Working with Canary Wood?

[Vaughn McMillan]

A while back I picked up a piece of 4/4 canary wood, mostly because I liked the color and grain pattern. I'm thinking of using some of it for some small decorative boxes I've been making as practice pieces, and was wondering if any of you have any particular experience with (or advice about) this wood. It seems kind of waxy to the touch, and there seems to be a sort of dusty white coating on it. (Different from the tan and red dusty coating on everything else in my shop. ;) ) Are there any special gluing or finishing considerations I should know about?

Thanks -

- Vaughn

[Joe Horne]

Vaughn, I have worked Canarywood many times. It cuts, machines, and glues just fine. It finishes beatifully. It is an open pore Exotic, to a lesser degree than Oak, but that is something to take into consideration. Lovely wood, I hope you enjoy it!

[Chris Barton]

Just like Joe says in his post and I would add that it finishes like a dream.

[Perry Holbrook]

I agree with the responses so far. However, my experience has been that it tends to oxidizes pretty quick with only slight exposure to UV. All my pieces have turned to a medium brown after a month or two. Could have been the particular stock I had, don't know for sure. BTW, I used lacquer as my finish.

Perry

[Mark Singer]

Its a great wood! It works fine similar to mahogany and walnut ...

[Vaughn McMillan]

Thanks all. Now I'm chompin' at the bit to start playing with it. I had noticed the oxidation, and have been cultivating it to some extent by putting the board in the sun from time to time. It keeps getting nicer and nicer. I have some spalted cherry that's had some suntan time, too. I'll post pics of a little box I did with it once I'm done finishing it.

- Vaughn

[Gord Graff]

Hi Vaughn,

Like the others who have posted, I like Canary wood but I've never had a problem with the colour fading. Although I will never be able to say that with such certainty with the burial urn below, I can say it with the book stand I made a few years ago.

No special consideration using Canary wood that I’ve ever come across, machines well, glues up with regular carpenter glue and takes oil based poly without a problem.

All the best
Gord
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v191/gordgraff/Urn1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v191/gordgraff/IMG_0314.jpg

[Perry Holbrook]

I had a discussion with a fellow box maker today about this wood. He also said he had not had a problem with oxidation. Looks like it must have been the couple of pieces I was using. I had decided to not use it any more, but now I think I'll try it again.

Perry