I am a firm believer in letting the Beautiful Woods show how beautiful they are without too many embelishments. I try to highlight the grain patterns and colours with the shapes I create. There are so many to choose from, but I find these to be some of my favourites.
Tag: Olivewood
Beautiful Woods I Use In My Turnings
Macassar Ebony (Diospyros celebica)
This tree from southeast Asia grows to heights of 70 feet and 1.5 feet in diameter. Heartwood is dark brown to black, streaked throughout with darker and paler bands, stripes, and splotches.
More information at The Wood Database.
Kingwood (Dalbergia cearensis)
This tree from Brazil rarely grows larger than 30 – 60 feet tall and 10 inches in diameter. Beautiful heartwood is of various colors with a violet-brown background. Streaks of yellow, violet, and black provide a very distinctive appearance.
More information at The Wood Database.
Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon)
A small tree from Africa attaining a height of 45 feet, trunk diameter rarely above 14 inches. Heartwood is dark brown with predominant black lines which give an almost black appearance. Sapwood is pale yellow, giving a pleasant contrast.
More information at The Wood Database.
Nigerian Ebony (Diospyros crassiflora mespiliformis)
A rather small tree from Africa that reaches heights no taller than 60 feet and no larger than 2 feet in diameter. The heartwood is jet black, very hard, and very dense.
More information at The Wood Database.
Honduras Rosewood (Dalbergia stevenonii)
A medium sized tree that usually grows no larger than 20 inches in diameter and 50 – 100 feet high. Heartwood is light red or reddish brown with distinctly darker grain lines, heartwood also is yellowish with darker grain lines in some trees. The color does darken with exposure to sunlight.
More information at The Wood Database.
Rapala Lacewood (Roupala brasiliensis)
A medium sized tree with a height of 45-60 feet and a diameter of 18-28 inches. Heartwood is deep orange-brown with a broad rays creating a flamed pattern. Paler brown sapwood.
More information at The Wood Database.
Olivewood (Olea europaea)
A long lived tree from Europe and eastern Africa with a short bole often with numerous holes and cavities and gnarled. The tree grows about 45 feet tall with a diameter of about 12 inches. Heartwood is light brown to dark brown with irregular streaks of grey, brown and black giving a marble like appearance.
More information at The Wood Database.
Canarywood (Centrolobium paraense)
From South America, the tree grows 65 – 100 ft tall and 2 – 3 ft in diameter. The heartwood is yellow or orange, typically streaked with “rainbowhued” colors, often mixed with shades of red or brown. Sapwood is yellow.
More information at The Wood Database.
Bocote (Cordia spp)
This tree from Mexico, Central and South Anerica grows 65 – 100 feet tall with a diameter of 3 – 5 feet.
With its striking, zebra-like contrasts, and bold figuring, Bocote can be a very eye-catching wood. It has a yellowish brown body with dramatic dark brown to almost black stripes. Color tends to darken with age.
Excerpt from and more information at The Wood Database.
Goncalo Alves (Astronium spp)
Goncalo Alves is commonly referred to as Tigerwood. It grows from Mexico to Brazil. Its heartwood is typically a medium redish brown with iregularly spaced streaks of dark brown to black. Colour tends to darken with age.
Excerpt from and more information at The Wood Database.
With so many beautiful woods it is hard to choose what to use. I have found these to offer not only great grain patterns, but they finish beautifully. Something you can treasure.
Enjoy
Bill