Thread: Jacaranda

I hav used it a few times for scrolling projects, cuts real smooth and shines up real good just from a good sanding.

I got a piece I got from the Sydney wood show almost 2 years ago im still tryng to decide what to do with

Originally Posted by Simomatra

Is the wood good for doing what and how long does one have to wait to use it.

Just trying to save it from the tip or being chipped up

Cheers Sam

Its no good for anything , Sam. just send it all to me and i will chip it

Originally Posted by doug the slug

Its no good for anything , Sam. just send it all to me and i will chip it

Thanks Doug I take it thats a paint the ends and keep it till I find a use for it.

Oges

Thanks for that I will stash it till someone thinks of a use for it

Cheers sam

Originally Posted by Simomatra

Thanks Doug I take it thats a paint the ends and keep it till I find a use for it.

yes mate, its useful stuff. im actually chasing some of it cos its very white and i want to use it to contrast with some dark timber for boxmaking. imagine the dovetail corners when you alternate light and dark timber around a box

Doug, sort of like the contrast between Tassy Myrtle and Huon Pine dovetailed box. I have made one but was unhappy with my dovetails (hand cut)!

Sam, Jacaranda is not in Bootle's book or the Timber guide, so all you can do is hide it for a couple of years, then try it out

PS, Just checked my Botanica and it says that one species of Jacaranda (J.filicifolia) is the timber we know as Brazil Rosewood . . .

Just finished chipping all the small leaves an small branches

Have grabbed the larger bits and will put away. Thanks for all the feedback

Cheers Sam

V. popular for woodturning in South Africa.

Thanks Ern

All put away for ater use

cheers Sam

yes its good..grease up some chunks...or rough turn some blanks..its really white and the bigger stuff is tight grained.

Its strong but not too much and i have dry stuff thats great to turn, good for furniture tables chairs and stuch things...

Jacaranda is also used for pyrography (not burning in the heater). If you could slice some branched on the dropsaw and somehow keep them flat the woodburners will pay good money for them as they make little plaques. Even slices the size of 50c pieces would be good as presents for children. Look for them at the woodshow.

Thanks Reeves

I have no lathe but will keep that in mind

CP

Thats a great idea I will also check with the loacl wood club I think someone there does pyrography

Cheers Sam

Originally Posted by doug the slug

yes mate, its useful stuff. im actually chasing some of it cos its very white and i want to use it to contrast with some dark timber for boxmaking. imagine the dovetail corners when you alternate light and dark timber around a box

Doug - how much do you need? I have a couple of nice dry bits that might be useful if you can slice them into box-sized planks. I'm still in the process of moving my stuff to my new house, so can't put my hands on it immediately, but if you're prepared to wait, PM me and we can arrange some form of delivery, perhaps.

I had a windfall a few months ago (literally - a mini tornado cut a swathe through a couple of suburbs just before Christmas), so have a stash drying under the house that should keep me going for a year or two when it's ready (pic. of the main heap). Had to rough slice it freehand, cos the bits were too short to screw the slabber rail to, but it'll clean up when the time comes.

Jacarandah is liked by turners because it slices so well, and also dries quite well in the round, particularly if you rough out the piece green.
I like to use it for backs and seats of Windsor chairs, especially kid-sized ones (see attached). It has a grain that looks just like Elm, so with a bit of stain, you can make a very convincing "Elm" seat. It carves easily and holds detail quite well; probably not as good as traditional carving woods like Lime, but pretty good for the minor embellishments I'm capable of.
It's not as strong as Elm, of course, but better than the White Pine the Americans traditionally used for chair seats, and light enough that you can carve a nice, deep seat without upsetting the balance (visually or weight-wise).
So Viva Jacarandah.

PS. Pat - One of the Jacarandahs may well be known as a 'Rosewood', but it can't be THE Brazilian Rosewood, which is a Dalbergia, and in a different family from the Jacarandahs, so don't get too excited! The wood of the Jacarandah that grows here (soft, light and nearly white) couldn't be more different from the 'real' rosewoods, which are hard, heavy and dark........