Gloat Post (12/4 wenge!)

My old man, who works for the Union Pacific Railroad, and does a lot of traveling cross-country (business car, hyrail truck, etc.), came upon a couple of old railroad ties from the southern area of the lines. Apparently, they used to use some exotic hardwoods for ties, due to the insect and wildfire resistance of the wood. He salvaged two ties for me, both just heavy as hell, almost like steel beams, but really rough and dirty. He did not know what the species was, but seeing as they have spent 10+ years in the desert, he figured moisture content would not be an issue, but did warn me that I should probably use carbide tools to work it. Well, lo and behold, the bug bit me tonight and I jointed and resawed a few 1” planks from the ties and it is 12/4 wenge! The wood will most certainly be used for a project for my Dad’s retirement, but what a find! If anyone has connections to old railroad scraps, there is a bunch of this stuff just littering the American southwest and most of the people who deal with it don’t know its value.

-- "It's a good thing my woodworking is done afterhours so my 2 year old daughter can't hear the swearing."