Anyone used Peruvian Walnut?
I hope that there is someone out there who can answer this.
I work for an Architectural Millwork firm in North Carolina and have gotten the job of making 12 doors and some panels out of walnut and mappa (mapa) burl.
We could not find the quantity of American Walnut that was wide enough and knot free, so we have gone with Peruvian Walnut. The boards are wide, clear and otherwise beautiful, however…when cutting into some of the boards, the inside has a milky appearance.
I have looked online and I’m told that this color will turn brown in a few months.
My Question: Will these milky boards indeed turn brown? Has anyone had this experience? Any insight to this issue will be greatly appreciated!
Thanx in advance…
-Kevin
p.s. I have also posted @ Knots
Replies
I havn't (just giving a bump)
Ductape can fix EVERYTHING!!!
Thanks to you I have learned 2 things.
1) there is a wood called Brazilian Walnut
2) If you cut into that wood it is milky colored inside .
Consider this both a bump and a Thank you .
I've used it. It is to Juglans nigra what alder is to cherry, but as substitutes go, it isn't bad for the reasons you state, and lay-people can't tell the difference, though there's almost zero grain to it.
That milky look is characteristic of many fresh-cut woods, wenge being a pretty startling example of the same phenomenon. Wenge is a black wood when clear-finished, but fresh-cut can look almost yellow. Purpleheart looks light grey before it oxidizes, which it does fairly quickly. We're all familiar with the dark 'patina' cherry gets. All the same thang...
You can improve the color, aged or not, by giving it a coat of walnut stain. In fact, you can improve the color of kiln-dried J. nigra with stain, too. Only air-dried walnut has the naturally rich brown color we associate with the name.
"McCluskeys" is an excellent brand and color of stain. Mail-order if you have to - there's no comparison to the detestable Minwax kind of glop. You can also use a walnut-colored Danish oil to wipe it first, which gives you an even more translucent look, but you won't be able to stain the wood as dark and you'll have to wait until it dries (about a day) to clear-coat.
Edited 2/24/2008 6:54 am by splintergroupie
Splinter, How long, in your experience, did the milky appearance take to turn brown?-Kevin-If you didn't learn something new today, you're not looking hard enough!
The bad news is that the fresh-cut milky look will turn brown pretty quickly, but i had some South American walnut with natural splotches of lighter color that DIDN't change to brown. I don't know why, but the light colors seemed to come from two different reasons. Some of my SA walnut was entirely brown, too. If the wood was only light-colored after it was cut, it'll oxidize. Sunlight helps this along immensely. I sprayed finishes on my work pretty quickly, so i don't know how long it would take to change just sitting out without a finish. I think if you put some oil on it, you'll see it darken immediately. Try it...
Thanks Splinter, I'll be in the shop this morning and will defiantly try putting on some oil. I already have a piece propped up against a southerly window to see how much that helps.thanx again...-Kevin-If you didn't learn something new today, you're not looking hard enough!UPDATE: I put on some oil and it made the lighter parts darker and the darker parts even darker still. I consulted with the Bosses at work and we've decided that the best coarse of action is to avoid the "Silver Streaking" (This is what the wood supplier calls it).So far I've had a 30-40% waste factor. It's been frustrating. Oh well...continuing on...
Edited 2/25/2008 7:59 pm ET by grainwise
Did you try staining it? I used to make lots 'n' lots of sculpture bases, paying big $$$ for wide walnut (real thing, bec the end grain, which is exposed on a scupture base, is less porous than the S. American type), and i stained even that to get a richer tone.
Here is the USDA spec sheet.
USDA Forest Service
Forest Products Laboratory
One Gifford Pinchot Drive
Madison, WI 53705-2398
(608) 231-9200
Wood Technical Fact Sheet
Juglans spp.
Nogal
Tropical Walnut
Family: Juglandaceae
Other Common Names: Nogal silvestre, Nuez meca (Mexico), Nogal blanco, Tocte (Peru) Nogal criollo (Argentina).
Distribution: Varying with species, these walnuts range from southern Mexico, through Central America, and the Cordilleras of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Also found in mountain regions of Argentina.
The Tree: Mostly up to 60 ft in height with diameters up to 36 in.; sometimes free from branches for 30 ft but more frequently clear to 10 or 15 ft.
The Wood:
General Characteristics: Heartwood chocolate brown and generally darker than the North American black walnut, sometimes with a purplish cast; sharply demarcated from the whitish sapwood. Texture rather coarse; luster high; grain straight to irregular; odor and taste mild but distinctive.
Weight: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.50; air-dry density 38 pcf.
Mechanical Properties: (2-in. standard)
Moisture content Bending strength Modulus of elasticity Maximum crushing strength
(%) (Psi) (1,000 psi) (Psi)
15% (69) 9,100 1,020 5,180
Drying and Shrinkage: The wood dries very slowly, wet zones persist, and severe honeycombing and collapse may occur in stock thicker than 4/4. Air-drying as thoroughly as possible before kiln drying is suggested. Kiln schedule T6-D4 is proposed for 4/4 stock and T3-D3 for 8/4. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 2.8%; tangential 5.5%.
Working Properties: The wood works well, cutting cleanly with hand and machine tools and taking an excellent finish; also peels and slices readily but the veneers are also reported to dry slowly.
Durability: No data available.
Preservation: Very low permeability is reported.
Uses: Decorative veneers, furniture, cabinet work, interior finish, and other applications similar to North American black walnut.
Additional Reading: (, (38), (56), (69)
8. Bois, P. J. 1973. Tropical walnut-good news and bad news. Wood and Wood Products 78(10):27.
38. Kukachka, B. F. 1970. Properties of imported tropical woods. USDA For. Serv. Res. Pap. FPL-1 25. For. Prod. Lab., Madison, Wis.
56. Record, S. J., and R. W. Hess. 1949. Timbers of the new world. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.
69. Tortorelli, L. A. 1956. Maderas y bosques argentinos. Editorial Acme S.A.C.I. Maipu 92, Buenos Aires.
From: Chudnoff, Martin. 1984. Tropical Timbers of the World. USDA Forest Service. Ag. Handbook No. 607.
And pics:
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/walnut,%20tropical.htm