Kitchen Island Counter Top

Hmmm … that video didn’t embed as it should have. Oh, well. Here is the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzXjq_rGm9Y&feature=channel_video_title

-- Ray, www.dogwoodtales.com, Cincinnati, OH

Beautiful top. Looking forward to the video series. My only experience with zebra wood was using it as part of an end grain cutting board. The odor it gave off was foul. I still have the board. Couldn’t give that to anyone. I assume you either didn’t have that issue or overcame it somehow. I’d like to know.

Thanks for the accolades. Yes, it does give off quite a foul odor during the milling and sanding process. My girls said that the reason why it was named zebrawood was because it smells like zebra poop! However, once all the milling and sanding was complete there really wasn’t any such odor – especially after finishing it with the catalyzed lacquer.
Another thing about working with solid zebrawood, as you may have experienced, is that I found that I couldn’t rely on the obvious grain direction as I would sometimes get tear out even when I was milling with the grain. But then I would try going against the grain in that same spot and there wouldn’t be any tear out. I’m not inexperienced at woodworking either, so I should be able to pick out the obvious grain direction. I’ve heard of other wood species (was it hickory?) having this characteristic, but this is the first time I’ve experienced it.

-- Ray, www.dogwoodtales.com, Cincinnati, OH