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[Johan Heyns]

Hi Guys

Anyone seen this before or used it in puzzles?  (Silky Oak)

[Bernhard Schweitzer]

 

Hi Johan

I think I was one of the first using this fantastic wood ( lacewood or Queensland oak) for puzzles; I found it in a small lumber shop in Germany offered only in small sticks; so I decided to cut it in domino-pieces to show the extreme grain of it and I made the three different dominodesigns by Oskar van Deventer;
I think it is one of the most incredible grain in wood I`ve ever seen
happy puzzling
Bernhard

[Eric Fuller]

Bernhard - that's not lacewood, it's Leopardwood.  They look very similar but Leopardwood is much harder and splinters a lot. 

[Johan Heyns]

It sure looks very nice.

We have something similar, although it is more a shrub than a tree, from the Protea species, locally called a Sugarbush.

One 9 L puzzle made from Sugar bush with stand upside down.

[Kerry Verne]

Here's a good source of wood pics and info:
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/

Direct link on 'silky oak'
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/silky%20oak.htm

[Johan Heyns]

I was in the area of my wood supplier for a meeting this morning, and afterwards stopped there for a destresser.  I got one board of the silky oak 2,4m x 200mm x 20 mm for R71 which is less than $10 at todays exchange rate.  What a bargain!

Thanks for the link Kerry.

[Mark McCallum]

I have used lacewood many times for puzzles.  It glues well and is fairly stable with humidity and temperature.  It is also easy to cut and yields smooth surfaces and edges with little effort.  Leopardwood is significantly different, much more dense, and as Eric said, is much more prone to splintering.

The medullary rays in lacewood are a creamy white color, while in leopardwood they are much darker and often have a purplish-red edge around the ray.

Wood dealers here often sell Leopardwood as Lacewood, but it is not the same.

[Bernhard Schweitzer]

 

Hi all

I found a nice article about mixing up lacewood and leopardwood in http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/leopard.htm

so we have after that the complete knowledge about these woods

best regards
Bernhard

[Canuck]

Yeah that's a great link Kerry, Paul Hinds who runs the website also sells some nice veneer as well, well worth a look if you happen to need some!!  By the way Kerry, I'm sure you would not mistake lacewood for leopardwood (which I CANNOT get here )
Johan, that sugarbush is outstanding I did make a pen from what you sent me, but unfortunately doesn't do it justice on such a small diameter turning
FYI; When I was at my wood supplier asking for some 'Snakewood' he pulled out a giant wood species encyclopaedia and Lacewood, Leopardwood, Snakewood were all cross referenced together  Now if any of you guys have ever seen 'Snakewood' you know it's nothing like any of the others  Also if any of you happen to be in the market for some 'Snakewood' I'd be more than happy to split the costs to get some, even if it's only a little bit for some...dare I say it pens

[Canuck]

One 9 L puzzle made from Sugar bush with stand upside down.

Johan, that is one amazing looking puzzle

[Canuck]

I was in the area of my wood supplier for a meeting this morning, and afterwards stopped there for a destresser.  I got one board of the silky oak 2,4m x 200mm x 20 mm for R71 which is less than $10 at todays exchange rate.  What a bargain!

Johan, save me some of that board if you can, man that stuff looks spectacular

[Johan Heyns]

Thanks John.

My main aim is to try and display the absolutely amazing woods and grain that the Good Lord created.  It is sometimes astounding to plane a dirty piece of wood clean and find the absolute magic God created hidden there.  

[Canuck]

You're starting to sound like Robert, except he'd be talking about 'Mushrooms'

[Scott Peterson]

I've used Leopardwood before, but not true Lacewood.  I have seen Leopardwood sold as Lacewood in the Seattle area as well - and I get lots of argument when I try to explain it to a wood store owner... 

What I find interesting is that the grain patterns for the Lacewood and Leopardwood - and now Silky Oak are all similar to the quartersawn white oak that was so popular for the arts & crafts furniture.  But the odd thing is that earlier I found the "wormy" look of quartersawn white oak a bit ugly (now I like it though) - but I immediately loved the look of Leopardwood.

Here is a photo of a Pennyhedron I made from Leopardwood...back when I began making puzzles.

Thanks for the thread on this amazing wood!

[Johan Heyns]

Hi Scott

Thats a nice Pennyhedron.     I've been trying but have not been successful with the angled stuff.  Still waiting for my clamps.

John, that which the heart is full of the mouth runs over with!