# Figured Kempas?



## Byron Barker (Aug 28, 2019)

A local woodworker had these trays for sale I figured I would pick up. He called it "Yellow Gold" wood. Initially I thought it was Hinoki burl till I noticed it was a lot heavier. Some research online and it came up as Kempas. Specifically, _koompassia app. _The tree is native to Indonesia and those areas. Seem right? I found this one other figured example as shown below in the blanks for sale in China I guess. I was hoping to offer them up for to the community since they seem like something special to have, but I'm not 100% sure on the species.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 4


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## phinds (Aug 28, 2019)

Byron Barker said:


> A local woodworker had these trays for sale I figured I would pick up. He called it "Yellow Gold" wood. Initially I thought it was Hinoki burl till I noticed it was a lot heavier. Some research online and it came up as Kempas. Specifically, *koompassia app. *The tree is native to Indonesia and those areas. Seem right? I found this one other figured example as shown below in the blanks for sale in China I guess. I was hoping to offer them up for to the community since they seem like something special to have, but *I'm not 100% sure on the species*.


I assume you meant Koompassia spp., not "app.". The name kempas encompasses at least 6 species in the genus Koompassia and it's not clear whether you mean you are not sure of the species (which of the Koompassia spp. it is) or if you are unsure of even the genus, but I assume you mean you are unsure of even the genus (whether it is even Koompassia at all). 

Whatever it is, it is absolutely gorgeous.

I've never seen any kempas burl so wouldn't know, but the color certainly is quite different from all the Koompassia I've ever seen. That doesn't rule it out though. See, for example, paela regular color (orange) vs. the burl color (red)

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/kempas.htm


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## Mr. Peet (Aug 28, 2019)

I had thought of 'Himalayan teak burl', _Gmelina arborea_.

Reactions: Like 1


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## phinds (Aug 28, 2019)

Here's a picture of regular Gmelina arborea from Mark, so the color is a match (considering that your piece is a burl)

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## Byron Barker (Aug 28, 2019)

phinds said:


> I assume you meant Koompassia spp., not "app.". The name kempas encompasses at least 6 species in the genus Koompassia and it's not clear whether you mean you are not sure of the species (which of the Koompassia spp. it is) or if you are unsure of even the genus, but I assume you mean you are unsure of even the genus (whether it is even Koompassia at all).
> 
> Whatever it is, it is absolutely gorgeous.
> 
> ...


Yes, I meant the genus. I looked at your page and other references online and only found it regarding normal grained boards. When I use the Chinese name, I was able to find several examples of it. Most of them were with a figured appearance. All of them were golden. Again, the Chinese is notoriously unreliable, but a species checklist on a Chinese bio-reference website lists the Chinese name for Koompassia as "Yellow Gold" like this man did. I guess it is going to be another difficult one to differentiate. I'll look into _Gmelina arborea. _


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Aug 28, 2019)

Interested if you offer up. What are the dimensions and cost on them?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## T. Ben (Aug 28, 2019)

I would be interested in the pen blanks.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1 | Agree 1


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## Byron Barker (Aug 28, 2019)

I don't have those pen blanks. I was just cross-referencing the Chinese name and they showed up under the same Chinese name. Clearly the same wood, but doesn't mean the name they are using is referring to the genus of tree it is associated with. Seems like their names are used for multiple species frequently in the same way "iron wood" would be in English. Leaves a lot of doubt identifying.


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## Byron Barker (Aug 28, 2019)

I'll be posting them next week sometime. Keep a lookout for them. I am still working through some other stuff so won't start with this wood till the other stuff is shipped out.


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## phinds (Aug 28, 2019)

Byron Barker said:


> ... the Chinese is notoriously unreliable


Yes, sadly, it is. My friend David Clark does a lot of wood business in China, including selling samples to many of their wood research institutes and universities and he is constantly bemoaning the woeful inadequacies of their taxonomy knowledge. A large part of the problem is that their researchers cannot access the rest of the world so they don't even find their mistakes and their hesitancy to use the Latin taxonomy system (at least properly) is another part.

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## T. Ben (Aug 28, 2019)

Byron Barker said:


> I'll be posting them next week sometime. Keep a lookout for them. I am still working through some other stuff so won't start with this wood till the other stuff is shipped out.


Thanks Byron,I’ll be waiting impatiently.

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## Bigdrowdy1 (Aug 28, 2019)

Please tag me when you do @Byron Barker

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## Mr. Peet (Aug 28, 2019)

Byron Barker said:


> Yes, I meant the genus. I looked at your page and other references online and only found it regarding normal grained boards. When I use the Chinese name, I was able to find several examples of it. Most of them were with a figured appearance. All of them were golden. Again, the Chinese is notoriously unreliable, but a species checklist on a Chinese bio-reference website lists the Chinese name for Koompassia as "Yellow Gold" like this man did. I guess it is going to be another difficult one to differentiate. I'll look into _Gmelina arborea. _



Yes, the "Koompassia" genus and _Koompassia excelsa_ in particular is known as yellow gold, for the highly valued honey yielded from its blossoms, not the wood. The wood is often sold under the name 'Tualang'. Paul has taken several pictures of the species's wood.

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## Mr. Peet (Aug 28, 2019)

phinds said:


> Here's a picture of regular Gmelina arborea from Mark, so the color is a match (considering that your piece is a burl)
> 
> View attachment 170909



I have a burled sample from David. Thought you took a picture of it...I'll try getting one the next rain day.


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## Byron Barker (Aug 28, 2019)

Mr. Peet said:


> I had thought of 'Himalayan teak burl', _Gmelina arborea_.





Mr. Peet said:


> Yes, the "Koompassia" genus and _Koompassia excelsa_ in particular is known as yellow gold, for the highly valued honey yielded from its blossoms, not the wood. The wood is often sold under the name 'Tualang'. Paul has taken several pictures of the species's wood.


So, the original thought it was Kempas is probably correct then. Some of it seems to have a golden color, so I'm guessing the burl would have more of a concentration of it.


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## NeilYeag (Aug 28, 2019)

Same thing here in Thailand. The call Mai Daeng for many different woods that are clearly different. The word means red wood, but I see that many times that call anything that is red or reddish Mai Daeng. The only one that is consistent here is Mai Sak, which is Teak, and that seems to be clearly identified. But of course no one is suppose to harvest and Thai Teak here in the Kingdom. The teak that is used for furniture comes from Cambodia or Myanmar (Burma)

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## Byron Barker (Aug 29, 2019)

NeilYeag said:


> Same thing here in Thailand. The call Mai Daeng for many different woods that are clearly different. The word means red wood, but I see that many times that call anything that is red or reddish Mai Daeng. The only one that is consistent here is Mai Sak, which is Teak, and that seems to be clearly identified. But of course no one is suppose to harvest and Thai Teak here in the Kingdom. The teak that is used for furniture comes from Cambodia or Myanmar (Burma)


Yes, my friend just bought a huge table-sized slab of pinkish wood. I asked him what it was and he showed me the Chinese name for it, " rose wood". He said he paid about 30$ for it. I laughed out loud at him without thinking. He seemed confused. I spent the next half hour showing him what the word "rose wood" usually refers to and why you'd never get a table sized slab of it for 30$. I think he actually bought Chinaberry. It's all over the place here.


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## Mr. Peet (Aug 29, 2019)

Byron Barker said:


> So, the original thought it was Kempas is probably correct then. Some of it seems to have a golden color, so I'm guessing the burl would have more of a concentration of it.



I was saying "No", I did not think so. A fine sanded end grain or good picture may answer the question. The "football" looking pores are in any Kempas.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Mr. Peet (Aug 31, 2019)

@Byron Barker @phinds 

So I lack camera skills but here are some pictures of _Gmelina arborea_ burl (burr), often called "Himalayan Golden Teak burl".

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 3 | Informative 1


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## Byron Barker (Sep 1, 2019)

Mr. Peet said:


> @Byron Barker @phinds
> 
> So I lack camera skills but here are some pictures of _Gmelina arborea_ burl (burr), often called "Himalayan Golden Teak burl".
> 
> View attachment 171064 View attachment 171065 View attachment 171066


Well, that stuff is pretty too. My only thought is that it seems to be more circular in pattern than the stuff above, but that might just be because of the character of the burl. Nice golden color, so it may actually be a better match. I guess I'd need to actually find some Kempas burl to cross reference.

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