OMG! Look what I just found

[Allan Speers]

It only wood porn if you build wooden planes, I suppose.

I was cleaning out the garage today, and decided to open that small package I've had on the shelf since about 2001. I totally forgot that I had plans to make some planes out of solid Lignum Vitae:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/31826742/Lignum%20Vitae%20%20%20%20%20%20.jpg

The lighter ones are all 3" X 3": Two 12" and two 18". AA grade.
According to the receipt from West Penn Hardwoods, this is real Guaiacum Sanctum, not Argentinian. (It's already turning a greenish chocolate-brown, just a few hours after I unsealed it.) I have my doubts, but West Penn is pretty reliable.

The dark one is only 1.5" X 2.5" with some minor defects, but still. That one is clearly Guaiacum.



Man, I just LOVE Spring cleaning!

The stuff is now so valuable & hard to get that I'm not sure what to do with it. :eek:

[glenn bradley]

Oh Santa; I knew you were real :D

[Jim Koepke]

I save the scrap and have make guides for my band saw. I made a small batch a few years ago. I've gone through about a half dozen blades, but not the first pair of guides.

BTW, Great find and even in your own shop.

jtk

[Chris Hachet]

A few years ago Wood Werks here in Columbus had a bunch of Lignum Vitae for sale, I kick myself for not buying any.

[Kees Heiden]

That is really special. It looks so light colorod for LV?

[Bob Glenn]

Well, it should be dry by now.

[Paul F Franklin]

Hope I caught you in time....that stuff causes, umm, cancer..Yeah. and acne...that too. You don't want it around. Send it to me right away, I have the perfect proj...uh professional experience to handle it safely.....

[Allan Speers]

That is really special. It looks so light colorod for LV?

I agree. That's why I'm wondering if West Penn got it right. Even if it's Argentinian, it's a nice find, but if it's the real stuff like the receipt says, then wow...

The end grain does look like the real thing, having a very diffuse pore pattern, but it's hard to be sure. The stuff smells like fresh-cut limes, combined with a little turpentine. My dark piece is very old, so no smell at all, therefore I can't compare them.
Does anyone know which species this smell denotes?