Thread: Pepper Smell While Turning

Does anyone know a wood that smells of pepper while being cut on the lathe??

dunno but you've got my attention on this one

...and mine!

The smells of timber are very important to me as it can make or break the enjoyment of a session in the shed

Hi Hughie and Vern,
I will find out what species wood has the peppery smell in a day or two, and post it here. I am not a big-time pen turner, but an elderly friend in our turning club took on (and was paid for) an order for 50 pens a while back. Since then he has had several eye surgeries and can hardly see. Hence, I volunteered to turn and assemble the pens for him. I just finished 40 of them (another person did 10), and was very surprised that 8 pen blank sets had a serious pepper smell when I was turning them, so I merely wanted to figure out what the wood is.
If he ever answers his email he will answer the wood smell question, if he even knows the answer. In the mean time I thought I might find someone here that knows the species.
Thanks,
A nice young lady [Carole Valentine] up here in Virgina thinks it might be Sneezewood, Never heard of that one, but it is real, and from South Africa...we shall see.

White Cypress (callitris sp) can have a pepper smell while sawing
so can Monterey Cypress .. but not as strong as callitris

Hi Gil, I think you will find it is Imbuia from South America, I turned a piece many years ago and can still remember the strong pepper smell.
Cheers
Barry

Apparently Ebony smells peppery, but it'd be obvious if it was ebony

Got my attention too. "Sneezewood" sounded like a home-made name, but Google says otherwise. There might be some pictures you could compare it to, or post a pic for the congregation's examination. My browser doesn't have a smell-o-vision plugin yet.

Joe

A nice young lady [Carole Valentine] up here in Virgina thinks it might be Sneezewood, Never heard of that one, but it is real, and from South Africa...we shall see.[/quote]

Gil, I know Carole Valentine from the time I was a member of MyFamily, and I know she a dedicated woodturner, and if she think that it is Sneezewood, than for sure she's right. Ask her where you can get this woodspieces.
Good luck. Ad

Sneezewood

Pix

Originally Posted by Gil Jones

Does anyone know a wood that smells of pepper while being cut on the lathe??
Thanks,

Kwila has a peppery smell

OK, dear Lady, here is a pen pic. Problem is, I am not sure which ones were peppery, but I believe it was the tanish-brown ones, with the dark brown strips. Not a great help, but as close as I can get considering that there are no remaining blanks to test.