Myrtlewood story

[old_heli_logger]

There is some good dinosaur hunting right up the road from Ophir

There sure is!!! The story I've heard all my life was my dad and a bunch of his beer drinking buddies stopped to piss at Mussel Creek. This was on a doe hunting night when they were meat shopping.... and someone threw the light on ol T-rex and said there's one Pollock, shoot him. My dad blew the eyeball right out of him with ol hair-knocker (M70 234win). I was always afraid to stop and ask Kee Kee if there was any truth to that...it would be her grandpa that patched him up.

Directions to the Prehistoric Gardens on the Oregon Coast

The Prehistoric Gardens are located on Hwy 101 on the Southern Oregon Coast, halfway between Gold Beach and Port Orford. Call

www.prehistoricgardens.com

 

[243Mendoza]

Have one prone target rifle stocked with Myrtlewood. Got the stock blank from someone in Gresham OR. It is lighter than walnut.

 

[INTJ]

I grew up in Southern Oregon and even lived there again for a while after I retired from the USAF. While I love all the trees there, for a gun stock my heart has always been set on a dense grained, dark finished, exhibition grade North Eastern Black Walnut.

 

[INTJ]

There sure is!!! The story I've heard all my life was my dad and a bunch of his beer drinking buddies stopped to piss at Mussel Creek. This was on a doe hunting night when they were meat shopping.... and someone threw the light on ol T-rex and said there's one Pollock, shoot him. My dad blew the eyeball right out of him with ol hair-knocker (M70 234win). I was always afraid to stop and ask Kee Kee if there was any truth to that...it would be her grandpa that patched him up.

Directions to the Prehistoric Gardens on the Oregon Coast

The Prehistoric Gardens are located on Hwy 101 on the Southern Oregon Coast, halfway between Gold Beach and Port Orford. Call

www.prehistoricgardens.com

I first visited there in the early 1960s. Took my own daughters there in 20 years ago. A very cool place indeed. I miss the Oregon that used to be.......

 

[spike-55]

Myrtle wood factory in Kerby burned up a month or so ago.
I've got a pile of silver madrone out back that needs hauled off if your needing some fire wood.

you sure you didn't have a spelling error there pard??? if it's silver patron, i am on the way!!!! sure you meant firewater for us Okies!!!
stan

 

[Bc'z]

you sure you didn't have a spelling error their pard??? if it's silver patron, i am on the way!!!! sure you meant firewater for us Okies!!!
stan

Stan i love me some Silver Padron, here in southern Oregon, Northern California we have Madron its got a slick red bark that peels showing greens and yellows underneath, its super dense and heavy, best cut and split while its green. The grain is kinda twisted making it a bitch to work with dry if your swinging a maul and not using a power splitter.
Best firewood ever. You can throw a heavy chunk in the stove and it'll still be burning in the morning.
Stop by anytime and I'm sure I got something in the cabinet to sip on.

 

[spike-55]

Stan i love me some Silver Padron, here in southern Oregon, Northern California we have Madron its got a slick red bark that peels showing greens and yellows underneath, its super dense and heavy, best cut and split while its green. The grain is kinda twisted making it a bitch to work with dry if your swinging a maul and not using a power splitter.
Best firewood ever. You can throw a heavy chunk in the stove and it'll still be burning in the morning.
Stop by anytime and I'm sure I got something in the cabinet to sip on.

sounds like our mesquite!!!
heavy, hard, and a bitch to work with, however it is stunningly beautiful in you find the right piece!!!!
stan

 

[joshb]

sounds like our mesquite!!!
heavy, hard, and a bitch to work with, however it is stunningly beautiful in you find the right piece!!!!
stan

Like this? I’m learning to love Mesquite.

 

[Tesoro]

Madrone has 2nd highest btu after euclayptus. Makes very low ash too. Dosent have the sweet smell of oak tho.,dosent have any smell really. But no bark no mess. Splits like butter when green

 

[spike-55]

Like this? I’m learning to love Mesquite.View attachment 1327178View attachment 1327179

that's what i'm talk'in about!!!!
stan

 

[Oso]

I always thought I wanted a rifle with a Myrtlewood stock, also one in Screwbean Mesquite

I love the Oregon woods (madrone and myrtle)... use them in some woodturning.

Screwbean Mesquite - a man with distinguished taste. Have you ever come across a rare specimen of Pecan that is dappled full of color like a water elm... that would also be a fantastic stock. Outside of Austin is a great sawmill for Mesquite - Berdol Sawmill

One other for the group - quarter sawn Bradford Pear. Yard tree delight!

 

[Brians356]

Range of Umbellularia californica (Oregon-myrtle):


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[Bc'z]

Pacific Madrone

 

[Brians356]

Screwbean Mesquite - a man with distinguished taste.

How about Osage-orange? Another native wood traditionally used for tool handles and fenceposts. Also for bows by plains Indians, and hedgerows before the introduction of barbed wire.
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[Fast14riot]

I love working myrtle wood. I have some blanks from my grandfathers shop that are at least 60 years old. Came from the western low Sierra's in CA. Not much left in these parts nowadays, though.

That pacific madrone sure makes a pretty tree when they're over 36" diameter. I have yet to burn or work it, but I'll be back up there later this year.

 

[Oso]

How about Osage-orange? Another native wood traditionally used for tool handles and fenceposts. Also for bows by plains Indians, and hedgerows before the introduction of barbed wire.
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Osage Orange (aka “Bodark” or “Horse Apple”) is a dense strong wood with a very distinct color, chartreuse yellow. However, if the color is a main reason for selection then you must realize that it oxidizes (actually UV light exposure) darkens the wood to a much less attractive muddled brown. North American Osage Orange is different than the South American variety that you might see for sell at designer niche woodworking stores (usually sold as turning blanks).

Mulberry is related to Osage Orange and has similar coloration, but it is a little less dense. When Mulberry oxidizes it turns a golden mustard, which is very nice. Favorite for Japanese furniture.

both of these woods have a high latex level when green/fresh cut, which takes time to dry and no longer be an issue. It can make a sticky mess on bandsaw when cutting wet.

a lot of people who are trying to prevent/retard the oxidation (darkening of wood’s color) will use automotive UV clear coat to help protect the wood.

When I get home I’ll take a couple pictures of Mulberry and Osage Orange to show color comparison and oxidation.

 

[Brians356]

Osage Orange (aka “Bodark” or “Horse Apple”)

"Bodark" is anglicization of the French bois d’arc, meaning “wood of the bow". Native to E. Texas and small portions of Oklahoma and Arkansas, Maclura pomifera has been widely planted and naturalized in the eastern and northwestern states.
-

 

[spike-55]

yep - it's around here. think our buddy Dusty has some bois d'arc bows. i think he has been asking if someone would do a gunstock???? @Dusty Stevens
stan

 

[butchlambert]

Osage Orange (aka “Bodark” or “Horse Apple”) is a dense strong wood with a very distinct color, chartreuse yellow. However, if the color is a main reason for selection then you must realize that it oxidizes (actually UV light exposure) darkens the wood to a much less attractive muddled brown. North American Osage Orange is different than the South American variety that you might see for sell at designer niche woodworking stores (usually sold as turning blanks).

Mulberry is related to Osage Orange and has similar coloration, but it is a little less dense. When Mulberry oxidizes it turns a golden mustard, which is very nice. Favorite for Japanese furniture.

both of these woods have a high latex level when green/fresh cut, which takes time to dry and no longer be an issue. It can make a sticky mess on bandsaw when cutting wet.

a lot of people who are trying to prevent/retard the oxidation (darkening of wood’s color) will use automotive UV clear coat to help protect the wood.

When I get home I’ll take a couple pictures of Mulberry and Osage Orange to show color comparison and oxidation.

Bois d'arc, bodark, horse apple, Osage Orange. I have a native american bow made of it.
Mrytlewood from Oregon about 1950. Wood came with a bunch of Black Walnut blanks that was in the hayloft of Red Cornelison's barn I purchased the blanks about 20yrs ago. Great wood, but not much figure.
Myrtlewood on my Hyper Single in 257 Roberts.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Osage Orange (aka “Bodark” or “Horse Apple”) is a dense strong wood with a very distinct color, chartreuse yellow. However, if the color is a main reason for selection then you must realize that it oxidizes (actually UV light exposure) darkens the wood to a much less attractive muddled brown. North American Osage Orange is different than the South American variety that you might see for sell at designer niche woodworking stores (usually sold as turning blanks).

Mulberry is related to Osage Orange and has similar coloration, but it is a little less dense. When Mulberry oxidizes it turns a golden mustard, which is very nice. Favorite for Japanese furniture.

both of these woods have a high latex level when green/fresh cut, which takes time to dry and no longer be an issue. It can make a sticky mess on bandsaw when cutting wet.

a lot of people who are trying to prevent/retard the oxidation (darkening of wood’s color) will use automotive UV clear coat to help protect the wood.

When I get home I’ll take a couple pictures of Mulberry and Osage Orange to show color comparison and oxidation.

Around arkansas they used it for fence posts, and after a hundred years or so they pull them up and the wood that was under the dirt turned green. Green bois d’arc is the real prize. I used to make duck calls from it