Thread: mystery wood

Damarminyak (day-mar-min-yak) readily available in Oz from better timber yards and suppliers of furniture timber.

About the closest thing you can get in Australia to NZ Kauri. Not magnificent but definitely better than some. Tends to sometimes warp and do silly corkscrew type things when cut.

Should be available in the USA at better lumber yards. May also be sold under the name of Kauri. You have plenty of much better timbers available there, I don't think I would be wasting my time with this one if it was me.

Hope this helps. - Neil

Jeff
Damar is properly known as Agathis dammara. As Neil said, the closest thing to it is the Kauri which is also an Agathis. Piranna Pine is also similar but even less stable. It is a cheap species and is useful for a number of applications but is also very soft. It is a honey blonde colour ( colour does have a "u" in it!!) but can also have streaks of red brown too. The grain is very fine, it hand planes very well and polishes up well too. It can be very stable but can also move heaps. It depends on the boards. You may be able to source in the States, it is common enough in Australia. Hope this helps out.
Regards
Shaun

Thanks for the info. I was mostly curious about the wood, not intending to use it. I have some swamp Kauri from a trip to NZ.

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"Turning wood into treasures"