Pencil Holder - Box Elder

Very pretty piece of wood – your box really shows it off. Ooooo, learning new stuff is always my favorite!

-- Kay - Just a girl who loves wood.

I bet this piece will really “pop” when you put a finish on it ! It box elder typically like this ?

-- Dwight - "Free legal advice available - contact Dewey, Cheetam & Howe""

Thank you for the kind words.

Here is the information that I found on Box Elder:
Acer negundo is a species of maple native to North America. Also known by the following names: Box Elder, Boxelder Maple, Maple Ash are its most common names in the United States. Other variant names include: Ash Maple, Ash-leaf Maple, Black Ash, California Boxelder, Cutleaf Maple, Cut-leaved Maple, Negundo Maple, Red River Maple, Stinking Ash, Sugar Ash, Three-leaved Maple, and Western Box elder.

The red color is somewhat natural and I believe, from what I have been told / red that it is caused by the box elder bug laying its eggs in the tree. This characteristic is so common that it is often used to identify the wood.

I am looking to see where I can get more of it. This piece was given to me by a turner and I was going to turn a small box out of it, but I thought it would be more useful if I cut it into boards and make something square with it. I have enough left over that I will laminate with some darker woods and turn some pens. I think it will look cool with a blood wood stripe.

-- MolokMot, Rocker, Woodworker, Geek

Nice holder. I love the red box elder!!.............Jim

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!!