Woodworker's Journal 2008-32-2, страница 40

A Once-in-a-lifetime Bubinga Tree

By Rob Johnstone

West Penn Hardwood owner Rocky Mehta in Africa with a log section from a remarkable tree. Lumber from this tree is now available in the U.S.A.

An opportunity to purchase some stunning waterfall bubinga has led to contributions toward the species' long-term survival

The ready availability of exotic hardwoods for weekend and hobbyist woodworking is a trend that has happened within my lifetime. This is not to say that the lumber was not around or being used by various woodworkers in the early and middle 20th century — it certainly was. But it was not very for the average Joe or Jane to get their hands on it. And even that statement has to be qualified: as a young man, I regularly used superlative quality Honduras mahogany and exceptional teak and ebony lumber from halfway around the world, but I did not even know what aniegre was, or cocobolo, goncalo alves, jarrah, kiaat, lacewood, purpleheart, redheart, sapele or zircote ... to name just a few. So, while I may have pined away for some Indian rosewood, I gave nary a thought to coveting a billet of highly figured bubinga. I simply did not know it even existed. Times have certainly changed. Now, I not only know what narra is, but I've handled and used it. In terms of exotic lumber available to us average Joes and Josephines, there has never been a better time than right now. But the significant increase in the availability of these exotic options raises a couple of other problems that we did not need to deal with in days of yore (aka — my youth). Much like going to a restaurant that has a huge menu filled with delicious food, the wide variety makes our choices more complicated than ever. I don't