Vegas area Mountain Mahogany Opportunity

[Don McIvor]

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

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

For anyone who's interested in this type of wood, I totally agree with Don - it's special. I haven't turned any of it for at least 10 years, but here's a photo of a couple of pieces from my "before segmenting days". Don't waste your time with the "rough turn, dry. re-turn" method; turn it in one session to its final shape, etc. Once it dries, it's like a rock.

[curtis rosche]

how does it turn?

would it be worth it to have it shipped to pa?

if so i would like to look into getting some

[Don McIvor]

It turns beautifully. It is extremely hard and dense (won't float when it's green). I'd equate it with turning African blackwood. I've only turned it seasoned, but like most woods I imagine it would be a bit easier turning when green.

Because it is so heavy you'd be looking at an equally hefty freighting cost to get it across the country. Contact me though if you're serious and I'll get you hooked up with the FS.

[Reed Gray]

Do you know when they are planning to cut it? I may be able to get away, and for some of this wood, it would be worth it. It would take some planning.
robo hippy

[Don McIvor]

Reed-

I don't have any idea when they want to get the cut out. Probably before it gets too dry and hot and the risk of fire gets too high.

Check your pm.

Don

[curtis rosche]

how would i get some

[Chris Padilla]

Geeez, so close, yet so far, and gee, no room to store it anyway! :)

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/mountain_mahogany.htm Googling finds some interesting stuff on this "shrub". :)

[Robert McGowen]

I told the LOML that I needed to go to Vegas to get some wood. She isn't really buying that story. Oh well....... :D

[Paul Engle]

I agree , I harvested some in Owyhee county Idaho on the NV border and is like scrub stuff , hard as a rock, twisted and knarrly . If you have the werwithall to get some do it , I hope it is not a green slip sale as that gets very spendy , very fast and almost not worth it. I paid 8$ a cord in the mid 80's, and took less than 20 bf......I ran outta saw... the cost in saw chain was unreal as it had picked up all kinds of rock/s /stones/pebles etc like the juniper does , but like I said if you have the resources by all means go for it as it is not found in many places and likely will be a long time till is harvested again. The pieces I had from Juniper Mtn Idaho were 40 some rings to the inch.Mean dia was 7 inches. from an area with less than 8 inches of rain fall avg per year.. hard ? ... huh ya aint seen hard.