What happened to lumber imports?

It may depend on where you live. Near us is Exotic Lumber. They have outlets in Gaithersburg, MD and Annapolis, MD., And offer a wide range of wood - both imported and domestic. I'm sure there are other sources out there.

Joel

They've got a bit but none of the big rain forest osage orange boards and lapacho and quina and so on that I was used to.

The rainforest has been harvested - and many countries are putting cutting restrictions in place.

Those that aren't should be.

Rain forest Osage orange? The only Osage orange (aka "hedge apple") I have ever seen growing naturally was in NE Texas, SW Oklahoma and a smidge in eastern Kansas.

Not uncommon in the Osage Mountains of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas either (hooda thunk?). We had some growing near our rural home a few miles east of the Missouri River bottoms between Jefferson City and Columbia, which is pretty far north of where it's normally found.

Bois d'Arc ... or horse apples.

Apparently in South America it grows to be a big tree. They used to have 8/4 12 feet long.

How do they get the horses to climb the trees?

Hear hear!

Bow wood. Osage hedge wood makes an excellent bow. I think the osage from the rainforest is like the 'cherry' wood we all love and use.... and has absolutely nothing to do with cherries. Or 'tulip wood'... another one of those...(poplar, really). And....(now in my best Andy Rooney voice) what does rosewood have to do with roses?

Not too common but I have seen them growing at a few places in central Md, too. Some sources I have read say they are native to SE USA but I don't know if that includes Md. or these were intentionally planted here. BTW, their commonly called "poke apple" around here.

Also grew in Kentucky.

The stuff from S.A. is a different species, but the same genus. It's called Argentine Osage Orange, Yes it is larger and the claim is made that the color doesn't go away like it does in the native stuff. I don't know if that's true or not. See:

When I lived in Missouri back in the seventies we called 'em "hedge apples". Not sure why...

They're quite widespread in eastern KS (or at least were unless they've been systematically removed...

There "hedge apples" owing to they were often planted along field borders and developed into dense growth, hence hedges. The apple portion should be self-evident...

Decades ago, I knew a guy in Glen Burnie who had 2000 BF of Osage orange to sell. Where he got it, I don't know. I ran a couple of sample planks through my thickness planer and completely buggered my blades. It was like running limestone through. I was told that Osage orange was used for cleats on a boat.

The trees if allowed to grow that way - we had an 'orchard' next door to us - have thorns. Often in the wild and underbrush areas it makes a low tree/bush. With the thorns, not much wants to go through.

Mart> Steve Turner wrote:

I got an 18" length - 4" - from my dad - limb...

I turned it on my metal lathe - and now for over 10 years it is coming to dry and is ready for the next step. Now just what.

Beautiful yellow gold colors.

Mart>