# Mountain Mahogany!!



## fredito (Feb 3, 2015)

Mods, please move if in wrong thread.

I'm wondering if anyone has worked much with mountain mahogany? I was given a few logs of it recently and really like it. Come to find out, it's quite common in my area. I was informed where to go to harvest some and I am working on figuring out some logistics. I don't want to get to excited about it yet, but I'm hoping someone could give me some more info regarding harvesting, milling and turning it. I have not found much about it online, other then it's compared to DIW. I looked up both on wood database and found the following.

DIW:
Dried weight 75lbs/ft3
Janka- 3260lbf or 14500 N

MM
Dried weight 69 lbs/ft3
Janka- 3200lbf or 14230 N

These seem pretty similar to me, but I'm far from an expert. It says MM can grow 10-20' and have a trunk of 1'. Most of what I see is 10' and an 8" trunk would be a good find, most is 6" or less I would say.

It is really twisty and looks like sage brush on steroids, how would you deal with this? Cut logs at the bends and mill from there? With it being so small and hard, can you keep the pith? For turning duck calls like this, maybe @SENC would have an idea?

It seems to crack a lot and I read one thing where a guy said 80-90% can go to waste. I would have to take dead trees, any advice with this to minimize cracking?

Any general tips working with this specific wood? I turned some with carbides and it seemed fine to me.

Again, I don't want to get excited until I get some, but there seems to be plenty around. I have found very little of it online for sale. One place was selling chunks and the other place had little blanks. I heard it's sought after for knife and pistol grips and a guy in Oregon makes duck calls from it. It's used in musical instruments such as violin pegs. I think it would make nice pens or vases with inclusions. Part of the fun of this was learning the history on the wood. Native Americans used it for bows and digging tools, it was used in smelters as it burns really hot and apparently was used for roller skate wheels at one point. Sorry about the rambling, but part of the joy I have in turning is learning the history of woods. I have attached some pics so you guys can give me your opinions on it! I personally like the tight grain pattern and colors.

Also, @shadetree_1 and I spoke about this and I said I would tag him so he could see pics

Put water on these to help show grain:
Endgrain:



Side view/Scale



Couple of pen blanks



Cutoffs



Quick turning I did with whatever friction finish was closest. In all honesty, I didn't take my time really, skipped grits...I wanted to see how it looked!

Reactions: EyeCandy! 3


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## fredito (Feb 3, 2015)

I meant to put this in general wood turning...probably shouldn't post with little ones climbing on me. @Kevin if you could move it that would be awesome
Thanks


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## barry richardson (Feb 3, 2015)

I moved it

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | +Karma 1


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## fredito (Feb 3, 2015)

Thanks @barry richardson


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## shadetree_1 (Feb 3, 2015)

@fredito I like it! When you get a decent supply let me know and we can do a little swapping.

Reactions: Like 2


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## fredito (Feb 3, 2015)

@shadetree_1 sounds good to me...I always like swapping!


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Feb 4, 2015)

Can you post a picture of the tree? I have a brother in Bozeman that might be able to find some for me. That looks like some really cool stuff.


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## fredito (Feb 4, 2015)

@Wilson's Woodworking here you go. I don't know how it is over there, I am about 1.5 hours from Bozeman. I'm actually there every weekend during football season for the games. I have been told, the best part in the state is right on top of me. Once I get some stock built up, I would be more then happy to do some trading with you if you were interested. Hoping to go out this spring. Here is a pic via www

Reactions: Like 1


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Feb 4, 2015)

Looks like some really cool stuff. I love the gnarly looking tree! they always make the coolest wood.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## justallan (Feb 4, 2015)

Man, that is one ugly tree! Right up to the point that you cut into it. It reminds me of the juniper that I have here. Is it anything like juniper to work?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## fredito (Feb 4, 2015)

@justallan the juniper I have worked with hasn't been to bad. This stuff seems pretty dang hard...hence why I posted the janka stuff. I used carbides playing around with it and had no problems and actually turned really nice. I tried a parting tool that wasn't carbide and could feel the difference. On the bandsaw I did have to be careful as it was fighting me some on that. Sanding on the other hand is going to take forever. The pic didn't show it well, but it finished like glass with a simple friction finish. Honestly, it had the look and feel of a good ca finish. As for the tree, yes it is a little ugly bugger...I honestly never gave it the time of day until I was given some logs

Reactions: Like 2


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## NYWoodturner (Feb 5, 2015)

Fred - I have only turned a couple of pens from MM and that was years ago. I remember it turned and polished very well. I wasn't very good at sharpening my chisels at that stage in the game and I think I lost as many as I won with MM. I would go for it. Bottle stoppers, Knife blanks, pen blanks call blanks, tool handles.. plenty can be made from pieces that size.

Reactions: Like 1


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## DKMD (Feb 5, 2015)

I've played around with a few very small pieces, and it is very dense. It takes threads well and polishes to a high shine. It reminds me of some of the harder Aussie burls in how it turns.

Reactions: Like 1


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## SENC (Feb 5, 2015)

You could drill the pith out for a duck call... but you won't likely get the best figure that way. Cool looking wood.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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