Name Brazilwood (Caesalpinia echinata)
Type Hardwood.
Other Names Also known as Bahia wood, Braziletto, para wood, pernambuco wood, and Brazilian ironwood.
Sources Grows in eastern Brazil.
Appearance Straight to irregular grain with fine, even texture and a natural luster. Nearly white sapwood and bright orange heartwood that matures to a deep red.
Physical Props Very hard and heavy with exceptional shock resistance, stiffness, bending strength, and compression strength. Not suitable for steam bending. Highly resistant to decay and very stable in service.
Working Props Sometimes difficult to work due to hardness - blunting effect on cutting edges. Pre-drilling required for nailing and screwing. Glues easily and can be brought to a very smooth, lustrous finish.
Uses One of the finest woods for violin bows. Also prized for turnery, gun butts and rifle stocks, parquet flooring, exterior joinery, and decorative veneers.

Back

Name Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus octandra)
Type Hardwood.
Other Names Also known as buckeye.
Sources Grows in eastern to central United States.
Appearance Generally straight grained with an even texture. Creamy or yellowish white heartwood and white sapwood.
Physical Props Light, soft, weak, and low in shock resistance and decay resistance.
Working Props Easily worked by hand tools but machines only fairly.
Uses Applications similar to those of aspen, basswood, and yellow-poplar which include furniture, boxes, crates, food containers, drawing boards, plaques, trunks, casks, miscellaneous woodenware, and novelties.
Comments Often sold with other woods.

Back

Name Butternut (Juglans cinerea)
Type Hardwood.
Other Names Also known as white walnut, oilnut, tropical walnut, nogal blanco, and tocte.
Sources Grows in United States and Canada.
Appearance Straight grained and coarse-textured with a satiny luster. Light brown heartwood with occasional darker streaks and nearly white sapwood.
Physical Props Soft, moderately light, with low strength, stiffness, shock resistance and decay resistance. Quite stable in service.
Working Props Works well with machine or hand tools but softness necessitates sharp cutting edges. Screws, nails, glues, stains, and finishes quite well.
Uses An excellent carving wood, once highly valued for church altars. Used for furniture, cabinets, paneling, interior trim, veneer, boat building, boxes and crates, instrument cases, trunks, and millwork.
Comments Resembles black walnut when stained but lacks its strength or stiffness.

Back