Red Palm?

lordofthestrings · Post by **lordofthestrings** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:08 pm

Any pipe makers out there ever used this wood? Red Palm (also Black Palm) is a really beautiful wood (IMHO) and has a crazy beautiful end grain! Would look really good for mounts. I have a few pieces of this, will post pictures once I get my camera charged up. I'd love to get a chanter made from this! Any thoughts pipe makers?

Flogging Jason · Post by **Flogging Jason** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 6:26 am

I'm not a piper but I've looked at lots of wooden instruments and lots of woods. I've never seen Palmwood in any musical applications.

If the wood really is from some kind of palm tree(and being from Florida I know palms) then it's probably not good for it. Palms are kind of porous and spongy. Wood for instruments has to be dense and hard...and stable. It might work for mounts though....would make a really striking accent on boxwood or tulipwood or such.

lordofthestrings · Post by **lordofthestrings** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:44 am

I asked because I've also never seen it used on instruments anywhere. But I've been really unsucessful in finding out much information about it anywhere. The pieces I have (3/4'' X 3/4'' X 18'') are REALLY heavy, possibly as heavy as ebony of the same size (I work with ebony all the time for fingerboards/fretboards, but don't have a piece with me to compare right now).

I don't know. I don't have any books on this subject of woods, and google searches aren't getting me too far.

lordofthestrings · Post by **lordofthestrings** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 11:45 am

Are there any pipe makers out there (or folks with a wood lathe) who would be willing to try to turn this wood? I'd pay to ship it out, and reimberse you for your labor. PM if you would

PJ · Post by PJ » Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:11 pm

Why not post this to the other forum.

lordofthestrings · Post by **lordofthestrings** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 3:35 pm

Good idea!

Davy Stephenson · Post by **Davy Stephenson** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 3:49 pm

Got any pictures of this stuff, maybe good grain for making bellows
boards, where do you get it from.

DDS.

lordofthestrings · Post by **lordofthestrings** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 2:00 pm

Here's some poor pictures taken with my computer cam of the red palm (and moi, unfortunatly. I am very soft, and wouldn't turn well at all

)

The wood has really pretty grain, you can only vaguely get a sence of it in these pictures. Tried to show the end grain; its like lots of tiny black/brown polka dots.

rorybbellows · Post by **rorybbellows** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 2:06 pm

Being a palm does that mean that there are no branches,and if there are no branches that means no knots,Palm also has no growth rings(annual rings)

RORY

Steamwalker · Post by **Steamwalker** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 6:07 pm

I've seen Red and Black Palm at my local exotic wood dealer but they seemed too porous and stringy when I inspected some pieces - even more so than Wenge.

MarcusR · Post by **MarcusR** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 4:05 am

If it is hard and dense but not suitable for a wind instrument you can still use if for mounts to create a unique looking set

Would look good with brass and Ebony.

We don't have any Palm trees growing over here, but some nice masur Birch

/MarcusR

lordofthestrings · Post by **lordofthestrings** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:12 am

So that's Masur Birch! Wow, really nice! Wanna send me a tree?

I got some better pictures of Red Palm from a very generous gent who's now 'outside the board'

They show the wood end grain much better than my pictures

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 1:46 pm

Living in a part of the world where there seems to be no lack of palm trees, I have examined more than a few varieties that have been cut down. None of them struck me as being good candidates for pipe making... at least not for the actual body of the instrument. All of the wood seemed almost 'husky' (see coconut husk).

I freely admit, I haven't had an opportunity to examine red or black palms.

marcpipes · Post by **marcpipes** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 1:57 pm

I've seen palm used for some beautiful furniture, but when the craftsman on the show was explaining the structure, it didn't seem like a great candidate for turning. I'd give it a try to see, but it might be like turning a bundle of straws.

lordofthestrings · Post by **lordofthestrings** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 2:27 pm

I'd give it a try to see

Would you be willing to give it a try, or are you posing this rhetorically? I'd turn it myself, but I don't have acess to a wood lathe. If you would be willing to give it a go, PM me please, and I can ship you a piece.