crate wood

[cal thelen]

friend of mine took a crate apart at work and gave me the wood. the crate came from thailand. but I have no idea what kind of wood it is. It is two different kinds of wood. very heavy dense wood. he asked me to make him a bowl out of it so i did. I finished it with 4 coats of general salad bowl finish. I did tell him I would not put anything to eat in it, not knowing what kind of wood it is. but I really would like to know what kind of wood it is. anybody have any ideas. Thanks

193845

[David E Keller]

Nicely done. The lighter wood reminds me a bit of mango, and the reddish wood looks similar to some lychee I've turned... I have no idea if either of those trees is native to Thailand, but that's what came to mind.

[Harry Robinette]

The dark wood could be Thai Teak and the lighter Thai mahogany,When I was in Thailand I seen allot of what the Americans called Thai mahogany it didn't look like any mahogany I'd ever seen but it did look allot like that lighter section. They use whatever is handy to make whatever their making.

[Steve Vaughan]

That crate wood can be anything local to the company that's doing the crating. Sometimes it can surprise you. That's a great looking bowl you got there!

[John Hart]

Nicely done, Cal. It's a handsome piece for sure. Mahogany was my first thought on the outer and inner....just because of the grain pattern. David yelled Lychee and that's what I thought too (since he sent me some :)) It also seems to have the character of some tulipwood and rosewood I've been playing with recently. It's so hard to tell. People think of pallets and crates as being made from junk wood, but with all the pallet shops in my community, I've learned that they use prized wood....but it's the stuff near the pith (6" on either side) ...the discards after the lumber companies have taken their cuts.

[Keith E Byrd]

Very nice! Great job on the bowl - I would vote with the others that the darker wood looks like mahogany - no idea on the other.

[Josh Bowman]

Cal,
Talking about a silk purse out of a sow's ear! That looks great!

[Donny Lawson]

Great looking bowl but I'm no help on IDing it.

[John Nowack]

my vote is for mahogony----just becsue I have a few customers impoting wood carvings from that region and the mahogany is as common as pine or oak is here

[Justin Stephen]

Talking about a silk purse out of a sow's ear! That looks great!

Agreed. What you conjured out of this wood is lovely.

[cal thelen]

Thanks for all the responses, I think I will tell my buddy its some kind of mahogany. I dont Think he really cares what kind of wood it is. He was just happy with the bowl. I was more curious than anything.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice bowl Cal. I don't know the wood but really nice looking.

[Jim Burr]

Well done Cal! Most crate wood from Asia includes some white oak and mahagony of some sort. Glass shops are great sources

[Dan Forman]

Thats the prettiest crate I've ever seen! :)

Dan