Brazilian Tiger wood

[Daddy1]

I stopped by a hardwood flooring place yesterday to see if they would exchange their scraps from time to time for some pens. They were very agreeable and gave me some GREAT curly hardwoods. They were going to give me some Brazilian tiger wood but decided because it was so special to charge me. I told him I would think about. My question is, what is the scope on B.t.w would it make good pens?

 

[Milpaul]

I occasionally receive some flooring scraps (ipe ironwood is my favorite!) Most of it turns great. The one thing to think about is the grain might look really good on a larger piece, but when you are done with a pen you are only seeing approx. a 1/2 slice once the pen is finished. I'm not saying it's not worth it, just that it is sometimes deceiving.

 

[gketell]

Paul's comment is dead on. Carry a pen with you and lay it across the board to see how the pen would look if you had a blank that size. Look from top, bottom and sides and try to visualize what the turned blank would look like.

GK

 

[redfishsc]

If it is the same thing as Goncalo Alves, don't pay more than 80 cents per blank worth of wood (and it better be nice stuff too), as you can get it cheaper than that at some hardwood stores (the local Klingspor shop has it). It is very, very hard and takes a very nice polish. A great wood for pens if the wood looks good.

Tigerwood can look either ho-hum copper brown or it can be copper-brown with very striking black streaks in it. Looks particularly awesome if you cut it at a 45 degree bias with the grain, but be CAREFUL because this wood will splinter and shatter on you if you flinch the wrong way when turning.

I made an Artist's Sketch pencil for a friend out of bias-cut tigerwood, it looked fantastic. Gave it to him before I could get a pic of it, sorry.

 

[drayman]

well i will tell you what i would do, i would say to him give me a couple of pieces to try and i will show you the finished pen, then go from there, but i would not buy wood if i dont know what its like. just my two cents. colin.

 

[Daddy1]

Thanks for the great comments and advice. I plan to take two pens back on Tuesday and give them to them. Drayman I like the idea of getting a few pieces to see what it looks like before committing to anything.
It is a tough situation because I would like to build a relationship with these guys but I also think that this wood was garbage to them and will be if I don't take them. It had no value to them before I asked for it.
I will walk softly when I negotiate with them but like Redfishsc said I can get nice stuff for little cost and know it will turn well.

 

[gketell]

So, there are many here who are quite content to dumpster dive after hours. []

GK

 

[Daddy1]

Dumpster diving--never thought about that. Interesting.....Fruitful? Do tell

 

[thewishman]

Sometimes the skids that the hardwood is shipped on is more interesting wood that the flooring. I talked to a flooring wholesaler and got scrap pallet wood - ipe, caribbean pine, purpleheart...

Tiger wood has a large open grain that needs to be sealed when you sand. I use CA thin glue twice while sanding with my 320 grit sandpaper to seal the pores. It can maje a pretty pen.

Chris

 

[alamocdc]

The Tigerwood I have is Goncalo Alves. It is quite dense and does not have the open pores that Chris mentions above. It turns very nicely and like Fish said, it polishes very nicely. Mine has the black streaks he talks about and I also agree that is looks quite spectacular when bias cut.

 

[redfishsc]

Originally posted by Daddy1
<br />Dumpster diving--never thought about that. Interesting.....Fruitful? Do tell

Yes indeed. I have the most yellow lookning yellowheart I have ever seen in my life, saved from a dumpster of a flooring distributor (with permission, it's good to know people!).

I have also found a lot of tigerwood, spalted beech, and every shade of ipe imaginable.