Woods we love and how we use them!

Wood reflects natural variety of the cosmos!  The grain patterns, textures, and colors vie with beautiful vistas of landscapes, cloudscapes, sunrises and sunsets as reflections of nature's beauty. We feel fortunate and grateful that we have chosen wood as our medium.  Not all woods are appropriate for all uses.  Phil & I make a variety of things, and choose from our palette of species with care when making an item from wood. We have included here the common name, the scientific name, and very general ways we use the various woods. 

This page is a work in progress, but full of sample pictures of woods in our workshop.  Every piece of wood is unique, so the pictures are "Examples" and representative of the woods we use.  If you don't see a sample picture here of a wood species you are interested in - email us, and we will look into the nooks and crannies and see if we have a piece...  You never know!

Please remember that every piece of wood is different. We try to show representative samples of wood, but there are always color and grain differences!

A note... tropical woods are, as we all know, endangered - we purchase ONLY from reputable dealers who follow the law of the countries in which these woods grow. As of August, 2010, fewer and fewer permits are being "let" to the people who harvest the woods.. We are very concerned about the environment and the health and welfare of the people and the indigenous species in these forests (as well as those in the forests of North America and Europe).. We will continue to work in the exotic and tropical woods so long as they are legally available, but we will be working more with the woods that grow in the Cherokee National Forest in E. Tennessee (where we live). We harvest wood sustainably from trees that are taken by storm, drought, and careful management by the Park rangers. We thank you for your support.

Phil & Martha

 

DOMESTIC WOODS (NORTH AMERICAN)

 

 
CHERRY WOOD (Prunus serotina )
Eastern Forests,
North America - Appalachians
kitchen ware, hair accessories,

furniture, boxes

cherry


 
 

  CURLY SWAMP MAPLE
(Acer macrophyllum)
North America
hair barrettes, kitchen ware, bowls,

carvings,  boxes, inlay

(no picture today)

 
SYCAMORE (Acer pseudopiatanus)
Eastern Forests, N. America,
UK, Europe

bowls, kitchenware,  boxes


 
 
Black Walnut (Jugians  nigra) 
Eastern Forests, N. America
 

furniture, boxes, bowls, kitchenware, cutting boards,

walnut

  
 
MAPLE (Acer macrophyllum)
North America
hair accessories, kitchen ware,

carvings, bowls, boxes, furniture

maple

 
 
AMBROSIA, FLAG MAPLE
(Acer macrophyllum)
North America
 kitchen ware, carvings,

bowls, boxes, furniture

 

  Osage Orange, Bodark, Bois d'Arc, Horse Apple 

golden, grainy - turns golden tan  

(Maclura pomifera)

 
Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Eastern Forests N. America 
hair accessories, jewelry,
spoons and utensils,

carving, inlay work.

 

 
 
Apple Wood

 

EXOTIC WOODS, Asian and AFRICAN 

                              
MACASSAR EBONY WOOD
(Diospyros marmorata)
Andaman Islands
hair accessories, specialty kitchen,

carvings,  boxes, inlay

macassar ebony

 
 
    
PINK IVORY (Berchemia zeyheri)

South Africa

currently unavailable

hair accessories,  inlay

pink ivory

AFRICAN BLACKWOOD

Dalbergia Melanoxylon - Common Name - Mpingo

hair accessories, inlay, carvings extremely hard and dense rosewood

African Blackwood

                                  
WENGE (Millentia laurentil)
West Africa

hair accessories, furniture, boxes, inlay

 

wenge
 

 
 
 
BUBINGA  (Guibourtia demeusei)
Camaroon

hair accessories, furniture, boxes, inlay

bubinga

 
 
Gaboon (Gabon) Ebony (Diospyrus spp.)
Gaboon, Southern Nigeria, Cameroon, and Zaire 

hair sticks, inlay, carvings 

Gabon Ebony

 
 
  

ZEBRAWOOD (Microberlinia brazzavillenis)

                             West Africa                    
        hair accessories, furniture, boxes, inlay 

zebrawood

 
         
 
PADOUK (Pterocarpus soyauxii)

Camaroon

padouk

hair accessories, furniture,  boxes, inlay
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

                       

 
EXOTIC WOODS, TROPICAL CENTRAL, NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA
 
  
BOCOTE (CORDIA) (Cordia elaeagnoides)

Mexico

hair accessories, furniture, carvings, boxes

Bocote - Cordia

        

   CHAKTE VIGA

pernambuco - Central America

hair accessories, inlay, carving

Chakte Viga

 
 
 
PAU AMERELLO (YELLOWHEART) (Euxiioophora paraensis huber)
Brazil, S. America

hair accessories, specialty kitchen,  boxes, inlay

yellow - stays shimmery yellow

Pau Amerello - Yellow Heart


CARDINAL WOOD (BLOODWOOD) (Brosimum paraense)

Tropical America

the deep red/pink is not currently available this is a pretty dusky pink to cream color

hair accessories, specialty kitchen,  boxes, inlay

 

PURPLE HEART (Peltogyne spp.)
Central and South America

hair accessories, specialty kitchen,  boxes, inlay

Purple Heart


 
 
 

GONCALO ALVES (Astronium fraxinfolium)
S. America - Brazil

hair accessories,  boxes, inlay

Goncalvo Alves Iron Wood

 
MAHOGANY, HONDURAN (Swistenia macrophylla)
Tropical Americas (N & S)

hair accessories, kitchenware, bowls, furniture, boxes, inlay

Honduran Mahogany (Genuine)

 
TULIP WOOD (Dalbergia frutesscene)

Brazil

currently unavailable

hair accessories, specialty kitchen, boxes, inlay

Brazilian Tulipwood Rosewood

 


 
 

BOLIVIAN ROSEWOOD (MORADO, MORADILLO)
(Dalberia nigra) 
hair accessories, kitchen specialties,
 

furniture, carvings, boxes

Bolivian Rosewood

 
 
ZIRICOTE (Cordia dodecandra)
Mexico
hair accessories,  carvings,  boxes, inlay

 Ziricote
  
Canarywood (Centrolobium spp.)
Central and South America

hair accessories, boxes, inlay, specialty kitchen, furniture, bowls

Canary wood

 
Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa)
 Central America from Panama to Mexico
 

hair accessories, inlay, jewelry, boxes, specialty kitchen

cocobolo rosewood

  

Chechen

 

chechen

 
 

Brazilian Kingwood (Dalbergia cearensis) 

currently unavailable

hair accessories, specialty kitchen, boxes, inlay, carvings

Brazilian Kingwood