Rubbish Blank???

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
garypeck

garypeck

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
244
Location
Singapore
Hi Guys,

I picked up a few blanks from a carpenter today. Unfortunately he wasnt able to tell me what kinda wood these are.

Was wondering if you guys could tell from its look??

Regards,
Gary
 
Last edited:
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
They look like Bocote but that's not a wood that U.S. carpenters use, unless maybe on some high end trim work. Who knows what they use in Singapore.:wink::) Macassar Ebony, maybe?
 
I dont think its used in Carpentry work...... he had some lying around and i bought the lot from him for about $3.00 there was about 6 blanks in total...... i think its some wood found in Asia.... but im not too sure what it is.....

I;ll check the net for Bocote...... is this wood any good?? as in ...is it rare....etc?? hahaha....... just checking..... if it is..... i'll go back first thing in the morning to get more if he has any left...... hahaha
 
Looks like bocote to me. I havent worked with any ebony so I cant compare it, but bocote will have a strong odor when sanding and gum up the sand paper like a waxy dust. Its very dense.
 
Not rare, but nice!:biggrin: If he said it came from Asia then it could be the B&W Ebony that Skye spoke of. I think it comes from Vietnam or Laos or some such land.
 
Last edited:
Good - yes!! Rare - nope. If it its bocote, nice grain pattern - but relatively common... However, I thought bocote was mostly from mexico, not asia?
 
Ahhh ok ok ..... i think this is not bocote..... tried sanding it a little..... not gummy at all...... neither do i think its ebony...... i've got quite a bit of ebony here and they are really black..... no streaks of white..... and these are much lighter than ebony..... i think i'll try turning a pen and see how this turn out...... hahaha
 
how about zebra wood. I have about 6 board feet of zebra that was given to me by a cabinet maker. It has the same color and also has very pronounced stripping. Could be, I guess.
 
That there is by no doubt at all....Brown and tan wood. What I can't figure out is it's shape. isn't wood supposed to be round?
 
Looks kinda like zebrawood....similar looking to bocote. The easiest way to tell if it's zebrawood is when you cut or sand it there is a nasty wet dog smell to it. It's unmistakable. Try sanding it a little then smell it. If you almost vomit, that's zebrawood.:eek:
 
Gary,

As you use more woods, you will find there is a distinctive smell to most wood.

Yes, what you show LOOKS like bocote, but there are a number of rosewoods that have a similar grain pattern. The V shaped grain is not common in zebrawood, the wood appears to be pretty smooth - again a characteristic of the rosewoods (and things CALLED rosewood in Asia that may NOT really be.)

Bocote is a "greeny" color, to me. Zebrawood is a "tan" hue. The picture you show doesn't seem like either one - unless the white balance is off (a condition from which ALL of my pictures suffer)

HELPFUL, HUH??????
 
Hi Guys, thanks for the reply..... when im back from my trip, will send you guys a blank each......im currently in Bangkok and do not have access to mails everyday.....i dont think this is Zebra or Bocote...... its a really funny blank.......

I saw some ironwood over in Bangkok (Thailand) this morning (was passing by a furniture shop) and was tempted to buy some...... hahahah...... is iron wood any good?? Rare maybe?? I'd like to get some rare woods...... especially now that im in a developing country..... hopefully, should get a better price.......
 
1JaredSchmidt said:
Black and white ebony,marbled ebony,spalted bocote. Looks the the first one.
Click to expand...


Wow.....if its black and white ebony, than i think i got a really good deal......hahahaha........

What kinda blanks are in demand over in the US?? personally, i like ebony and this other very funny looking wood called "king wood"
 
People like ebony, it fetches a higher price. People are normally after the black ebony though rather than the black-n-white.

Kingwood is a nice wood, I usually see it in spindles of 1.5"x1'5"x12" for probably $8 or so. So, not a real expensive wood, but it's nice. I like it in bottle stoppers.

In your neck of the wood I would say that Jichimu is king. Zitan is another rarity. If you specialized in either of those two, that would probably make a name for yourself.
 
Ahhhh Jichimu ...... thats not too hard to get...... im actually able to get some quite easily....... but Zitan is different....... thats really difficult as they dont export such woods to us anymore.........

The King wood which i was referring to....... im not too sure if we are talking about the same wood...... but its really very rare over in Asia..... one of its properties is that if you were to put a torch under a piece of the wood (approximately 1cm or thinner), the light is able to shine through the wood.

Anyway, attached are some of blanks which i have stashed...... ........ the name king wood is a direct translation form another language......
 
Last edited:
Gary- Here's Kingwood as it's commonly known here in the states (Dalbergia Caerensis- from Brazil). Not sure its the same thing you're talking about.

executive_kingwood_b1d81.jpg
 
Hi Mr Goulet,

The king wood which i have is of a different kind. I will be sending you one of those blanks as promised. however, i am in Thailand right now till next year........ will send it to you as soon as i get back to Singapore.........

By the way, that pen is beautiful!!
 
Right guys... as promised...i will be sending the sample blanks.... please PM me your address.... and i will get it done this 2 days....

Thanks....
gary
 
I believe, but please understand I'm trully new at this pen turning, but I think you have some Black and White Ebony wood. I just recently made a pen out of Black and White Ebony and that pretty much looks the same to me.

r/
Mark Emerson
 
EmersonMA said:
I believe, but please understand I'm trully new at this pen turning, but I think you have some Black and White Ebony wood. I just recently made a pen out of Black and White Ebony and that pretty much looks the same to me.

r/
Mark Emerson
Click to expand...

Hi Mark..... im just as new if not newer..... hahaha....no worries....

Well, i really hope its Black and white Ebony...... but it feels kinda light compared to my other black woods...... so i really doubt if its ebony....

Anwyay..... im hoping to swap some Jichi wood for a used lathe.....
 
i have received only one PM with an address...... i will be sending the wood out by this weekend. and its not the wood i posted here......

It;ll be something nice i promise....hahahaha
 
sorry to come back but wanted to add something here.

The "King Wood" that Gary is speaking of is probably closer to "King of Trees". Raja Kayu or Tualang (Koompassia Excelsa). Huge trees that often play host to half disc shaped bee hives (one tree may host 3 million bees). The wood isn't often harvested since the value of the honey is more than that of the wood.

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tualang.htm
 
Last edited:
Hi MIke..... you got it spot on...... Raja (King) kayu (wood)...... i think its pretty different from the king wood mentioned by Goulet.....

Its pretty gummy to turn..... and the light actually shines through it......

Im actually quite surprised that you were able to find out so much on the timber.......

Regards,
Garys

Russianwolf said:
sorry to come back but wanted to add something here.

The "King Wood" that Gary is speaking of is probably closer to "King of Trees". Raja Kayu or Tualang (Koompassia Excelsa). Huge trees that often play host to half disc shaped bee hives (one tree may host 3 million bees). The wood isn't often harvested since the value of the honey is more than that of the wood.

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tualang.htm
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom