African Sumac?

[Mike Schmalzer]

Hi Everybody, I am looking for some insight with African Sumac. I have a chance to get a ton of this stuff in very wide widths for free. I cant seem to find much info on it or examples other than turned objects. I do turn a little but primarily build furniture. Can anybody help? Thanks

Mike

[Richard M. Wolfe]

The operative word is free. For free you need an opinion?

I have no experience with it or know what looks like or how it works. For free I'd love to find out.

[Dan McCallum]

I agree with Richard's insight. If it's free I'd take it!

If you don't like it, trade it on to someone else, burn it, throw it on the online auction site, etc.

On a more serious note, I would try to track down the proper Latin name for the wood, and from there some info on toxicity. I have read that some sumacs (assuming that African sumac is a sumac, which may not be the case at all, of course) can cause quite serious allergic reactions.

Work safe with your free wood!

Dan

[Paul Ulici]

It has no toxicity, I have chopped down several of these trees on my property (just had too many) and used them for firewood, which now I know it was a bad thing to do (although it saved me on heating). It has the most beautiful grain, and I wish I had saved the large pieces to turn into boards to make some furniture, but alas, I am only a beginner and can't afford the tools needed. Oh I love the color of it when it turns red, just gorgeous. Mine is kinda pinkish on the inside.

['Jacques Malan']

Rhus Lancea.

Never heard of it called African Sumac before today, we have one in the garden. I have also never seen a really big one, and it doesn't grow straight here on the South African highveld, so I am surprised that wide widths are available.

I've never seen furniture made of it, but have once been told it eventually turns red after exposure to the air.