Thread: Baltic Mahogany

Google!

I tried google, but it only had information on Baltic Mahongany - the stone.

Is there even such a wood as Baltic Mahogany :confused:

Originally Posted by laxation

Is there even such a wood as Baltic Mahogany :confused:

If there is, it's probably not a real mahogany. They tend to grow in slightly warmer climates. Could be a name tacked on to some completely unrelated wood by some enterprising wood merchant. I've never heard of Baltic Mahogany, and I had a view of the Baltic Sea from my window for many years.

Actually I doubt it as Mahogany typically grows in semi equatorial regions (eg Honduras, Brazil, Cuba, etc). A bit far, latitude wise, from the Baltic...

God dam it... I was worried about that...

Now I need to go and take the wood to some wood specialist somewhere... anyone know of any in Melbourne? :confused:

post a pic here, someone may be able to identify from a pic.

Yes, please do post a pic or a link.
I can confirm that there are no Mahogany trees in this region!!!

If it really originates from Baltic sea region, then it might well be heat treated timber of some sort. They tend to be considerably darker and when oiled, some turn almost palisander like. I made some flooring of heat treated hearwood ash which turned deep chocolate brown with black striping after danish oil application. This timber came from Estonia.

Cheers,
Mikko

This has pictures of the wood, and some discussion

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=30273

I might be wrong but that looks kinda like sapele to me.

I dont think so... unless its a rare sort

http://www.jimsoloway.com/NewTops-06-17-05/Sapele.JPG
http://www.redbridgemarquetrygroup.o...ylindricum.jpg

Most sapele looks too straight-grained, or spotted, rather than long streaks like my mystery-wood

If you are sure this timber is from Baltic region......it's birch for sure.
Only timber that can have such figure here is birch. When heat treated the pattern can come even more pronounced. If these pieces are old(more than10yrs)...then it can well be birch too as untreated birch gets darker and more yellow/orange when old. Heat treating has been done in any significant amounts for last ten or so years only.

This pattern is only seen (sometimes, not always) in first 1-5 metres of the trunk of older trees and is called "loimu" (flame). Shakes of one sort.
Pretty expensive stuff when the figure is as pretty as in these examples.

I have few tons of this stuff stashed for turning HUGE bowls and hollows. All still pretty green.
I also have some floorboards with very similar figure.


Cheers,
Mikko

Im actually more sure that its some sort of mohogany, rather than it being from the Baltic region.

Ill look into Birch though, thanks

The fact that you say they are light in weight also speaks for them being of something else than mahogany of any sort.

There are maaaaany timbers with flame figures, but only one I know that looks like this is birch. I have been staring at those floorboards every morning when having breakfast so the pattern is etched to my brain pretty tight.

Cheers,
Mikko

The wood is 30 years old, would that account for it being light?

If you were able to post a picture of your floorboards, I would really appreciate it. I need some sort of photos to go with the research of the type of this wood, and if you have a picture handy itd be great

Cheers