Here's a tough one

[Brian Brown]

I bought some Namamau wood, aka Poumuli, from Gilmer woods in Portland. It is beautiful and curly, and I want to make some salt and pepper shakers with it. I have had no luck if determining if the wood is toxic, or an allergen. Gilmer didn't know, and I have tried a lot of web sites, but none of them list this wood. I have tried several spellings, but Namamau was written on the wood by Gilmer. I don't want anyone to get sick from this wood. Does anybody have any experience with this stuff?

[John K Jordan]

Did you see the list of alternative names in this PDF? Maybe a search on some of those names would help.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwi82cnT-sXJAhXHWD4KHX0SA8EQFggdMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fraskisimani.files.wordpress.com% 2F2013%2F01%2Fflueggea-poumuli.pdf&usg=AFQjCNHmdzY0aEkCduiCd4gjjGgYac--zA&sig2=MnYHAzkBVIeyWv58zhSTlw&cad=rja

I have no experience with that wood. Most woods listed as toxic or allergenic are so from contact with the dust from processing, not from the wood itself. If concerned about contact with foodstuffs, you might coat the inside of the bore with epoxy.

JKJ

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

how about a glass insert in the wood to hold the salt and pepper? then it doesn't matter.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brian,

In the article to which John linked, it says cows may eat the leaves of young plants, birds may eat the berries and the flowers appear to be good food for honey bees.

A Google search using "namamau wood" reveals the wood is a beautiful exotic used in both native American flutes and turkey calls.

If you are concerned, you might take some brushing lacquer and coat the inside.

Here's a link where it states it has medicinal uses: http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Flueggea+flexuosa

[Brian Brown]

Tough one heck. I should have known that this group could come up with the answer. Thanks everyone, this is just what I was looking for.