From a very soft wood like Kiri,to one of the worlds hardest woods 'Lignum Vitae',we are on a mailing list from a company who trades in such wood,what is it? hard for certain,it may be the worlds hardest species even.Used on ships in the past as propellor shaft bearings,when lubricated with sea water,it would take the strain from the turning shaft,hard wood indeed!
Commercial Lumber cc,our founder company ,specialised in sourcing timbers not normally found on a timber merchants shelf,Lignum Vitea,Greenhart,Purplehart,Spanish Cedar and Mahogany,African Balsa,we can still do the same now.
Roy
lignum-vitae.com
COMMON NAMES: Lignum vitae, Guayacan, Palo santo, ironwood
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.05
DENSITY: 77 - 82 lbs./cu.ft.
TANGENTIAL MOVEMENT: 2.5%
RADIAL MOVEMENT: n/a%
VOLUMETRIC SHRINKAGE: n.a%
DURABILITY: Exceptional resistance to moisture and fungal attack
SOURCE: West Indes, Central America, northern South America
DESCRIPTION: One of the hardest and heaviest woods (three times as hard as oak), lignum vitae is most commonly used for mallet heads, bearings and rollers. Because of its durability and natural lubricants, it is the preferred wood for propeller bushings and other underwater applications. The lignum vitae tree generally grows to a diameter of about 12", although historically, trees in the 18" - 30" range have been known.
Lignum vitae is reddish brown when freshly cut, with pale yellow sapwood. As it oxidizes, the color turns to a deep green, often with black details. The grain is highly interlocked, making it difficult to work with edge tools, but it machines well and takes a high polish. It is a remarkably good wood for turning. A similar species, known as Maracaibo lignum vitae (Bulnesia arboria), which grows in Venezuela and northern South America, is similar in properties and appearance and is sometimes substituted for genuine lignum vitae.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT: being replanted by our known suppliers:
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