Cooktown Ironwood Erythrophleum chlorostachys

[TimS]

Allen was kind enough to send me part of a barbecue bench that he stumbled across in Cairns. Whilst this tonewood is not in the high "eye candy" x factor it is probably worth getting some sooner or later. Mr Bootle (Wood in Australia) has lots of nice things to say about Cooktown Ironwood. The side set I have posted is not structurally ideal but it does give you a visual indication of how to identify the wood. It cuts very much like cocobolo but doesn't seems to have any nasty dust irritants.
It also didn't cup when resawn suggesting minmal tension/even moisture. It weighs in at 1300 kg/cubic metre.

regards

Tim

[Allen]

That's come out really nice Tim. Did you get more than one set out of the planks?

It does age quite nicely. That plank was an Oxblood red/brown before it was run through the thicknesser. It will change fairly quickly over about a week, then slowly get progressively darker.

[TimS]

Hi Allen,

I was a bit cautious and was able to get three sets. Four sets might have been possible but I was uncertain how the saw was going to go. There is material left over for bridges, fretboards and possibly some bindings although length will be an issue.

regards

Tim

[Lillian]

I like it, a lot. It looks rich without being flashy.

[Serge]

From the comparison with the native woods that we got here, i'd say My o My, that is awesome looking wood!

[Allen]

You just can't believe how heavy it is.

The piece I sent Tim was a left over piece from a very large picnic table. Some mates used most of the rest to build a dinning room table that would seat 6. When they were done it took 6 men to be able to lift it into the back of a ute, and were they every struggling