Happy Birthday to me, look what I got.

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Rick M

New User
Rick
Someone I barely know, out of the blue emailed and asked if I wanted some Desert Ironwood. He said he had more than he can use in a lifetime and was giving it away for the cost of shipping. Barely hesitating I sent the guy $18 for a flat rate box and today (my birthday) this arrived.


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My camera is not accurately capturing the color. In person the color is a cool brown (like walnut) dark chocolate and the purple is a barely perceptible hint. It bottomed out my 25 lb. postal scale and the bathroom scale is saying it's somewhere between 26 - 30 lbs. He told me if I decide to sell it, charge about $9/lb but I have no intent to sell it although I have no idea what I will make from it.
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
Very interesting looking wood. The checking will be a challenge to work around but there's enough good wood there to do something with.
 

Rick M

New User
Rick
It's been drying in the desert for 30 years, would be interesting to know the moisture content. It won't know what to do with all the humidity here.
 

Raymond

Raymond
Staff member
Corporate Member
Happy Birthday, Rick, a very nice present indeed. Olneya tesota, this is a very dense wood, rough on blades and gouges; but makes very nice knife handles and beautiful wooden jewelry, especially if the coloration is showing off during final rubbing. Notice, I do not say finish, it is very hard to apply a finish to desert ironwood.
 

Rick M

New User
Rick
Might have to make a knife just so I can make nice scales for it.
- Rick M, sent via Tapatalk
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
I'm anxious to see what you use it for. I've had a couple of pieces for many years and haven't found a good project for it yet.
You're right, your photos don't do it justice. Its as colorful as any of the dalbergia species.
Pop the end of it with a 20 oz hammer and the wood will ring like a piece of steel.
 

jazzflute

Kevin
Corporate Member
Larry Favorite is an artist that specializes in working with ironwood.

http://www.favoritedesigns.com/

As you can see, it makes beautiful stuff. He is located in Mebane. While I haven't worked with it yet, my understanding is that it works a lot more like metal than wood. Extremely tough on tooling, and is sanded and polished as you would stainless steel or aluminum.

K
 

Rick M

New User
Rick
I ordered new carbide inserts for my lathe tools. I was warned to wear a mask while turning or cutting.
 

Tarhead

Mark
Corporate Member
It can make guitar bridges (the wooden part the strings are attached to on the body). Needs to be rift sawn and at least 6 1/2 X 1 9/16 X 7/16.
 

cyclopentadiene

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I was in the Alamance Artisan Guild and met Larry Favorite. The one challenge he indicated with the ironwood is that it destroys blades. Party's pieces are amazing. The finish on his pieces is just a buffed finish. Good luck cutting
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
I have turned some in the past. Two things I noticed. 1.The shavings are like coffee grounds. 2.You don't turn off your grinder because you will be using it very frequently. But the wood is beautiful when turned.

Roy G
 
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