Tell me about Myrtle wood [aka Californai Bay Laurel]

[Ira Matheny]

I just was given a 30" x 15' log of California Bay Laurel. Sent it to the sawyer today and now have a pile of 4/4, 5/4, 8/4, 12/4 and some nice turning pieces. But as a fresh sawn board, it does nothing to impress me.
How can I put this wood to use? What are the best features of the wood? I've seen bowls turned from this wood and am impressed, yet this wood seems very 'Ho-Hum'
Can anyone tell me about the wood?

[Montgomery Scott]

It works very easily and needs to be finished to bring out the inherent chatoyance. Some pieces are ordinary. The really good stuff is the myrtle burl, but that tends to be sold to the veneer cutters. I've seen boxes made from the stuff and other items. I got a big block of it years ago and made a bowl from it. It wasn't an interesting piece but it did turn nicely.

[Cary Falk]

This is myrtlewood. It works nicely. I would say it probably is up there in hardness with hard maple. I like it alot. It is not real cheap around here. It is on the list of domestic woods that are acceptable for wood instruments.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_0393.jpghttp://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_0393.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_0398.jpg

[John Tallyn]

FWW had an article in October 2008, issue 200 that talked about bay laurel. The basic info was, heavy, durable with very fine grain, can be difficult to work due to the interlocking grain, sanding is the best way to finish working with the wood. "The grain and colors pop and shimmer when finish is applied, and it takes finish very well, Because it is so distinctive, bay laurel is a great choice when building a piece with a subtle design that allows the wood to be the star". I've never worked with it, despite owning a piece of property that was covered with laurel trees. I know that where I lived laurel was something that you didn't burn due to the heavy smell that came off of it.
John

[James Patrick]

Cary, that guitar is beautiful. Did you make that?

[Frank Drew]

I wonder if it's related to East Indian Laurel, which can be very, very nice (looks a bit like walnut), but which I've only seen in veneer.

[Cary Falk]

Cary, that guitar is beautiful. Did you make that?

I made it for a friend about 3 years ago.

[Ira Matheny]

Thanks for all of the information regarding the Myrtle or California Bay Laurel. I will seal, sticker and set aside for a year or three. I will start a turning soon, with the help of an alcohol 'bath' to speed the water release. The graining in crotch area seems to have a bit more character. i will try to do my first piece cut from there.

[Don Bullock]

Ira, that's quite a haul of Myrtlewood that's worth quite a bit. Even in the area where it's grown Myrtlewood isn't cheap. Here's a link to more information on the tree and its wood: http://www.myrtlewoodgallery.com/what-is-myrtlewood. As can be seen on that link, Myrtlewood has a wide variety of color and pattern. There are many woodworkers along the Oregon coast who work exclusively with it. Myrtlewood is very easy to work with. It's a great wood for flat sawn work and turning. I'm sure you'll like the results after working with it.

[Sara Judy]

Since no one has mentioned...
Myrtlewood is like candy to Powder post beetles. We spray our Myrtlewood no less than 3 times while we have it.
1st before we mill
2nd after milling before we sticker it
3rd once it is out of the kiln.
We also do a check every year to see if small dust piles have shown up. PPB tend to hatch around mid june. Timbor or Boricare are 2 good products to use.

Northwest Timber
www.nwtimber.net (http://www.nwtimber.net)