Select Woods

Express your individuality by choosing from different types of select woods and inlays, for a product that is uniquely yours. Below are several examples of the wood used in crafting our chip trays and cases. Wood inlays in contrasting colors are also available. You may also request other exotic woods to customize your design.


Curley Maple
This species is especially prized by woodworkers as a hard maple that is generally considered more durable, and often yields woods with exceptional figuring. The wild-looking, undulating pattern of wavy lines found in curley maple results from wood fibers in the tree becoming distorted as they grow. This striking pattern is known by a viariety of names, such as 'rippled', 'tiger-striped', and 'fiddlebacked'.





Ambrosia Maple
This  is a species of hard maple, and 'ambrosia' refers to the ambrosia beetle. The beetle bores into maple trees that are already cut and deposits a fungus throughout the holes. The fungus reacts with the wood and creates the discoloration associated with ambrosia maple. While the ambrosia beetle penetrates other trees, the maple seems to have partnered with it uniquely to produce an enchanting result. Color can include cream, light brown, and some dark streaks. The grain patterns are artistic and are best characterized as arcing swirls. Combined with the effects of the ambrosia beetle, this exotic wood is wonderful to ponder.




Cherry
This hard wood has a close, even-grain that is strong and smells like roses when freshly cut. Cherry has a pale yellowish sapwood and a darker heartwood. The wood's colour deepens to its characteristic reddish brown, almost mahogany-like colour when exposed to the sun. The sapwood never darkens to the same colour of the heartwood. Cherry often shows a waving curly figure when finished. Heartwood can have dark spots or fine black lines that are actually gum pockets, that pose added challenges in finishing. Cherry wood takes a high polish and is valued for instrument cases, furniture, veneers, cabinetry, turnery and decorative items.


Walnut
Walunut lumber is used for fine furniture, architectural woodwork, musical instruments, decorative panels, interior trim, and flooring. The wood's colour deepens to its characteristic reddish brown, almost mahogany-like colour when exposed to the sun. The sapwood is creamy white and may be three inches wide. Heartwood is a rich chocolate or purplish brown in colour, with a dull sheen. Black walnut is normally straight grained and is noted for its beautiful grain character, producing more figure variation than any other wood. Over the years the wood develops a lustrous patina. It is the only dark brown domestic species, so it has a large following of devoted woodworkers, that enjoy its rich colour and ease of use.



Bloodwood
(brosimum paraense) Bloodwood, or "cardinal wood" as it is commonly referred to, is a medium to hard wood with red to crimson color and tight straight interlocking grain. Stains and polishes to a very good finish. Durable and very resistent to preservative treatment. Dries slowly without much degredation. Common uses are cabinetmaking, furniture, decorative inlay, marquetry work, fancy boxes, turning, veneers. The wood ages to a deep brown color. Lacquer extends aging to help preserve red. Bloodwood grows in French Guiana, Brazil, Peru, Panama and Venezuela. 



Bubinga
Botanical Name, Guibourtia Demeusei. Other Names: African Rosewood, Essingang, Buvenga. Bubinga has a low steam bending characteristics and exudation of gum pockets, but works easily with hand or power tools. The wood stains easily and can be brought to an excellent finish.The wood is moderately durable. Theheartwood is resistent to preservative treatment. Sapwood is permeable. Bubinga is primarily used as a veneer for cabinetwork, furniture, and paneling. Also used for knife handles, and fancy goods.





Bocote
Spectacular background colors of dark brown to red with multicolored strips that vary from yellow to orange and green to dark brown. Machines well, excellent turning stock. Somewhat hard to find material from Mexico and Central America. Botanical Name:Cordia Alliodora. Other Names: Salmwood, princewood, cyp, solera, canaletta, louro.Possesses medium strength properties in all categories and works easily with both hand and power tools. Can be finished smoothly and cleanly and stains and polishes to a good finish.Moderately durable, resistant to preservative treatment and the sapwood is permeable.Used in cabinets and furniture, decorative boxes, boat decking, vehicle bodies, light construction. Selected logs sliced for veneers suitable for panelling and furniture.



Zebrawood
Medium to heavy hardwood with possible coarse to very coarse grain texture depending on how it is cut. Light tan to golden yellow with streaks of dark brown to black. Found in Africa. Works easily with hand and power toolsand finishes well when filled. Non-durable. Susceptible to insect attack. Resistent to preservative treatment.Mainly used as decorative veneer, cross bandings or inlay. Fancy goods, marquetry and panelling.







Padauk
Medium to hard wood, heartwood is deep orange red that will age to a deeper orange brown. Moderately coarse grain texture with straight to interlocking grain patterns, machines and turns well. Tree is Native To: The Andaman Islands, a group of islands in the Bay of Bengal about 650 miles south east of Calcutta. West AfricaPadauk is an exotic and imported hardwood that comes in both in a strip or a mottled effect. An eye catching wood, the color varies from a rich crimson or brick red, to reddish-purple streaks, to bright-orange. It darkens over time to dark reddish-brown. The interlocked grain produces the striped figure on quartered surfaces. Common Uses: Padauk is used for joinery - turnery - furniture - inlay - flooring - knife handles - veneer and tool handles. 



Sapele
Sapele,(Entandrophragma cylindricum) Rich, lustrous, and variable reddish-brown color. Moderately durable. Works without difficulty with both hand and machine tools. Nails, screws, and glues well. Provides an excellent polished finished. Used for quality furniture and cabinetmaking, solid doors, and musical instruments. This African hardwood is highly sought afterr for its similarity to Mahogany for guitar making, furnitue making and now for flooring, decking and paneling applications. Sapele's colors are a little more reddish than Mahogany, with dark tones and purple-brown hues. The heartwood of this exotic and imported hardwood is red to dark reddish-brown, usually with a purple cast. On quartered surfaces the wood presents a well defined ribbon striped figure. The grain is interlocked or wavy and the texture is fine. The lumber has a cedar like aromatic odor when cut. These boards enjoy a high golden luster. Sapele is stronger that African or American Mahogany and it’s also stronger than Red Oak. Common Uses: Furniture - cabinetry - veneer - doors - boat building - musical instruments - flooring - plywood and anything you would use Mahogany for. Sapele is in the Mahogany family. Tree is Native To: Nigeria and along the African Ivory Coast.