strange wood

so, i got some alavera wood from ebay. it's very, very dense and heavy, but not too hard. i started carving it because it looked cool. it smells like perfume and makes my throat itchy. does anyone know anything about this wood? i can't seem to find anything on google.

thanks

Got a picture of it?

it's green colored and i swear i know that smell from somewhere. very oily.

Go to your local Grillin' store and get some Mesquite chips and check for a match with that smell. Mesquite is most likley what it is,,Maybe!

Campher?

not mesquite, i have mesquite everywhere. 3 or 4 giant trees in my yard.

it's that green one there.

it makes kind of a translucent dust. must be from the oils.

best i can do so far, from another ebay description, is find out that it's from argentina.

[ Edited by: pdrake 2006-06-30 08:09 ]

i think i found it:

Lignum Vitae

Species: Bulnesia sarmientoi
Additional Comments: This close relative to the famous tropical Lignum Vitaes is similar in appearance and working properties. An olive-green wood which is characteristically very figured. This resinous wood has an oily feel and a strong spicy-sweet fragrance. Often used for turning, this wood provides an excellent polish. Not available in large dimensions. Argentine name “Palo Santo” literally means, “Saint Wood”.

Down here it's commonly referred to as Locust Wood. They made carving mallets back in the old days.

Lingum vitae is VERY oily. It is used as a stave for the in water bearings on large propeller shafts.

thanks! very interesting.

Lignum vitae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lignum vitae is the heartwood of species of the genus Guaiacum, the trees of which are usually called guayacan. The name is Latin for "wood of life", and derives from its medicinal uses. Other names are palo santo, holy wood, and of course ironwood (one of many). The wood is obtained chiefly from Guaiacum officinale and Guaiacum sanctum, both slow growing trees that do not become large.
This wood has a specific gravity between 1.28 and 1.37, so it will sink in water. It is a hard, dense and durable wood, one of the densest woods in the trade. The wood was important for uses requiring strength, weight and hardness. Master clockmaker John Harrison used lignum vitae as the basis for his nearly all-wood clocks, since the wood provides natural lubricating oils which do not dry out. The Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton's ship Endurance was ribbed with lignum vitae. Due to its weight cricket bails, particularly 'heavy bails' used in windy conditions, are sometimes made of this wood.
The resin has been used to treat a variety of medicinal conditions from coughs to arthritis. Wood chips can also be used to brew a tea.
Various other hardwoods of Australasia (e.g., the acacia and eucalyptus) are also called lignum vitae and should not be confused. Argentine lignum vitae has a strong, fresh aroma and is used as incense.
According to T.H. White's Version of the Artus Saga "The Once and Future King", Lignum vitae has special magical powers as the staff of Merlin is made from it.
According to the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association website, the shaft bearings on the WWII submarine USS Pampanito (SS-383) were made of this wood. (Source:http://www.maritime.org/pamphist.htm) Also, the bearings in the original 1920's turbines of the Conowingo Hydroelectric Plant on the lower Susquehanna river are made from lignum vitae.

so, this wood carves nicely. it has an attribute i don't know how to deal with. after it sits for awhile, it turns a powdery green. it must be from the oils. does anyone know how to deal with this? i've seen some turnings from this wood that are beautiful and not green so i know it can be done.

thanks.

I think I made a pen from this?? Too much rum - memory is fuzzy. It was part of a grab bag of pen blanks. The powderty finish you are getting should be no problem when you go to finish it. Turned exotic woods are often finished with oils or waxes - applied with a hi-speed buffer or directly on the lathe. You be able to polish them to a glass-like finish that will remove the powdery look. I would use a Dremel with buffing pads and wax if you are unsure - always test on a scrap piece. Purpleheart, cocbolo, and some others I have tried have had the same issue. Good luck and lets see some pictures when your are done.