Thread: Leopard/lace wood

What's sometimes known as lacewood in the USA is known as Silky Oak here, and is well known to cause skin irritation and respiratory problems in susceptible people.

My Father-in-law puffs up like a toad fish if he works with silky oak

I got all his supplies as a result!!!
Doesn't worry me at all

But he's not the only one I've seen suffer, so if it affects you - avoid it - takes him a week to 10 days to get over the reaction :eek:

I get a slight rash when using robusta but not when using Cardwellia, also I like the colour of Cardwellia more

Rick, Leopardwood is a different species to Silky Oak(Lacewood), I don't have any reference to it inmy books but I have used it . It is white and very hard, can't tell the difference between the heartwood and the sapwood, the bark looks very similar to Chinese Elm.I believe some people here use it for musical instruments.
Cheers
Barry

I know of plane as being lacewood it looks like Grev. robusta only much finer. I have never cut up a lepard tree we don't have them down here.

Ok, just did some research, and found that Leopardwood grows in South America. I guess I thought Austrailia due to the similar look to silky oak. Maybe I should try the lacewood, and see if I can use it without any trouble. Sometimes it's hard for me to tell which wood is bothering me since I mix so many different species on one project.
Anyway, thanks for the helpful responses.
Rick



Leopardwoow photo