African Colorply for turning wood

[Ed Davidson]

About 25 years ago, I first ran across the African wood/Italian manufactured color-dyed product called "Colorply", not to be confused with Dymondwood®, ColorWood®, Spectraply® or Dymalux®, all of which are made in the USA and use a different (simpler) lamination process. After all these years, this great looking wood has popped back into my life. I had forgotten how easy it is to turn and finish...much easier than the other laminated wood brands IMHO. Here's a throw-top just turned from a 4" thick block of the stuff.

This Colorply style is called "Ember Glow":
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As far as I can tell, there's only one active supplier of Colorply in the USA, and he says that when his current inventory is depleted, that'll be the end of its availability. PM me if you want more info.

[Reed Gray]

I still have a few chunks floating around the shop in my 'personal stash'. If I remember correctly it is poplar that is died and then glued up, part of why it cuts so easily. Never heard about any African origins though. I did hear that it was Italian. It does make some spectacular pieces.

robo hippy

[Ed Davidson]

The manufacturer, or maybe it's the US supplier (I'm not sure), says: "COLORPLY® is produced by first selecting high quality Obeche logs from managed forests in Africa". The Wood Database says that Obeche (scientific name: Triplochiton scleroxylon) comes from tropical West Africa, and that it "...is very soft and lightweight, but has a decent strength-to-weight ratio. It’s fairly stable in service, and its bland grain patterns are frequently stained a darker color".

Maybe the manufacturer changed to the African wood source some time recently. It's certainly possible that the older stuff is poplar...no way to know for sure.