# Philippine's Exotic Wood



## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

*NARRA (Pterocarpus indicus)*

I got a chance to have these Philippine exotic woods with beauty in it. These are off cuts from those reclaimed and recycled wood. I just want to share what I really have in real. Though, I don't have plans yet of using it, I just reserve these for something special project such as jewelry boxes, table top and many others.

*NARRA, ASANA, AMBOYNA, PADUAK
S.Name: Pterocarpus Indicus*





































Narra is the most popular lumber for furnitures here. There are several colors of Narra… Red to yellow.
I have several boards of these that were recovered from old doors.


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## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

BertFlores58 said:


> *NARRA (Pterocarpus indicus)*
> 
> I got a chance to have these Philippine exotic woods with beauty in it. These are off cuts from those reclaimed and recycled wood. I just want to share what I really have in real. Though, I don't have plans yet of using it, I just reserve these for something special project such as jewelry boxes, table top and many others.
> 
> ...


Ptericarpus Indicus is also know here in Australia as New Guinea Rosewood… tan through deep red heartwood.There are several types of the Ptericarpus and they are all similar but also so different…


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

BertFlores58 said:


> *NARRA (Pterocarpus indicus)*
> 
> I got a chance to have these Philippine exotic woods with beauty in it. These are off cuts from those reclaimed and recycled wood. I just want to share what I really have in real. Though, I don't have plans yet of using it, I just reserve these for something special project such as jewelry boxes, table top and many others.
> 
> ...


I agree with you Larry. I have several species and only the aromatic smell identifies it.


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## wmodavis (Aug 28, 2007)

BertFlores58 said:


> *NARRA (Pterocarpus indicus)*
> 
> I got a chance to have these Philippine exotic woods with beauty in it. These are off cuts from those reclaimed and recycled wood. I just want to share what I really have in real. Though, I don't have plans yet of using it, I just reserve these for something special project such as jewelry boxes, table top and many others.
> 
> ...


Narra is a beautiful wood. I am working with some in my shop right now after getting it dried. Making a large (60" x 42") mirror frame with a ebony (kamagong) accent strip. Still drying the kamagong.

I'll try to post a picture when it's finished.

Here's my plan


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

BertFlores58 said:


> *NARRA (Pterocarpus indicus)*
> 
> I got a chance to have these Philippine exotic woods with beauty in it. These are off cuts from those reclaimed and recycled wood. I just want to share what I really have in real. Though, I don't have plans yet of using it, I just reserve these for something special project such as jewelry boxes, table top and many others.
> 
> ...


Bill, Nice to see you back and hoping you are back blessed from the missionary works you have done. 
God Bless and Cheers.


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

BertFlores58 said:


> *NARRA (Pterocarpus indicus)*
> 
> I got a chance to have these Philippine exotic woods with beauty in it. These are off cuts from those reclaimed and recycled wood. I just want to share what I really have in real. Though, I don't have plans yet of using it, I just reserve these for something special project such as jewelry boxes, table top and many others.
> 
> ...


O yes, Kamagong, Dao, and many others coming soon in these series….


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## dfletcher (Jan 14, 2010)

BertFlores58 said:


> *NARRA (Pterocarpus indicus)*
> 
> I got a chance to have these Philippine exotic woods with beauty in it. These are off cuts from those reclaimed and recycled wood. I just want to share what I really have in real. Though, I don't have plans yet of using it, I just reserve these for something special project such as jewelry boxes, table top and many others.
> 
> ...


Wow, nice. I love the wood.

I know it is hard to get wood in the Philippines, right?

I can't wait to see what you make with these.


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

BertFlores58 said:


> *NARRA (Pterocarpus indicus)*
> 
> I got a chance to have these Philippine exotic woods with beauty in it. These are off cuts from those reclaimed and recycled wood. I just want to share what I really have in real. Though, I don't have plans yet of using it, I just reserve these for something special project such as jewelry boxes, table top and many others.
> 
> ...


Dennis,
We have a logging ban here in the Philippines, however we are on a typhoon belt and most of the trees that were uprooted are those still available. Fresh lumbers (green) are not as good as those that were reclaimed from old houses being demolished and converted to concrete. This is were I get this wood. For personal use it will not be a problem to find such wood. LJ Benji is also using reclaimed and recycled wood. 
If I have time…. Maybe it will end up to an Andy's Box Top cover…. The dust is very aromatic…. it will be good during sanding.


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

*DAO - Argus pheasant tree - Dracontomelon dao*

The next exotic wood that I accidentally found in a sash factory was just an offcut from a gian timber. I am pretty sure that this was very old tree that was left hanging around in a lumberyard. This is very hard wood as sometimes mistaken to be the iron wood. I was lucky enough to have it for free. It thought it was just nothing since is all dark and full of mud. When I tried to cut a piece on it so I can make a door handle (knob), I found a nice curves….

*DAO - 
S.Name: Dracontomelon Dao*














































The color is light violet (lavender) with stripes of yellow and brown.. The wood is tough to plane but it is good to saw. Planing needs oil. The grains are interlocking.

Maybe, this could be a nice jewelry box. By the way… the size of the wood I have is 4×12x9 inches… a trapezoid but this is the dimension you can get in nearest square corners.


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## Bearpie (Feb 19, 2010)

BertFlores58 said:


> *DAO - Argus pheasant tree - Dracontomelon dao*
> 
> The next exotic wood that I accidentally found in a sash factory was just an offcut from a gian timber. I am pretty sure that this was very old tree that was left hanging around in a lumberyard. This is very hard wood as sometimes mistaken to be the iron wood. I was lucky enough to have it for free. It thought it was just nothing since is all dark and full of mud. When I tried to cut a piece on it so I can make a door handle (knob), I found a nice curves….
> 
> ...


That is beautiful some wood!

Erwin, Jacksonville, FL


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## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

BertFlores58 said:


> *DAO - Argus pheasant tree - Dracontomelon dao*
> 
> The next exotic wood that I accidentally found in a sash factory was just an offcut from a gian timber. I am pretty sure that this was very old tree that was left hanging around in a lumberyard. This is very hard wood as sometimes mistaken to be the iron wood. I was lucky enough to have it for free. It thought it was just nothing since is all dark and full of mud. When I tried to cut a piece on it so I can make a door handle (knob), I found a nice curves….
> 
> ...


So much fine timber … so little time.. nice score.. nice timber and just nice.


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## wmodavis (Aug 28, 2007)

BertFlores58 said:


> *DAO - Argus pheasant tree - Dracontomelon dao*
> 
> The next exotic wood that I accidentally found in a sash factory was just an offcut from a gian timber. I am pretty sure that this was very old tree that was left hanging around in a lumberyard. This is very hard wood as sometimes mistaken to be the iron wood. I was lucky enough to have it for free. It thought it was just nothing since is all dark and full of mud. When I tried to cut a piece on it so I can make a door handle (knob), I found a nice curves….
> 
> ...


Bert, you are not only innovative with your many projects but also in your sleuthing out interesting woods. I'd love to follow you around on one of your forays. Thanks for introducing this 'new-to-me' wood.


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## YoungestSon (Jan 12, 2010)

BertFlores58 said:


> *DAO - Argus pheasant tree - Dracontomelon dao*
> 
> The next exotic wood that I accidentally found in a sash factory was just an offcut from a gian timber. I am pretty sure that this was very old tree that was left hanging around in a lumberyard. This is very hard wood as sometimes mistaken to be the iron wood. I was lucky enough to have it for free. It thought it was just nothing since is all dark and full of mud. When I tried to cut a piece on it so I can make a door handle (knob), I found a nice curves….
> 
> ...


Lovely wood. Sounds like you will have fun with it.


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

*ACACIA - Street Trees*

Actually a lot of Acacia species can be found all over in the Philippines. They are not really hard. One good quality of this wood is the strength of the heartwood specially if the tree is really old. In the Philippines, these trees were grown along the streets and avenues, sometimes in the middle island of the streets. There are lot of suburban trees that were toppled down by the typhoon and due to development of residential area nearby Manila.. However since they were young and no one bother to resaw and dry them, it became a source for charcoal makers.

In my case, my wife brought 4 slabs of these acacia. She paid only for the transport. It was cut fresh from a residential house that the acacia tree was already a danger to his house. I made these into two rustic benches and a round table… that was 5 years ago.. It was not seasoned. Thereafter the borers insects tribe on it. It was also exposed to sun and rain. Only this year that I decided to dismantle it and reclaim some wood. What I noticed the heartwood remain intact and the quality is really good while the sapwood is totally unusable. Here are some of the wood I recovered: (Photos shown are the nice grained, some not shown are just plain brown)





































Till next.


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## lilredweldingrod (Nov 23, 2009)

BertFlores58 said:


> *ACACIA - Street Trees*
> 
> Actually a lot of Acacia species can be found all over in the Philippines. They are not really hard. One good quality of this wood is the strength of the heartwood specially if the tree is really old. In the Philippines, these trees were grown along the streets and avenues, sometimes in the middle island of the streets. There are lot of suburban trees that were toppled down by the typhoon and due to development of residential area nearby Manila.. However since they were young and no one bother to resaw and dry them, it became a source for charcoal makers.
> 
> ...


Very interesting wood, Bert. I'll be watching for the project. Rand


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