Coolest or rarest wood you have milled

[BlackCoffin]

Not too much odd species of wood in the PNW, but plum is probably the most “exotic” that I’ve done. The grain twists so good luck drying it but is very beautiful! Dense wood for these parts as well.
Made this for a friend to mount his black bear skull on. I thought it was ironic the grain made out a bear. Flip it upside down and you’ll see another bear.

 

[SS396driver]

Some black walnut not so exotic . A gift for my grandsonI used apple twigs for the hooks. No glue used this now has candle holders on it

 

[ML12]

I’d like to get some red cedar, it kinda looks like the sequoia

I've cut a ton of cedar, and while most of it was yellow cedar, I did cut some old growth red that was left by a logging operation. Its nice wood, but it is so soft and the dust from cutting/milling/sanding it goes everywhere and cakes everything.

This small boat shelf thing is planked with it.


Turns a beautiful color when you clear coat it.



As you can see, lots of dry rot in the old stuff.

 

[kimosawboy]

I have dealt with some nice exotics from far away in my wood career, but from personal milling my fav. and nicest was some very old growth red cedar. The grain was so tight I had to magnify it on the computer to get a rough age, came in at 750+ years....ended up making headboards from it.

 

[csmillingnoob]

Not exotic (though I understand it is a teak variety) but a small chinaberry that I milled for a carver was the biggest first cut surprise. Wish I had saved pics.

 

[pastryguyhawaii]

I thought this Christmasberry was pretty cool looking. Whether it's good for anything remains to be seen.

 

[pastryguyhawaii]

I thought this Christmasberry was pretty cool looking. Whether it's good for anything remains to be seen.
View attachment 787062

I mistakenly called this Christmasberry. It's Brazilian pepper wood. Turned out nice. Dried weird but is fairly solid and has a nice grain.

 

[andy]

^^^^
I like that grain... like “composite“ .
Was the log(s) kind of “punky” by the time it was milled?

 

[pastryguyhawaii]

^^^^
I like that grain... like “composite“ .
Was the log(s) kind of “punky” by the time it was milled?

It wasn't punky when I milled it. This piece warped the most as it dried. The big leg is curved naturally. You can see where I filled in some punky spots. But overall, I am pretty happy with the wood.

 

[unclemoustache]

Nice stuff! I hope to have some interesting things here soon. Mill should be here any day, and we have a big pile of logs to cut. In the meantime, here's a silver maple slab that's just about finished. I didn't mill it, but someone nearby did.

 

[buzz sawyer]

I milled a 24" Chinese Chestnut that had fallen down. The whole tree had intense curly figure. Turns out the tree had been growing on about a 45 deg. angle and had so much stress it was cracking as I milled. Got some smaller pieces nice curly figure. Will get pics.

 

[Old Blue]

I mistakenly called this Christmasberry. It's Brazilian pepper wood. Turned out nice. Dried weird but is fairly solid and has a nice grain.
View attachment 858884View attachment 858885View attachment 858886

Mr Pastryguy
What kind of finish did you use on that pepper?

If thats the same brazillian pepper we have here all over SoCal, I have found that to be a very tough wood. Good long interlocking fibers. That stuff can take a real beating. The whole tree is more like a tortured shrub with branches that just take 90 degree angles every foot or two.

Old Blue
Deep in Kali-Bone-Ya

 

[pastryguyhawaii]

Mr Pastryguy
What kind of finish did you use on that pepper?

If thats the same brazillian pepper we have here all over SoCal, I have found that to be a very tough wood. Good long interlocking fibers. That stuff can take a real beating. The whole tree is more like a tortured shrub with branches that just take 90 degree angles every foot or two.

Old Blue
Deep in Kali-Bone-Ya

It does seem pretty tough. Some was a little punky but the rest is solid. A bit like mango. This is what I used for that. I like wax free shellac for the sealer, really brings out the grain. Was surprised to find I liked the triple thick urethane and I put a coat of Renaissance wax to finish.

 

[Old Blue]

It does seem pretty tough. Some was a little punky but the rest is solid. A bit like mango. This is what I used for that. I like wax free shellac for the sealer, really brings out the grain. Was surprised to find I liked the triple thick urethane and I put a coat of Renaissance wax to finish.

The second pic looks like it has a nice soft glowing luster that really appeals to me. I'm a total beginner at finishing and I think I want to try your technique.

Zinser comes up in a search for wax free shellac, do you recommend the clear? Are you spraying or brushing? How many coats? Sanding?
Can I ask you the same questions re the triple thick urethane? Gloss, semi gloss or flat?

I have some black acacia slabs that I want to do something with and I think this finish might make em pop really nice! Unfortunately I think the tree was a leaner and the slabs are badly cupped and may have a lot of stress in them. Before I stickered them i tried a cut on the table saw and it just ground it to a stop! But the grain is so beautiful that I will give it some extra effort to see what I can do with it. Maybe some stereo speaker cabinets or something.

Thanks for sharing that with us.
Old Blue
Kali-Bone-Ya

 

[Old Blue]

Just about everything I have milled will be cool to you guys so here's is a collage of cuts I put together in 2010 - done a few more since then so I should make up a new one.
The last time I check Canadian AS member Danivan had cut more species than I had but I was getting close to his number.
Mine are all Eucalyptus, but there is one Acacia a couple of Allocasurinas, a Fruit wood and a Melaleuca.
View attachment 734649

A list of those I have milled that I can remember since the collage was taken includes
Olive wood
Silky Oak
Malaysian Teak.
Camphor Laurel.
Lilli pilli
Cape Lilac
Something called Swamp Mahogany
Liquid Amber
Apple

I have some small Banksia on my stash that I want to mill as soon as I feel well enough

Hi Bob
Hope you're feeling well enough real soon!

Can you fill me in re the Melaleuca? I get the impression that it may be a junky soft wood not worth messing with. Is it? How does the grain look. I have heard it's used for wet area fence posts? It just seems to grow so fast that it may not be worth messing with.

What say you?

Old Blue
Taxed about half to death in.... Kali-Bone-Ya

 

[buzz sawyer]

Here's a piece of the curly Chinese Chestnut. I got one log about 20" x 8' long, all curly like this. Unfortunately, the internal stress from growing on a 45 deg angle made it crack apart as I milled it. Should have cut it into smaller lengths first.

 

[pastryguyhawaii]

Here's a piece of the curly Chinese Chestnut. I got one log about 20" x 8' long, all curly like this. Unfortunately, the internal stress from growing on a 45 deg angle made it crack apart as I milled it. Should have cut it into smaller lengths first.
View attachment 863437

That looks pretty cool. What do you plan on doing with it?

 

[buzz sawyer]

Not sure at this point. Maybe some knife handles? I'm hoping to get some pieces yet from the log I milled. I already cut into shorter pieces to minimize the splitting. Hoping to glue up some of it to make bigger pieces.

 

[christylleam]

How to judge?

 

[pastryguyhawaii]

I really like this silver oak. Has a cool snakeskin, lacy grain. A little display board I made for work.