencing, shingles and parquetry, Prone to cracking, care must be taken with drying, storage, cutting and surfacing.
This tree originates from China and Japan. It is a declared noxious weed in some areas of Australia. Found in North Eastern Australia, this soft, fragrant medium textured wood is ideal for turning and furniture. The wood colours vary but the finish is always impressive.
Sapwood is pale and usually well defined from the heartwood, which is light brown to reddish-brown when freshly sawn, darkening after air exposure. Shows a texture fine and is uniform. It has a strong, distinctive odour, but no particular taste.
Sapwood and heartwood usually at least moderately well defined, the former being yellow or pinkish, with the heartwood pale brown to reddish when freshly sawn with pink, green or orange stripes, the colour darkening somewhat after exposure to the air. The grain is straight and the texture moderately fine and even. Dries slowly, so heavy section blanks may distort. Turns nicely with a distinctive sweet smell. Finishes well but prone to friction heat checks if sanded too heavily.
A brown timber, similar to oak but without the rays in quarter sawn planks. Turns rather like ash and darkens particularly well with oils.
Found in the Pacific regions of Central America and extending from Panama to south-western Mexico. Of limited occurrence, usually in the drier uplands. Somewhat variable in colour when freshly sawn but heartwood usually becoming a deep rich orange red with black striping or mottling on exposure. Texture is fine with grain straight to interlocked. Oily, without distinctive taste, odour slightly pungent and fragrant when worked. Fine dust may cause dermatitis, producing a rash resembling ivy poisoning. Reported to have excellent machining characteristics. Natural oils give the wood a good polish, but make it unsuitable for gluing. Durability is high and has very high resistance to marine borer attack. Highly favoured in the cutlery trade for handles, inlay work, brush-backs, musical and scientific instruments, jewellery boxes, chessmen, and other speciality items. Basic specific gravity (oven dry weight/green volume) 0.80 to 0.98; air- dry density 62 to 76 pcf. Other common names Granadillo (Mexico, Guatemala), Funera (El Salvador), Palo Negro (Honduras), Nambar (Nicaragua, Costa Rica), Cocobolo, Cocobolo Prieto (Panama).
Unique interlocking grain and medium texture are a brilliant feature of this North Australian wood. Very dense, it is difficult to work with but finishes very well. Used for handles and musical instruments.
This durable, greasy hard timber is found in north-eastern Australia. Its main uses are in furniture, boats, flooring and turning. Difficult to work with only a satisfactory finish.
Reddish brown timber similar to mahogany, slow to dry but with little degrading used for bench tops, furniture, and a very good turning timber.
A very high-density heavy timber which dries quickly but is fairly stable. It is a hard wood to work with and severe blunting of cutting tools will be experienced. Although difficult to work an excellent polish finish can be achieved which has led to the timber being used for many decorative turned items.
Among the sources for this wood are the Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Ghana. It is reasonably easy to work with and a good finish can usually be obtained. It is hard and very strong. Rather slow to dry fully.
Sapwood and heartwood well defined the former narrow and whitish, while the heartwood is a non-lustrous brown or red-brown. When flat-sawn the wood has a rather irregular growth ring figure. The grain is often crossed while the texture is coarse but even. Abrasive to the cutting edge of tools. There is no characteristic odour or taste to the timber. A timber becoming scarce, much in demand by turners and cabinetmakers alike. Blanks vary from plain grained to those containing small pippy clusters. Finishes well. Well-dried samples produce good turned items particularly with burls. The timber is subject to insect attack and the resultant finish is variable. Drying is quick with a high tendency to split and check and there is a medium blunting to cutting edges. The end grain can be troublesome when trying to achieve a uniform finish. This timber was used extensively for the manufacture of coffins but is now used for many turned items such as bowls, breadboards etc.
Not related to Brazilian Tulipwood, this timber is also known as Yellow Poplar in the US. Pale sapwood, green to yellowish brown or even purple heartwood. Soft to turn, rather ‘woolly’ but sands very easily and finishes well.
These timbers are renowned for their rich colour, highly figured tight grain pattern and extreme density. Colours vary from red through to light yellow. These timbers are used for knife handles, wood turning, box construction and bowls.
Only the stump and roots are used from this Western Austrailian wood. With an unusual fibrous texture and grain, finishing is difficult and average. Absorbent and coarse, it darkens with age.
Is a common tree in the upland forests of many regions from Mexico and Central America through to Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, and Ecuador. When fresh, the heartwood is russet brown, orange brown, or reddish brown to red with narrow to wide irregular stripes of medium to very dark brown. After exposure it becomes brown, red, or dark reddish brown with nearly black stripes. The dingy greyish or brownish-white sapwood, 2 to 4 in. wide, is sharply demarcated. Grain variable, straight to roey; texture fine to medium, uniform; no distinctive odour or taste. The wood often has a striking figure caused by irregular dark longitudinal bands. It is not difficult to work in spite of its high density, finishes very smoothly, and takes a high polish. The wood weathers well and is highly resistant to moisture absorption. It is reported to be difficult to glue. Basic specific gravity (oven-dry weight/green volume) averages 0.84 for timber from Honduras and Venezuela; material from Brazil and Colombia averages 0.75. Average air-dry density is about 60 pcf from these four sources. Other common names are Palo de cera, Palo de culebra (Mexico), Gusanero (Colombia), Gateado (Venezuela), Guarita (Brazil), Guasango (Ecuador).
The tree's name (horn=tough and beam~baum=tree) describes the wood, which is tough, hard and heavy. Colonial settlers in America used hornbeam for bowls and dishes because it rarely split or cracked. Hornbeam has thick, nearly white sapwood and heartwood that is pale yellow to tan, sometimes with grey streaks and light ray flecks. A heavy hard, tough timber with fine even grain which turns away easily (not dissimilar from turning a fruit wood) yet is fine enough to take the crispest detail. This is a heavy density wood that is good to machine and polishes well with high mechanical bending properties. There is a reasonable level of blunting to cutting tools. Used a great deal in many ways in musical instruments, piano actions, string instrument bridges, and also for Clubs, Drumsticks and Billiard Cues. It has no characteristic odour or taste.
This rustic smaller Tasmanian timber is often used in craft and rustic furniture with the bark retained as a feature. With a strong, fine grain, this medium density wood finishes very well.
Very creamy white and dries very quickly but distorts easily, easy to work with and is relatively soft with little tool wear. Has been used for kitchen utensils, vegetable and fruit racks and very good for moulding patterns and jigs. Readily suffers from furniture attack if left.
Sapwood and heartwood not well defined: yellowish-white to pink, often heavily marked with pith flakes. Grain often irregular.
Sapwood and heartwood not clearly defined, wood being almost pure white in colour when freshly sawn; it will normally retain colour though a very faint, greenish tinge may develop. The grain is rather irregular but the texture is very fine and even.
Found in NSW, Queensland, & Northern Territories, this wood is suitable for turning and small cabinetwork. Occasionally available in logs and slabs, it is difficult to work with but offers a good finish. Very heavy very hard and difficult to work.
Dense, but not very hard-wearing, this timber has a straight grain and a fine texture. Found in Queensland & NSW, it is commonly used for furniture, inlay marquetry & turning.
Heartwood is light red to dark red when first cut turning a rich mahogany-like hue on exposure; distinct from the narrow pale sapwood. Texture moderately coarse; grain is commonly interlocked or wavy, sometimes curly; without distinctive odour or taste. Gum veins or pockets are a common defect. The sapwood is narrow and light in colour, while the mildly lustrous heartwood varies from light red to a dark red when freshly cut, eventually darkening to a uniform reddish-brown mahogany shade. Grain may be either straight or interlocked while the texture is medium coarse but uniform. Basic specific gravity (oven dry weight/green volume) 0.68. Air-dry density 54 pcf. Because of high density and irregular grain the wood is difficult to work with hand and machine tools. Blunting of cutters is moderate, gluing is good.
This wood is very similar to Brazilian rosewood. Tends to check easily when dried and causes a high level of blunting of cutting tools. It is not an easy wood to work with but well worth the effort as a good finish can be obtained. Used for a wide range of turned decorative items.
Sapwood narrow, yellow, sharply defined. Heartwood golden brown when freshly sawn, deepening to dark brown. Although very poisonous this is a common tree in gardens All parts of the tree are poisonous particularly the black alkaloid seeds. Laburnum is a very good wood for turning it has been used as an inlay in decorative work, and for bowls and small turned objects. Because of its strength, stability, elasticity and good resonance characteristics it has also been used extensively in musical instruments such as flutes, oboes, and bagpipe parts. In ancient times it was also used as a bow wood. The wood is dark often with attractive yellow and chocolate-brown and patterns, the grain is course but a very good polish finish can be obtained. Height is approx. 30ft maximum with a maximum girth of approx. 3ft most branches are 6 to 12 inches in diameter. Density is high, Flexibility is good, Elasticity is excellent. Seasoning is difficult. There is a high level of blunting to cutting edges.
Found in Queensland, NT, Western Australia. This very hard and heavy timber has a tendency to split. Contains attractive bands of colour, it is available in slabs up to 2 metres wide. Offers a very good finish.
Used for turning, small furniture and craft items. This fine textured wood is found in Queensland & NSW. Mainly available in boards and flitches, it requires care in seasoning.
Heartwood is dark greenish brown to almost black and sharply demarcated from the narrow pale yellow or cream-coloured sapwood. Texture is very fine with a strongly interlocked grain. A slight scent is evident when warmed or rubbed. It has a characteristic oily feel due to the resin content that may be as high as one quarter of the air-dry weight. Very dense and heavy with high crushing qualities. Very difficult to work with hand or machine tools, a cutting angle of 15 or less is suggested in planing. The wood turns and shapes well and takes a high polish. Because of oily resins, requires special surface treatments for satisfactory gluing. Self-lubricating properties make it useful for underwater applications in marine equipment. Used for mallets in stone masonry, pulley sheaves and turnery. Most noted use is in bearings and bushing blocks for propeller shafts of ships because of its self-lubrication and hardness.
When freshly cut, lime is whitish in colour, but it eventually tones to a mildly lustrous, light yellowish-brown shade; the sapwood is not readily distinguishable from the heartwood. The grain is straight, the texture fine and uniform. The name is misleading and should really be Lyne or Linden, which meant pliant and was derived from the fact that the inner bark was used for making ropes and cords. The flowers are much enjoyed by bees and the tree can live up to 300 to 400 years. Very easy to work with and most commonly used for wood carving good finish can be obtained but tools need to be very sharp for a good finish.
Suitable for mouldings and furniture, this timber has medium texture and density. The sapwood is creamy white, while the heartwood is light to dark brown, often with greenish to purple-black streaks or patches. The wood is even-textured and moderately heavy, fairly hard and straight grained. It resembles Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron spp.). Magnolia is moderately stiff, high in shock resistance, and low in shrinkage. It has no characteristic odour or taste. Tricky for the beginner.
A pale cream to honey brown coloured timber with distinctive fine brown grain lines. A firm timber, yet soft to turn and sand. A very good wood to turn, slow to dry but relatively easy to work with a moderate blunting effect to cutting tools. Sometimes can have a very attractive pattern but usually plain in coloration.
This rare, dense timber is mainly available in slabs or logs. Found in all states except Victoria and Tasmania, it is often used in cabinet making and turnery. It offers a fine grain and good finish.
Available in slabs or unseasoned logs, this wood is hard, fine grained and finishes excellently. Mostly used for turning and craft, it is found in all states apart from Victoria and Tasmania.
This Victoria and Tasmanian wood has a unique grain and finishes well but is prone to cracking. Mainly available as unseasoned, trimmed and coated burl.
Sapwood and heartwood variable as regards pinkish or pinkish-brown, with a lighter coloured intermediate zone between sapwood and heart.
Found in North Australia, this wood requires careful seasoning due to an irritating milky sap. Available in all sizes, it is pleasantly fragrant, has a reasonable finish and works well.
The sapwood is lighter than the heartwood and moderately well to well defined. The heartwood itself may vary in colour from a light yellowish-brown to a rich, warm brownish shade. The prominent silver grain figure of an oak that has been quarter cut is well known, while flat sawn stock has an attractive growth ring figure. Planed surfaces are mildly lustrous. The grain is straight, though the texture is moderately coarse and rather uneven. The Oak lives to a great age of a thousand years and more, acorns are born at sixty years old and it is cut for timber at 150 to 200 years. It is used where hardness and strength are required. It was used extensively for shipbuilding and house frames. The bark has been used for tanning and dyeing. Modern day uses include high quality furniture
East African wood used locally for turned objects sold to tourists. Has a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Surprisingly hard wearing.
Wonderful colour - red heartwood with lighter stripes and contrasting cream sapwood. Interlocking grain yet softer to cut than most African timbers. Turns easily but dusty, leaving red dust all over the workshop. Sands and finishes very well.
Timber is light reddish-brown to pink in colour with little differentiation between the heartwood and the sap, though in some samples a 'false heartwood' core of a darker colour may be found. Can sometimes be found with traces of in-growing bark. When planed the timber has a lustrous surface, the texture is very fine and even and the grain usually straight. Dry timber has no smell or taste. A moderately soft timber that needs some protection from chuck jaws to avoid marking. Turns and finishes well.
This wood is from the SE area of the USA and Mexico sold as Red and White Hickory. Very quick to dry but does tend to shrink. The sapwood of hickory is white, tinged with brown, while the heartwood is pale to reddish brown. The wood is known for its strength and shock resistance. It is difficult to dry or season. It rates above average in most working properties, except in shaping and nail-holding ability. The wood of pecans is rated slightly below that of true hickories.
A medium density wood with a high lustre, it is mainly available as boards or billets. A rather uncommon Queensland native, it works and finishes satisfactorily.
A pale brown timber, similar in colour to beech, but with a
pinkish tinge and conspicuous medullar rays where the cut crosses the quarter.
Quarter sawn, this timber is named as Lacewood. Turns and sands to a good finish.
Dull brown when freshly cut, turning purple on exposure to light, then over a period of time turning to a dark brown. Hard interlocking grain blunts tools quickly but can be turned and finished to a good shine. Moderately difficult to work with either hand or machine tools, dulls cutters, exudes a gummy resin when heated by dull tools; slow feed rates and specially hardened cutters are suggested. Turns smoothly, easy to glue, and takes finishes well.
Named due to its smell when cut, this Western Australia native is an excellent turner. Dense, hard, heavy and durable with an excellent finish.
This very dense, Queensland craft wood offers excellent turning properties. Fine texture, striking colours and excellent finish make it a popular choice. Widely available from craft shops in small logs.
Suitable for turning, joinery and furniture, it is mainly found in NSW & Queensland. Sanding dust can be irritating, however this medium density and textured timber finishes very well.
The most common of all the eucalypts. This timber with interlocking grain is found Australia wide. It features a deep red lustre and distinguishable sapwood. Very hard and moderately heavy, it works and finishes very well.
Found in NE Australia, this common native has very attractive colours and offers reasonable durability. It is most suitable for internal use, widely available in solid form and as a veneer.
This fine grained medium density wood is found in Queensland rain forests It is commonly used for furniture, joinery and interior panelling and provides a most satisfactory finish. Easy to work.
Provides an excellent finish if carefully applied and used extensively in quality furniture, instrument manufacture, and decorative fittings/boxes. In short supply due to overuse. Has a very high level of blunting and tool wear.
Native to the southern regions of India, growing best on dry, stony, but fertile soils. Other species widely scattered from the Malay Archipelago to Australia and the Pacific islands including Hawaii. Heartwood light yellowish brown when freshly cut, turning dark brown on exposure, and with further ageing, to a dark reddish brown; sapwood whitish. Texture very fine and even; grain straight, sometimes wavy; dull to somewhat lustrous, with oily feel; heartwood with a strong fragrant scent that persists, without characteristic taste. Saws without difficulty and works to a smooth, satin-like finish; an excellent carving wood, turns well. Used for Fine furniture, carvings, turnery, speciality items. Oils extracted from the heartwood are in high demand for incense, perfumery, medicines, scenting clothing, etc. Basic specific gravity (oven-dry weight/green volume) 0.75; air-dry density 58 pcf.
Sapwood not well defined, very narrow, light yellowish. Heartwood is dull grey-brown or light silvery-brown. Distinct spicy odour and taste when freshly cut.
A very stable timber. Typical colour is golden with rich orange highlights, especially when quarter sawn. The rare and sought after Lace Sheoak has a striking orange/red lace pattern. Sheoak is used for furniture and carving. Lace sheoak is used in box lids and knife handles where strong characteristics are needed in a small area.
This NE Australian wood is very ornate offering outstanding finish. A hard, heavy wood, it is mostly used for smaller items. Unique grain with outstanding rich colours.
Found in Queensland & NSW, this hard, dense wood is occasionally available in logs and billets. Suited to turning it finishes very well with an interesting array of colours and markings. Can be prone to splitting along the medullar rays.
Spalting is a term applied to timber in the first stages of decay. Spalted Beech is probably the most popular home-grown timber with wood turners. Many butts were available for a few years after the 1987 storm but supplies are now variable. Pale brown to beige coloured timber with attractive dark lines caused by fungal attack. Some soft and catching areas must be expected where the decay is more advanced. A soaking with sanding sealer will help firm these areas for the final cuts. Sanding sealer and wax or cellulose lacquer give excellent results. The amount of colour / lines in any blank is variable.
Sapwood and heartwood are not easily distinguishable, the timber being whitish to light brownish-white or yellowish-white, with a slightly darker growth ring figure. Planed surfaces of the wood are lustrous. The grain is normally straight, but may be rather wavy, the texture is fine and uniform, and the wood has no distinctive smell or taste. A pale cream coloured timber with indistinct grain though some trees are rippled or highly figured. Older trees often have dark brown or green streaks in the centre. Timber mellows with age to a warm honey brown. Kind to turn and finish, sycamore was the traditional timber used for food use before plastic invaded our kitchens. The Sycamore belongs to the Maple family. The tree was introduced into Great Britain in the 16th century. It is a good wood to turn and has many uses including furniture, kitchen and butchers boards and dairy utensils. It can be very white and is therefore often used in pyrography.
Native to India, Burma, Thailand, Indochina, including Indonesia, particularly Java. Extensively cultivated in plantations within its natural range as well as in tropical areas of Africa and Latin America. The heartwood is dark golden yellow, turning a dark brown with exposure to light, often very variable in colour when freshly machined showing blotches and streaks of various shades; sapwood pale yellowish, sharply demarcated, turns rich brown under exposure to sunlight. Grain straight, sometimes wavy. Texture is coarse, uneven (ring porous), dull with an oily feel. Scented when freshly cut. Dust may cause skin irritations. Silica content is variable, up to 1.4% is reported. Easily worked with both hand and machine tools and dresses to a very smooth finish if tools are kept sharp. Glues moderately well despite its oily nature. Blunting of cutters can be rather severe. As noted, may cause dermatitis some individuals. Used for shipbuilding, joinery, furniture, flooring, carving, cabinetwork, panelling, turnery, tanks and vats, fixtures requiring high resistance to acids. Basic specific gravity (oven-dry weight/green volume) 0.55; air-dry density 40 pcf.
A member of the Myrtaceae family and a species indigenous to Northern New South Wales. A medium dark, well grained wood that turns cleanly and finishes reasonably well. Blunting of turning tools is moderate to light with a low dust production. The late wood rings can often be noticeably wider than those of the early wood.
Distribution mainly throughout the South Pacific region heart pink turning to brown and reddish brown with ageing, moderately course and non-siliceous. Dries well but will check if not controlled and works well with machine and hand tools. The timber is used for furniture, cabinets, pianos, marine items, good for turning a wide range of items.
The sapwood is lightish in colour and well marked off the heartwood, the latter having a greyish background well figured with irregular dark streaks. Planed surfaces are mildly lustrous. With many samples of this timber there is a clearly defined zone of intermediate timber colour between the heartwood and the sapwood. The grain is variable from straight to round, the texture fine and even, and the wood has no appreciable odour or taste. At first sight a walnut tree can be mistaken for Ash but the leaves are usually much greener, an excellent wood for turning and a good finish can be obtained. The wood is used for a range of items but is best known for its use in high-class furniture. This must be one of the most useful trees. The timber is used extensively in woodwork, the oil used for polishes and protection. The nut provides a high level of vitamin C.
This medium density Queensland timber is often difficult to find. It offers a high lustre, unique grain and texture, but only a satisfactory finish.
A very dark Brown wood from Zaire, Cameroon, and Gabon. Very dense, strong wood that takes a long time to fully season. There is a medium blunting effect on cutting edges and the wood contains a considerable amount of resins. Chips readily if tools are not kept sharp. A very good wood for turning as a really high gloss finish can be obtained. Great depth of grain.
Yellow poplar sapwood is white, sometimes with stripes; the heartwood is usually tan, but can range from greenish brown to dark green, purple, black, blue and yellow. The wood is straight grained, uniform in texture and moderate to light weight. Among commercially important hardwoods in the United States, yellow poplar ranks in the lower third of the range of the following properties: specific gravity, bending strength, toughness, impact resistance, work to maximum load, crushing strength, fibre stress at proportional limit, shear strength, tensile strength and side hardness.
Also known as American Whitewood, Basswood, Blue Poplar, Canary Poplar, Canary Wood, Canoewood, Cucumbertree, Hickory Poplar, Liriodendron, Old Wives Shirt, Poplar, Popple, Saddle-Tree, Sap Poplar, Secoya, Southern Yellow Poplar, Tulipia, Tulip Poplar, Tuliptree, Tulipwood, White Poplar, Whitewood.
Rare. This Queensland timber offers attractive light colouring with a medium density and slightly coarse texture. Fairly easy to work with and finishes very well.
West African timber with a lovely decorative striped finish very reminiscent of the Zebra from which it presumably gets its name. Generally turns well but it is not always easy to get a good finish due to the grain variations. Tool blunting is moderate to heavy. Need to carefully select pieces of timber. Produces moderately large quantities of fine dust so good ventilation is essential when working with this timber.