Indian Rosewood

[Knot Competent]

I've been asked to build a vivarium from Indian Rosewood (Sheesham wood). I know absolutely nothing about this wood. Can anyone tell me if it's expensive, does it have a residual smell, and would it take varnish well? And is it difficult to source? I guess Robbins in Bristol would be my first port of call, but I wanted to see if anyone has experience, and any problems to look out for.

Thanks for any help.

John

 

[steve_c]

My only comment on Indian Rosewood is that when I turned some on my lathe I had a skin reaction to the dust. If using again I would use a barrier cream or gloves. Nice wood though.

 

[danielhuw]

I've made a display cabinet from indian rosewood. You can have a look at it on my web site.

I found it a satisfying wood to work with. Im not sure if I can offer any advice, other than my skin reacted very mildly with it, and could become a little itchy with the saw dust. The wood has a subtle aroma to it.

I put a simple shellac and wax finish on it. If I were to use it again I wouldn't use any finish. It has a fantastic deep purple hue to it, but not a gaudy colour like purpleheart. However it will become paler in sunlight over the years.

I got mine from http://www.exotichardwoods.co.uk/ in Tonbridge.

Dan

 

[wizer]

What about using shop sawn veneers?

 

[Knot Competent]

The vivarium needs to be waterproof, as a high humidity needs to be maintained inside. Has anyone varnished this wood?

Veneer may be the answer, but best option may be veneered ply if it's available, as the viv will be 6' long, 3' high and 2' wide.

 

[Ironballs]

Difficult to get hold of in reasonable dimensions. This is because it's rare and over exploited and I doubt you will ever find any that has a FSC stamp. I'd go back to the client and inform them that ethically you'd prefer to make it from something else, there have been examples on here from a couple of the pros who've done just that and the client has been more than happy to do so. They weren't aware of the issues and often just wanted the timber as it's a fashion wood (like wenge)

 

[danielhuw]

...it's a fashion wood (like wenge)

I agree that, for example, seeing lots of kitchens suddenly being manufactured using zebrano may be fashion at the expense of environmental issues. However, I feel that the choice wood should be appropriate to the final piece. An obvious example with wenge is guitar fretboards, and rosewood has been used for many years as a furniture wood.

I know that when I worked with indian rosewood I made an informed choice after deep meditation for what was right for the piece. I also knew that I was hand making a small, one-off cabinet, rather than processing a huge amount of timber. Ethically speaking, I had no issues with that.

Dan

 

[Ironballs]

Appreciate that Dan, but multiply you by X thousand and that's a lot of wood consumed

 

[Old joiner]

I have a colleague who has 5 pieces geniuine Indian Rosewood, 2" thick totalling 10 cu ft. This is very old stock, about 50 years. Would need to collected from The Forest of Dean. If any one has [b]SERIOUS[/b] interest I can put you in touch with him.

JohnB[/u]

 

[woodsworth]

Rose wood varies in quality quite a bit. I seen a table on e-bay that said it was made from rosewood but looked really hideous. Just do a search for sheesham on ebay, it's a type of rosewood.

 

[danielhuw]

but multiply you by X thousand and that's a lot of wood consumed

I agree, it would be a lot of wood. But I still feel that a solo cabinetmaker's scale and speed of consumption multiplied by thousands is sustainable. If Ikea started making indian rosewood vivariums (vivaria?) the scale would worry me.

There are some furniture materials that are obviously wrong to use, either because of cruelty (ivory, butterfly wings) or scarcity (rio rosewood). I'm certainly not an expert, but I don't think indian rosewood is in that category.

Dan

 

[Mattty]

I've made a display cabinet from indian rosewood. You can have a look at it on my web site.

I found it a satisfying wood to work with. Im not sure if I can offer any advice, other than my skin reacted very mildly with it, and could become a little itchy with the saw dust. The wood has a subtle aroma to it.

I put a simple shellac and wax finish on it. If I were to use it again I wouldn't use any finish. It has a fantastic deep purple hue to it, but not a gaudy colour like purpleheart. However it will become paler in sunlight over the years.

I got mine from http://www.exotichardwoods.co.uk/ in Tonbridge.

Dan

Thats a nice cabinet Dan. Some great photography too.

 

[danielhuw]

Thats a nice cabinet Dan. Some great photography too.

Thanks, Mattty. Much appreciated.

Dan

 

[Knot Competent]

I'm sorry, I should have added the information that the client wanted a viv to match all his furniture, which apparently is all made from Rosewood.
I'm hopeful that I can source melamine-covered chipboard to match, which would be much cheaper, quicker and sustainable. However, the client may be resistant to this move.

 

[wizer]

I love Rosewood. But not in large quantities. It works on Dan's cabinet but I think a large viv would like awful. A room full of the stuff would be positively sickly. Each to their own tho. If you want veneered ply then you can have it made up, obviously it's not an off the shelf product. But the venerrs will be thin and I'm not sure if, in a humid environment, they might lift or bubble. I suspect not, but worth checking. Shop awn veneers can be thicker and so not as much risk.

 

[jimi43]

Dan....that is some seriously lovely furniture there mate and someone has an eye for photography...as Matty said.

Wonderful stuff...thanks mate!

Jim

 

[danielhuw]

Thanks, Jim. I was always taught the importance good of photography for a portfolio.

Dan

 

[Knot Competent]

I think we've managed to divert him away from Rosewood, but thanks for all your helpful advice, guys.