Just got 8 feet of lignum vitae, cut yesterday. Right now it’s an eight foot length.The first 6 feet start at about 6 inches od to 3 inches od, then taper down to 1 1/2". I’m thinking of cutting it into shorter lengths, maybe sealing the ends with wax or paint. Any suggestions would be helpful. How long do I need to age it before turning it into pipe parts? What size lengths? Should I Quarter cut it, drill the bore centers? Have some other hardwood coming next week. I do have a few lengths of cherry that’s about 6" square by 2 feet long. I just sat that on a shelf under the lathe workbench about two or three years ago. It seems to be doing fine. Lignum Vitae is a different thing!
Maybe you could figure out a way to quarter and section it so that it will yield a nice straight grained full set, with stocks and an extra chanter, then use the rest for odd bits and bobs in the future. Rough turn, seal all the end grain, set it aside for a few years to settle, etc…
I’m in general agreement with uillmann.
If I was in your shoes I’d quarter the bigger dia 6 feet and cut it in 2 foot lengths. The smaller end I might halve, might leave alone. Seal the ends and let it sit for a couple years. I’d not rough turn and certainly not do any boring. In 2 years my idea of what sizes of parts I need may have changed.
If it was literally cut two days ago and wet, don’t delay. Get that sealer on the endgrain.
Good luck with it.
Nick Whitmer
How much demand is there for seasoned lignum vitae? I happened by an old hardwood sawmill in my travels the other day. These blocks are at least 2x2" x 18" many are much larger as you can see, and have been sitting here for years and years, and all appear to be in perfect condition…waxed with no signs of checks or cracks. There’s lots of Bocote and Katalox too (are these useful?) among other species such as ebony, cocobolo, leapardwood, snakewood, rosewood, etc. The owner has prices on many of them, and they seem really low compared to what I see them selling for on eBay.
I’ve been using Lignum Vitae in recent years and I like it a lot for D sets. Haven’t used it for flat sets yet though.
Some of the English makers have been using it for years. Hunter, Evans, Lawrence, etc.
A 2 x 2 x 18 billet can cost between $20 and $25 from memory.
I know some makers have used Katalox and Bocote but I haven’t tried it myself.
Get a small digital scale, like a kitchen scale. They’re cheap enough. Use a log book and a marking scheme to track the weight of each piece periodically. This will take some of the mystery out of when they are ready. This will be particularly helpful after you have progressed to the point of putting some pilot holes through your pieces.
Bob
Thanks for the info, Tommy.
Lignum Vitae (literally “Tree of Life”) has some magical properties and interesting folklore. Without a magnifying glass, and recognizing the patterns of the pores, it’s nearly impossible to distinguish genuine lignum vitae from the Argentine variety. Both have been added to CITES (Appendix ll) and are restricted from shipping across international borders.
So is the Argentine variety actually related or just similar looking and sold as the real deal?
I’ve seen a lot of green stuff called lignum vitae in wood working stores these days - looks similar in the rough, but the surface is never “waxy” (not dipped in wax) and it does not have the strong caramel smell that LV does. I’ve seen lots of old, cracked lawn bowling balls (I think) in antique shops made of lignum vitae that still smell like caramel and often have a waxy film - oil still oozing out.
Argentine is not closely related - it’s Bulnesia sarmientoi. Different thing from the true lignums, Guiacum spp.
As they are CITES listed it will eventually be academic.