Rosewood

The dry waller started this morning, so there will be visually apparent progress for me to photograph on Monday.

In the mean time, this morning I picked up the special order of Bolivian Rosewood for the island and peninsula wall.





This is a BEAUTIFUL wood! I'm very excited about using it. These pictures show it in it's rough lumber state, which is basically how it is right after cutting boards out of logs. The very light streaks are sapwood, which will be cut away in favor of the more dramatic heartwood.

This wood has been shipped in, and I don't know anything about how it was treated or stored. Right after unloading it I tested it's moisture level, which was 6%. The wood is still cold, so I'll check it again tomorrow. In the mean time I'll 'sticker' it (which means stacking it with airspace between all the boards so it can breath and acclimate to the shop). If the moisture stays consistent, then I can work it whenever I like.

If on the other hand that level goes up, then I'll have to wait for the wood to stabilize, which could take a couple weeks. Working the wood before its moisture level has stabilized is what leads to warping and cracking. When working with rough lumber, especially anything as exotic as this, patients is a virtue.