Agarita bush hunt...thanks Mesquiteman

[Dario]

During my visit to Curtis, he introduced me to Agarita. It is the BEST YELLOW colored wood I've ever seen. The wood grain is very unique too! Anyway, I collected some agarita bush branch and roots last week. Very hard to find descent sized ones but scored a few.

Agarita itself is easy to harvest...it is the other plants around it that intimidates me. Looks like it will co-exist with Poison Ivy very well [xx(]. Anyway I am lucky that I didn't encounted any PI...just Cat's Claw vines...and these ones live up to their name!

Only problem I am having now is some of them are cracking...even with anchorsealed ends! [:0][B)]

 

[coach]

I have had offers to get some of it, but wasn't sure if it was turnable. Let me know how it comes out. Tell Billy hello from me tonight!

 

[Dario]

Will do Coach. We just spoke actually and I am meeting him at 7 tonight.

It is tunable...if you have a source, get it (or I can do it []) LOL

 

[MesquiteMan]

It is definately turnable if you find a big enough piece. I have made a couple pens and a nice hollowform from it.

Dario, you have to drill the center out right away. I actually drill it out and then immediately drop it in DNA for a few days. have not had any split where I did that.

Here is the hollowform:

And here is a pen:

 

[MesquiteMan]

Coach,

EVERYTHING is turnable!!

 

[johncrane]

that looks great love the colour

 

[Penmonkey]

I tryed to make a pen out of that about a year ago and it cracked, but now I am going to try again thanks to yall.

 

[thewishman]

That is awesome looking stuff. Dario, will you be adding that to your "Chef's Special?"

 

[whatwoodido]

Curtis-
Nice looking hollowform.

Drew

 

[Dario]

Originally posted by thewishman
<br />That is awesome looking stuff. Dario, will you be adding that to your "Chef's Special?"

As of now, I don't have enough to even consider it. That may change if and when I find a good source. The bush doesn't grow too big. An officemate of mine have one on his yard for 20 years and the trunks are still no more than 1/2" dia according to him [:0]. Of course in the wild they may grow faster.

Note that the wood is soft/brittle and will surely benefit getting some sort of stabilization.

I do have a few smaller diameter pieces...1/2" or so in diameter, if you want to give it a try I will give you some free...just send me shipping cost []. If interested, e-mail me.

I just read that the roots were used to color some parachute doing World War II. Not sure why they want anything bright yellow during war though [][?]

The pic of the hollow form Curtis showed is MUCH MUCH better in person. [^]

 

[MesquiteMan]

Dario,

You think the wood is soft? My impression from working with it is that it is fairly hard. I agree that it is brittle, though.