Collector's Specialty Woods logo
CSWoods Newsletter  
October 17, 2006 - Issue # 12
   
Hello all! Welcome to the 12th edition of the CSWoods E-Newsletter. We are excited to share the comings and goings at CSWoods with you. To ensure continued receipt of our emails, please add cswoods@cswoods.com to your address book. You can view back editions of the newsletter at www.cswoods.com.
NEWS - Up to our ears in Burls!
Last week we received a semi truckload of bigleaf maple burl from our friend Tom in Washington State, and we are now busy sorting, grading, numbering, sealing and stacking. Tom has been hand selecting and cutting these burls over a three year time span, and each one is different and spectacular in its own way. All the burls were lined up in the yard and are waiting patiently to be poked, prodded, inventoried and photographed so that they can be stocked away to dry and go up for display in our website photo catalog. Each burl has at least three photos taken to give a clear picture of its shape and grain structure. These are available on the website. These are green, but we have plenty of dry ones in stock! Check them out here: Browse Burls   Maple Burl tops arrive at CSWoods in Gardner.
Maple Burl tops arrive at CSWoods in Gardner.   Kent checks out the maple burls that just arrived.
HIGHLIGHT: True Mahogany
Often named by the country of origin ( Honduras, Bolivia, Peru ), this species has often been considered the world's premier cabinet wood.  It works easily with machine and hand tools.  Color is light red-brown to deep red.  It has been used for high class cabinetry, furniture, interior millwork and patternmaking.
8/4 stock 9"- 13" wide, 8' - 12' long, 
$9.96 per BF  ( #4862 )
Mahogany Lumber
Mahogany Lumber
Heartwood and sapwood
Many species of wood have a darker-colored inner portion known as heartwood and a lighter-colored outside know as sapwood. Sapwood is the comparatively new wood while the heartwood is the older inert or dead wood. All wood in a tree is first formed as sapwood, and as the tree grows, an inner portion of the sapwood ceases to function and the cells die. Sapwood is the primary conductor of water from the roots to the leaves. The more leaves a tree bears and the more vigorous its growth, the larger the volume of sapwood required. Thus, trees growing farther apart experience rapid growth and have more sapwood for their size than trees of the same species growing in dense forests. Often, trees grown farther apart may become of considerable size before heartwood begins to form, as in second-growth hickory, or open-grown pines. Thin sapwood is characteristic of such trees as osage-orange, chestnut, black locust, and sassafras, while maple, hackberry, beech, and pine usually have thick sapwood.
Diagram of the heartwood and the sapwood on a slab of bubinga lumber.
Bubinga Plank
 
ODD LOTS and CLOSEOUTS
 Southwest Style Corbels
All pieces have been treated with Land Ark Oil.
Three full length pieces: 8"x 8"x 48"
(#'s: 5262,5263,5264) - $116.21 ea.
Southwest Style Corbels
Four corner sets (sold in pairs): 8"x 8"x 29" on a side. (#'s: 5258, 5259, 5260,5261 ) - $125.01 ea.
Southwest Style Corbels
Southwest Style Corbels
Southwest Style Corbels
Southwest Style Corbels
 
 
Understanding Specific Gravity
 
Specific Gravity - SG - is a dimensionless unit defined as the ratio of density of the material to the density of water at a specified temperature (density is defined as the weight in pounds per cubic foot).  Specific Gravity is an excellent indicator of strength as dense woods, having more substance, are stronger. Listed below are a few common woods listed for comparison:
  
Species SG - (Specific Gravity) Pounds (lbs) per board foot
Balsa SG .10 .583 lbs - 1 lb per board foot
Sugar Pine  SG .34 2.08 lbs per board foot
Butternut SG .36 2.25 lbs per board foot
Port Orford Cedar  SG .43 2.66 lbs per cubic foot
True Mahogany  SG .39 - .56 2.416 lbs to 3.583 lbs per board foot
Lacewood SG .44 2.75 lbs per board foot
Black Cherry  SG .47 3 lbs per board foot
Black Walnut  SG .51 3.25 lbs per board foot
Hard Maple  SG .56 3.583 lbs per board foot
White Oak  SG .60 3.83 lbs per board foot
Macassar Ebony  SG .60 - .80 3.83 lbs - 5.33 lbs per board foot
Lignumvitae SG 1.05 7.33 lbs per board foot
   
 
   
Contact Information:
Showroom/Woodyard: Gardner, Colorado - 8055 CR 570 - 81040 local phone:719-746-2413 fax:719-746-2433
Showroom location: Carbondale, Colorado - 2251 Delores Way Unit 5 - 81623 local phone: 970-963-9346
EMAIL: cswoods@cswoods.com
   
Fine Print: Prices vary depending on quantity, grade, and dimensions. Returned wood is accepted in original condition with prior approval, you pay freight. There will be additional charges for: project sorting and high-grading through packs, and small orders. CSW cannot be held responsible for health issues relating to wood, wood working, and wood products. All material sold as is.