The art of burning wood with electricity produces fragmented designs burnt into the surface of the wood. These designs are called “fractiles,” after the statistical principle of the same name. Without getting into complex descriptions of the mathematics behind the fractile, the basic idea is that each succeeding section is smaller than the previous. In … Read more
The American Basswood tree is a hardwood tree producing a very soft wood; softer than pine, but not as soft as balsa wood. In England, the same species of tree is referred to as the “lime,” and the name “linden” is used in other parts of Europe. Mature Basswood trees can grow anywhere from 65 … Read more
Purpleheart is a rather unique hardwood, mostly due to its color. While the color everyone associates with purpleheart is purple, true to its name, the wood can vary somewhat, it can also be greyish/brown. Generally speaking, the purple color really doesn’t appear when freshly cut, but upon exposure the wood turns more purplish. The use … Read more
Acacia has a unique history amongst woods, in that the furnishings of the Biblical tabernacle, sometimes referred to as the “Tabernacle of Moses” were made out of acacia wood. Some translations of the Bible use the term “shittam tree” rather than acacia, but the shittam is one of the many variants of the acacia. But … Read more
The pecan tree is a member of the hickory family, making pecan wood and hickory wood essentially the same. While there are differences between the two, it takes a close look at the end grain, with a magnifying glass to find them. Most vendors lump the two together, listing them as Hickory/Pecan, both as solid … Read more