Wood Gloat (maybe)

[Jim Glock]

I have access to these long Greenheart wood timbers located in the Galveston Bay area. They were pulled up after being submerged for over 90 years from a wharf in Texas City about 10 years ago. I cut a couple of two foot sections to see what they look like and how they will turn. Extremely HARD and HEAVY! If anyone has info on the wood...please share. jg

[Ray Binnicker]

Hey Jim,
Greenheart is also known as IPE. It is indeed very hard. It is used a lot for decking. I have turned a little of it. It is not on my short list of favorite woods. I have made several small bench tops out of it; one I use as my sharpening bench. I don't have to worry about getting it wet, or anything. As my grandpa would say about it; "its as hard as woodpecker lips."

Ray Binnicker

[curtis rosche]

one word of warning that i read in a 1970s issue of a woodworking magazine. greenheart can be explosive. they said that at the mill they would have to wrap a chain around the log as it was cut, because the wood has a tendancy to explosively split when the saw kerf came incontact with enough air. they showed a picture where one log had actually put a hole in the wall of the mill. thats all i remember about greenheart

[Richard Madison]

Jim,
Can't help about the wood, but you will have an interesting historical note or story to go along with whatever you turn from it. Should help it sell.