I cut and turned a small box today. The wood is magnificent! Stinks when you
cut it and when it is turned but after sanding it as fine as you can it will
be almost glass like. Various colors of chocolate brown and some grains will
shimmer in sunlight. It has voids in the wood and they can appear as you
sand. The result of a day cutting, sanding and finishing is very dirty skin.
Like I had been working in a dirty mill. And the dirt didn't want to come
off.

When I picked up the ironwood I was given a burl that stands 4 feet tall and
is 3 feet wide and a foot thick. Couldn't tell what the burl was until I cut
into it. Redwood burl! Beautiful! The gal that gave it to me has been
carrying it around for several years. Couldn't find anything to do with it.
Too bad! I'm really going to have fun turning the burl, Ironwood and half a
cherry tree this winter.

Bob
"Andrew Barss" wrote in message
...
Bill Day wrote:


Desert Ironwood is the 2nd heaviest/densest wood that
: grows in N. America, but it is worth almost any amount of trouble when
: you hit that special piece with the wild goldsand brown swirls.
: Have fun!

What is the #1 densest? Persimmon?


And to the OP, wear really good lung proterction -- I've heard this stuff
is really, really nasty on the breathing system.

-- Andy Barss