Don McIvor
03-19-2008, 2:55 PM
I've been contacted by the US Forest Service regarding the sale of some mountain mahogany in the Spring Mountains NRA, just outside of Las Vegas, NV. The FS will be cutting/thinning a large stand and they would like some of the wood to go to a higher use than firewood. Most of the trees are 10-12" at the stump, with a few larger specimens.
This is my favorite turning wood and I'm absolutely drooling at the opportunity. If I still lived in NV I'd be there in a heartbeat. However, the logistics just don't make sense for me. But, if you live within a days drive of Vegas--this could be for you. Mountain mahogany is not available commercially, it's protected because it was over-harvested back in the early mining boom days, and the only way to obtain it is through these thinning projects. This is a rare opportunity!
I will caution anyone who is contemplating this that you can't stockpile mountain mahogany in log form--much like fruit wood it starts checking almost immediately upon cutting. So if you bought this, you'd be facing a need to quickly process the wood into rough blanks in short order.
Finally, the FS needs to sell the wood. Think "timber sale" here, and not about calling them up to buy one piece. A price will have to be negotiated, but would likely be quite reasonable.
If you're interested, contact me (e-mail or pm) and I'll hook you up with the FS. I can also answer questions about mountain mahogany's turning properties.
Don
This is my favorite turning wood and I'm absolutely drooling at the opportunity. If I still lived in NV I'd be there in a heartbeat. However, the logistics just don't make sense for me. But, if you live within a days drive of Vegas--this could be for you. Mountain mahogany is not available commercially, it's protected because it was over-harvested back in the early mining boom days, and the only way to obtain it is through these thinning projects. This is a rare opportunity!
I will caution anyone who is contemplating this that you can't stockpile mountain mahogany in log form--much like fruit wood it starts checking almost immediately upon cutting. So if you bought this, you'd be facing a need to quickly process the wood into rough blanks in short order.
Finally, the FS needs to sell the wood. Think "timber sale" here, and not about calling them up to buy one piece. A price will have to be negotiated, but would likely be quite reasonable.
If you're interested, contact me (e-mail or pm) and I'll hook you up with the FS. I can also answer questions about mountain mahogany's turning properties.
Don