International Wood International Wood 2017 | Page 45

SPOTLIGHT ON: GUANACASTE
SPOTLIGHT ON: KATALOX /
MEXICAN ROYAL EBONY
SPECIES:
SPECIES:
Swartzia spp. (S. cubensis)
ORIGIN:
Enterolobium cyclocarpum
Primarily Central America. Also found in Mexico and northern South America.
Furniture, table slabs, millwork, doors, windows, cabinets, turned
objects, and boat building.
Southern Mexico, Central America,
and northern South America. COMMON APPLICATIONS:
Inlays, fine furniture
and cabinetry, parquet flooring, guitars,
turnings, and other small specialty items. CHARACTERISTICS/APPEARANCE:
ORIGIN:
COMMON APPLICATIONS:
Heartwood is
dark reddish brown to nearly black, sometimes
with a strong purple hue. Sapwood is a pale
yellow and sharply demarcated. Pieces with
curly or wavy grain are not uncommon. Grain
is usually straight, with a fine even texture and
good natural luster.
CHARACTERISTICS / APPEARANCE:
JANKA HARDNESS SCALE:
(see chart on page 16)
3,660 lb f
Heartwood is light to medium brown, often with a reddish
hue, and darker streaks of brown sometimes present. Sapwood is pale yellow and is clearly
demarcated from the heartwood. Grain is slightly interlocked, with a v ery coarse texture, and
moderate natural luster. Few mineral/gum deposits.
JANKA HARDNESS SCALE:
470 lb f
•••••
(see chart on page 16)
Guanacaste has a unique appearance and texture, mostly due to its very large
pores, which give it a somewhat coarse-textured, almost fibrous look. Rated as durable to very
durable and is somewhat insect resistant. This wood is easy to work with hand and machine
tools, but tearout is common during planing, and fuzzy surfaces may be seen after machining,
especially on quartersawn surfaces. Glues and finishes well.
COMMENTS:
•••••
Katalox has exceptional strength
properties, and is among the very stiffest and
strongest woods available worldwide. The high
density of Katalox makes it a challenge to work
with but makes it desirable in many applications,
including exterior applications. Some pieces can
be just about a dark as true ebony.
COMMENTS:
walnut as well as varieties of Central and South American walnut. More recently
Northrup has worked with species such as Katalox or Mexican Ebony, a dense, dark
Central American hardwood; Quina, a spicy scented hardwood sourced from South and
Central America; Goncalo Alves or Tigerwood, which has a wavy, interlocked grain and
natural luster; and Angelim Pedra, which features a prominent, dramatic grain pattern.
Jordan Powell, co-owner of MericanRustic Furniture located in Hickory, North
Carolina, also specializes in live-edge craftsmanship. Powell particularly enjoys work-
ing with crotch pieces and interesting, highly figured grains. He favors large slabs of
CONTINUED ON PAGE 46
Furniture pieces made by MericanRusticLLC
• Slabs in all sizes, from small crotches for coffee
tables, to massive slabs for conference tables.
• A wide variety of species, including:
Guanacaste, Monkeypod, Jatoba, Olivewood,
Bocote, Sapele and more!
• Ship exotic woods free for orders over 100bf.
Check out our HUGE slab inventory!
Turning Wood • Pen Blanks • Unique Boards Lumber • Bowl Blanks
Thin Dimensioned Lumber • Burls • Bottle Stoppers • Peppermill
Stock • Guitar Sets • Live Edge Flitches...and more!
1405 Deborah Herman Rd, Conover, NC 28613
828-322-WOOD (9663)
westpennhardwoods.com
INTERNATIONAL WOOD
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