Myrtlewood

[prajna101]

Well, today's CL scrounge has left me scratching my head. I got 4 HUGE rounds of myrtlewood. I was not really familier with it, but a quick search on the forum brought up nothing. I searched google and found it to be a very dense wood. So I went and grabbed it.

I got it home and split a few splits off the side of one of the rounds. It smelled nice, kind of like the bay tree I mentioned on here earlier. I searched google even more and now I am wondering if I have something special. Evidently its only native to the holy land and a small part of Oregon (where I live). It is highly valued by wood workers and spiritual folks. Here are some links:

(broken link removed to http://www.myrtlewoodgallery.com/classic/what_is_myrtlewood.htm)

http://www.myrtlewood.com/story.html

SO. . . I feel kind of weird about splitting, stacking and burning this stuff. Should I do something else with it? Are any of you woodworkers? any ideas? Any thoughts how it burns, probably like laurels, but I have no experience with those either.

t

 

[prajna101]

Oooh I just found this. Looks promising to burn. Evidently its also called pepperwood:

"Pepperwood firewood burns similar to other hardwoods such as oak but produces less ash. The wood also has a nice fragrance. Pepperwood is a broadleaf evergreen also know as Oregon Myrtle, California Bay Laurel, California Olive as well as other names. Pepperwood is closely related to the bay leaves that are commonly used for seasoning. The leaves emit a strong fragrance when crushed and the wood and olive-like fruit called umbels are also fragrant. Like many other hardwoods Pepperwood sprouts back from the stump when the tree is cut down and the sprouts grow vigorously into new trees since they have an already established root system from the parent tree. Pepperwood is used for making hardwood lumber, commonly known as myrtlewood, and also makes excellent firewood."

 

[Battenkiller]

I have a 4" thick plank of myrtle that I bought to turn bowls from. I haven't cut into it yet, but I do remember paying dearly for it. It is certainly something that woodworkers here in the Northeast would want to keep out of the wood stove, but it may not be so hard to come by out that way.

 

[Nonprophet]

Well, today's CL scrounge has left me scratching my head. I got 4 HUGE rounds of myrtlewood. I was not really familier with it, but a quick search on the forum brought up nothing. I searched google and found it to be a very dense wood. So I went and grabbed it.

I got it home and split a few splits off the side of one of the rounds. It smelled nice, kind of like the bay tree I mentioned on here earlier. I searched google even more and now I am wondering if I have something special. Evidently its only native to the holy land and a small part of Oregon (where I live). It is highly valued by wood workers and spiritual folks. Here are some links:

(broken link removed to http://www.myrtlewoodgallery.com/classic/what_is_myrtlewood.htm)

http://www.myrtlewood.com/story.html

SO. . . I feel kind of weird about splitting, stacking and burning this stuff. Should I do something else with it? Are any of you woodworkers? any ideas? Any thoughts how it burns, probably like laurels, but I have no experience with those either.

t

Myrtlewood is fairly rare stuff (even here in Oregon) and I think it would be tragic to just burn it. My father is a wood-turner on the E. Coast, and they pay VERY good money for Myrtlewood, especially if it is spalted or in burls. You might look on some of the website for places that sell it to turners and then cut their price in half or so and I think you'd be happily surprised with how much you could get for it on say feeBay.............


NP

 

[Battenkiller]

Myrtlewood is fairly rare stuff (even here in Oregon) and I think it would be tragic to just burn it. My father is a wood-turner on the E. Coast, and they pay VERY good money for Myrtlewood, especially if it is spalted or in burls. You might look on some of the website for places that sell it to turners and then cut their price in half or so and I think you'd be happily surprised with how much you could get for it on say feeBay.............

+1

The Northeast Woodworkers Showcase is next weekend in my town. I'll try to remember to ask the specialty wood dealers there what's the going price of myrtlewood. I believe it's one of those woods that is sometimes sold by the pound rather than by the board foot, so that should give you an idea of what it's worth to wood turners. If it's got great figure, it'd be a crying shame to burn it. I'm saving my billet of myrtle until I'm good enough to not blow a bowl blank while turning it.

You know, I'm beginning to think I ought to get a big trailer and go around the country trading seasoned ash and oak for some of exotic stuff I've seen mentioned as firewood. Even if I gave two cord seasoned to one of the following specialty woods, I'd make a killing:

Osage orange (hedge)
Birdseye maple
Persimmon
Mulberry
Curly maple
Myrtle
Red gum
Spalted maple
Curly redwood
Mountain mahogany

Apple and live oak should at least be picked over to get out the crotches and branch crooks so they can be used for support knees and breasthooks on wooden boats.

Oak, ash, walnut, and cherry crotches... redwood, maple, and cherry burls. None should ever see a flame.

And even though it's not exotic, I'd gladly trade a cord of oak for 100 bd.ft. of straight grained black walnut heartwood cut 8/4 to 12/4. ;-)

 

[prajna101]

Ok, It all has been given away. I kept some pieces to show my dad when he comes and will have to throw a few splits in the fire just to try it out. But most of the wood has gone to wood workers. I didn't even sell it. Just got some good karma points though.

t