Exotic African Hardwoods

The only place online for quality East African Hardwoods

Musical Grade timber is the best quality timber that is available. If is virtually flawless in terms of knotting, pinholes, cracks and sapwood.

Every single piece is hand chosen  and cut for its quality at our sawmill in South Wales. We also cut to order so if you have a specific requirement please do not hesitate to contact us

 

Musical Grade Timber

We can provide quotes for the following sets :

 

· Highland bagpipe sets ( including chanter )

· Umbrian Pipes

· Small Pipes

· Clarinet sets

Price per cubic inch:     $00.54

                                       £00.26

Common Names:      

African blackwood, African ebony, African grenadilo, Banbanus, Ebene, Grenadilla, Grenadille, d'Afrique, Mpingo, Mufunjo, Mugembe, Mukelete, Pau preto, Poyi, Zebra wood

 Where Is it found ?

African Blackwood is reported to occur extensively in the savannah areas in Africa, from Sudan southward to Mozambique, westward to Angola, and northward to Nigeria, Senegal and all the way through Eastern Africa.  The tree is also reported to grow in western India.

Where do we get it from ?

The timber we use is sourced from officially sourced from environmentally responsible sources that are all sustainably managed in Tanzania. We are required by Law to have an export licence to ship this timber outside of the country and into the EU due to this timber being on the at risk list.

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) reports that timber from this species is produced in limited volumes and is exported in small sized cants.

The technical stuff

It usually grows to a height of 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 m), but may occasionally reach 50 feet (15 m).  Trees are reported to have distinctive spines.

The narrow sapwood is usually yellow-white in color, and is clearly distinct from the heartwood which has an almost black appearance ( really a more purple dark brown mix )

 This wood dries naturally at a very slow rate and could take 2 to 3 years to season. Hence the waxing of the ends of the billets to minimise cracking or splitting.

 Blunting Effect

The wood has severe blunting effect on cutting tools.

Tungsten/carbide tipped saws are reported to be essential for conversion.

Cutting Resistance

Dry timber is reported to be rather difficult to work and tends to blunt cutting edges rapidly.

 Planing

The material is reported to have good working qualities but it is rather difficult to plane with either hand or machine tools.

Turning

This is one of the best timbers for turnery work, and turns to produce a very smooth clear finish. But it is reported to be rather difficult to work in most woodworking operations and has severe and rapid blunting effect on cutting edges. So make sure you have good sharpening tools available. Glueing of this wood is excellent and it takes very well. If you are going to try and screw this timber pre-boring is recommended. African blackwood takes to tapping for screw threads almost as well as metals. When polished Blackwood shows a brilliant lustrous surface and stains very well ( but god knows why you would want to )

 

African Blackwood is reported to be superior to Ebony for the manufacture of woodwind instruments because of its oily nature and high tolerance to fluctuations in climatic conditions.  It is reported to respond almost as well as metals to tapping for screw threads.

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