Thread: The Aromas of Wood.

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Sandalwood. Probably the best fragrance by far of all timbers.

Used to have and use a fair bit of genuine sandalwood up until around 20 years ago.

Had a small piece left from last lot I got and every now and again I would cut the thinnest slice of it on the radial arm saw and for the next couple of months, every time the saw was used the sweet sandalwood fragrance would waft around the workshop as the blade heated up with cutting.

Had a lot of different aromas waft around the workshop over the years every smell from dog sheeit on a shoe, fly spray, melting rubber and totally obnoxious, highly unpleasant aromatic, through to slightly bland and lightly fragrant up to sweet and highly fragrant like camphor, houan, Aussie cedar, some fruit woods, cedar of Lebanon, and others. But for mine the Sandalwood beats them all hands-down.

Cheers - Neil

For my money, Gutta Percha has to be the most glorious smelling timber of them all. MMMmmmmmmmm . I concur although huon comes a very close second

Spring time & a high pollen count leaves me with snuffly nasal passage,however planing some Camphor Laurel yesterday had a good effect on the breathing issue but only whilst in the shop planing.Of course only aromatic when the fibre's are teased with working the timber.

Originally Posted by ubeaut

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Sandalwood. Probably the best fragrance by far of all timbers.

Used to have and use a fair bit of genuine sandalwood up until around 20 years ago.

Had a small piece left from last lot I got and every now and again I would cut the thinnest slice of it on the radial arm saw and for the next couple of months, every time the saw was used the sweet sandalwood fragrance would waft around the workshop as the blade heated up with cutting.

Had a lot of different aromas waft around the workshop over the years every smell from dog sheeit on a shoe, fly spray, melting rubber and totally obnoxious, highly unpleasant aromatic, through to slightly bland and lightly fragrant up to sweet and highly fragrant like camphor, houan, Aussie cedar, some fruit woods, cedar of Lebanon, and others. But for mine the Sandalwood beats them all hands-down.

Cheers - Neil

Yes, Neil it was a bit surprising. I'm just back from an IWCS conference in Kalgoorlie WA where with other members we enjoyed seeing WA Sandalwood harvesting (at the last stage anyway), had it explained and visited the oils processing / extraction plant. This is from the native western sandalwood, Santalum spicatum, not the Indian (tropical) sandalwood grown in the Kimberly. Like you I find the scent from all sandalwood "heavenly" (ie outa this world). So its no surprise its used for perfumes and ceremonially and VERY valuable as wood sawdust or oil.

I will try and post some pics showing Govt controlled Sandalwood operations in WA showing where its debarked, graded and prepared for dispatch to Denmark WA to be ground up, some figured logs we were shown to us (but not offered), and a stump end from my workshop. A friend (a forester) has started a number of trial plantations of the western sandalwood in SA and also NE Victoria. I will post a pic of that if I can, taken a couple fo years ago. Its shows promise as a sustainable wood & oil product for Vic too. Who would have guessed eh?

The Qld sandawood (S. lanceolatum) and Quandong (S. accuminatum) woods are also fragrant but much less so. Interestingly, the Ballart (Exocarpus cupressiformis) from SE forests is also in the Sandalwood family but its wood is not aromatic or oily.

Cheers Euge

Sandalwood 1.jpeg

Above: 2 Figured western sandalwood logs we viewed but could not buy ... BUGGA!

Sandalwood 2.jpeg

Above Sandalwood processing (post harvest) removing bark, grading and packing into crtaes for transport to a mill in Denmark WA for grinding before returning to Kal for oil extraction. Its highly regulated and controlled as there is a lots of money in the wood and wood oil and so subject to illegal harvesting etc.

Sandalwood Nth Vic .jpeg

Western sandalwood growing in NE Vic ...

sandalwood.jpeg

a log of Sandalwood I have kept for some years and bought from a wholesale outlet in Freemantle ie legal wood.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

Another thing I noticed is that boards that smell "odd" compared to what the timber normally smells like often have interesting colouring or grain patterns

spalted greenheart.jpeg

Yes, agree ... coloured woods DO often smell different or stronger because the wood (tree) is reacting to some irritation attack (physical microbial, fungal, insect etc) which often produces a chemical reaction eg spalting forming a new array of chemicals, some volatile, others less volatile but colourful.

Even ebony and Aust Greenheart (Wilga) is in this category. I attach a pic to illustrate the effect. I find it acquires a balsam like smell and the green hearwood often shows where it comes from (fungal attack followed a hollow heart (how does that song go by Elvis ... Wooden Heart? ) Good name for a article I think don't you?

Euge

It is now getting close to a year ago I cut this Rusty Tulip Oak and even now, on some days, when standing close to the stack, there is still this strange musty aroma coming from the wood .

Originally Posted by Bob Whitworth

It is now getting close to a year ago I cut this Rusty Tulip Oak and even now, on some days, when standing close to the stack, there is still this strange musty aroma coming from the wood .

Hi Bob,

Persistence of wood odour is unsurprising. You might be particularly sensitive to the odour of that wood (ie certain chemicals that comprise that odour). It suggests that the wood oils are still on the wood surface (where they evaporate into the air) having diffused from the interior.

The volatility of the chemicals in woods can vary according to their vapour pressure, storage temperature, air flow, wood surface area, diffusion rate through the wood cells etc. The wood sample you sent me has a musty odour but I am less sensitive to it than you are. I don't have easy access to a GC/MS otherwise I could tell you what the likely cause of the odour in Rusty Tulip Oak is. Maybe one day.

Originally Posted by TTIT

I'd be very interested in just what this stuff smells like Bob. I have a client in New York that I make small lidded boxes for from heavily scented timbers and I'm always on the lookout for something new. I'll PM you next time I'm heading down that way.

For my money, Gutta Percha has to be the most glorious smelling timber of them all. If I suck all the shavings up with the vacuum cleaner, you can still smell it when you switch it on a year later! MMMmmmmmmmm

TTIT, I'm not sure if Bob's wood will appeal to our mutual lady friend (yes, I have corresponded and supplied the same NY lady with wood and wood info over the years). Bobs sample sent to me did not have, what I would call, a fragrant odour at least not to me. It was rather sour / rank (sorry Bob). But, as for Gutta Percha, I do recall recommending it to her as a fragrant wood she should have in her collection as a turned box. She mentioned she was obtaining turnings from you in fragrant woods.

Neil, a friend in WA made and sent this same lady a lidded box made of WA sandalwood filled with shavings. I think she was pleased.

Fragrant woods remain an interest because of their often interesting chemistry, some which explain their wood properties.