color, and over the period of just a few months after cutting its entire wood are in segmented woodturning, where wenge wood can be shaped into any This is a beautiful, heavy, sturdy, very dark wood with striking streaks that are nearly black. It is also reported that it can be used for the creation of I only make tables and wenge has been a great wood to use. lines depending on the way the lumber was cut. Reply. standards): Dry wood borers: Termites (according to E.N. A score of or near 4,000 indicates the wood is extremely hard. Fluorescence: A Secret Weapon in Wood Identification, Bow Woods (from a mathematical perspective), Brazilian Rosewood, East Indian, and Other Rosewoods, Genuine Lignum Vitae and Argentine Lignum Vitae, BOOK: WOOD! Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) I then glued a Wenge fret board to the neck. Treat it well.? July 3, 2015 at 12:14 pm added! Since it is highly resistant to scratching and abrasion and the ability to Scans/Pictures: A special thanks to Steve Earis for providing the turned photo of this wood species. Wenge is there, but Black Limba and White Limba (Korina) are VERY common tonewoods that I didn’t see on here. Please use wenge, or any other endangered species sparingly and beautifully so it lasts through the ages. Since it is extremely durable, dense and tough, and therefore very useful $42.99. The mineral spirits or denatured alcohol will break those oils down and give you what you want. This toughness is the reason it is such a durable wood. Wenge is an exotic hardwood and is exponentially more expensive than the type of woods used as building materials. Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon,  breathing Wenge wood dust has been reported to cause central nervous system effects, abdominal cramps, irritation of the skin and eyes, and is a sensitizer. Here are some of the most common use case scenarios for wenge wood: Wenge wood is known not only for its visual appeal, color, and rich Africa, including countries such as Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic I have no experience of carving or using gouges but i am willing to give it a go…! wenge wood can be made to look almost perfectly black, making it as a Read your comment regarding the making of tables using Wenge. I use Wenge edge grain for cutting boards, and face grain for coasters. It it now my favorite wood. Completely the wrong color. While it is dense, wenge is also very porous. The bark of I am making a small cabinet using wenge and considering giving it a textured finish with a gouge. Its stem cuttings are also widely used for the creation of cultivated live partridge wood pattern but also for its medicinal purposes in traditional medicine of Central Africa. less. If anyone is planning on handling large amounts of unfinished Wenge boards or lumber that have square 90 degree edges, I’d recommend wearing gloves! , it’s presence on the market is dwindling because of the lack of new Nature and Natural Resources to mark this tree as an endangered species. how should I proceed to laminate 10 planks of 2? $39.99. Jeff. or chemical processes Definitely not! Ouvrez les portes du plus beau magasin du Web ! Wenge, once aged is very uniform in color. Lumber from wenge wood exhibits very uniform aesthetics that make it one of the most premier dark species (which can be It is known under names of Most applications are small pieces. Bees also frequent this tree, To what Jeff said, this is true, I have used acetone myself. It’s common when the wood is cut from the log to see white color which fades with time. It is moderately hard and resistant to wearing and … I’ll bet sauna seats made of wenge would burn your ass. Wenge is an exotic wood with a natural growth range of the species is reported to be the open forests of Zaire, Cameroon, Gabon, the southern regions of Tanzania, and Mozambique. Is Wenge and Ebony the same thing? dense, it cannot float on water. wenge: A very dark and hard tropical timber, from the tree species Millettia laurentii. Hey I’m trying to make a tabletop of 22″x30″ how should I proceed to laminate 10 planks of 2″ 1/2 x 32 If I order Wenge from a supplier will I get what I know to be Ebony? $22.99 . Wenge dust is well It’s definitely my favorite wood so far to machine. It is hard but very workable, with both hand tools and power tools. Note: Hardness varies from hard to very hard. One of my favorites to work with. You can see several carvings created from Wenge on my website. This toughness is also why Wenge is popular for flooring and furniture because it will stand the test of time. can be very hard for manual hand cutting and polishing. characteristics of wenge wood is its color and appearance. Wedge wood is an exotic lumber species that is harvested Prices are high, and are likely to remain so as supplies dwindle. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information. remedies for reducing sores, smallpox, epilepsy, abscesses and more. July 22, 2015 at 5:12 pm Ironbark 3147 lbf. Such examples of trees are I then put two more coats on. Quartersawn is very vertical/straight and consistent in appearance. I’m using Wenge for kitchen worktops, what is the best oil treatment to apply? showcases deep and rich chocolate brown colors that are The reason I asked about the health issues is because it is pretty well known as one of the most unfriendly woods to work with. Breathing of wenge sawdust Never seen anything like this and wondered how hardy it would be having strings putting stress on the wood? It is also found in the swampy forests of the Congo region. Required growth density - No specific requirements for growth density. During the Pricing/Availability: Available in wide boards and veneer sheets. Ne manquez pas de découvrir toute l’étendue de notre offre à prix cassé. is regarded as an endangered. used both as a standalone material or paired with lighter wood types), Nice wood carvings, I especially like the single Ram but all of your stuff is really nice. wenge synonyms, wenge pronunciation, wenge translation, English dictionary definition of wenge. Which reminds me, I meant to look that up but never did. Cost - Expensive, with rising prices due increased unavailability, Heavy construction (mine props, railway sleepers and more). n 1. a large, straight tree Millettia laurentii of Central and West Africa valued for its hard dark wood, used in furniture and flooring 2. a. The main difference is that Panga Panga grows in … 0. I dimensioned a 3X24X1 board to make a 3/8″ thick small box for a paid of dividers. This exotic wood type from central and west Africa is today used less and Wenge Other names Panga Panga; Wengué Scientific Name Millettia laurentii Family Fabaceae. Identifying and Using Hundreds of Woods Worldwide, POSTER: Worldwide Woods: Ranked by Hardness. You really want that piece to last and be appreciated for all time. Kiln dried and surfaced on two sides. Modern scientific studies have confirmed surface slowly shifts to darker deep chocolate/black brown hues. Compare. $85.99. Talk about splinters.. it sure will hurt someone if the fretboard edges isn’t rolled properly and buff to smooth. Information and translations of Wenge in the most comprehensive … See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information. Tho 1 thing i like about this wood is the texture, color and durability compared to some fretboards. First of all very interesting information. In Finland (where the sauna is coming from) seats are nowadays built typically from heat treated aspen, obeche (abachi), alder etc. So to spread some knowledge, here’s what I found: I… Read more ». A google search should turn up some ideas. remedies or even production of arrow and fish poison. However, because of its excellent durability, structure, and visual Wenge (Millettia laurentii) and its nearly identical relation, panga panga (Millettia stuhlmannii), grow in many of the tropical countries in Central Africa, ranking as a major lumber species there. Wenge wood ), i have read a few posts above regarding free hand carving and turning. originating from Central Africa. With a simple oil finish, I had none of the allergic or irritant problems mentioned, but the splinters are very long, very sharp, very jagged, very painful, and very real. One other sort of fun thing is that if you soak it in bleach overnight you get a really cool grain demarcation, looks sort of like Zebra wood but much much nicer, the effect is one of great contrast which would be very cool in a pool cue. © 2020 - Wood Assistant | Privacy Policy | Contact, Average Dried Weight - 54 lbs/ft3 (870 kg/m3), Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC) - .72, .87, Crushing Strength - 11,710 lbf/in2 (80.7 MPa), Modulus of Rupture - 21,990 lbf/in2 (151.7 MPa), Elastic Modulus - 2,550,000 lbf/in2 (17.59 GPa), Shrinkage - Radial: 4.8%, Tangential: 8.1%, Volumetric: 12.9%, T/R Ratio: wenge continues to be in high demand even though its price is surging due If you do use it in a cutting board, don’t use it as end grain as this would expose the pores directly to food contact and increase the amount of bacterial infiltration. Mosrite used it for bodies of their Brass Rail models. documented in its ability to cause both dermatological and respiratory creation of veneer, paneling, furniture, turned objects, and high-end and several other closely related tree types. Over the last three As a noun wenge is wenge (tree, wood). I find it to be easy enough to work with as long as you are aware that it will splinter on the edges and you can crack it if you try to bend it too much. Wenge’s vitreousness is a function of the wood being brittle on the cellular-structure level. (This is a monthly update, and your email will be kept private.). species. But, you do get the “ebony” coloring without paying as high of a price. Wenge wood Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, breathing Wenge wood dust has been reported to cause central nervous system effects, abdominal cramps, irritation of the skin and eyes, and is a sensitizer. LMwildlifecarving.com Good luck! musical instruments Sustainability - Marked as a part of IUCN Red List as an endangered One could argue that its relatively rare and distinct figuring inspired its original use in Africa for ceremonial masks and religious carvings. Pronunciation of Weng with 2 audio pronunciations, 7 translations and more for Weng. Wenge is a dense wood from equatorial West Africa that has good working properties. Grain/Texture: Grain is straight, with a very coarse texture. Hi Scott, treat diabetes, skin issues, fever, rheumatism, hernia, liver It has been used traditionally for ceremonial masks and statues and is often mistaken and sold interchangeably with it's close cousin, Panga Panga- Milletteia stuhlmannii. Millettia Laurentiiis is a tree of the legume family (known scientifically But one carving takes about six-eight months. Wood Description: The heartwood is dark brown, almost black. trees. No wonder I cannot find examples of such carvings anywhere. in height, few exceptional trees can continue growing all up to 50 meters. Wenge also has a tendency to tear out or splinter as it’s worked. abdominal cramps and more. Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is on the IUCN Red List. can you get in contact with me on facebook about a wenge bass? Latin: Millettia laurentii Origin: Central Africa Wenge (pronouced WHEN-gay) is a beautiful and unique hardwood that grows in Central Africa. hardwood floor, consider the environmental impact of such decision. Staining can also be an issue. Grain of this wood is straight, predictable Add to Cart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqYjTWjK5G0. I know a lot of pen turners (myself included) have used CA glue both as a pore filler and a finish. I’m in Seattle so we often have light rain. Since last few decades of 20th century, the population of this tree was reduced Define wenge. What did you finish it with? and pleasing to the eye. The same applies to the lighter in weight panga panga. Color Range Dark brown to black with fine black veining. Wenge definition: a large, straight tree Millettia laurentii of Central and West Africa valued for its hard... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Are Rosewoods (and Bubinga) really banned by CITES? I have a piece that we are adding to a counter top. There is also the question of toxicity since the dust can cause reactions and splinters are particularly painful and prone to infection, but proper finishing should stop that. In addition, if you are a frequent sauna user the seats are in heavy use and therefore I would use something cheaper… Read more ». (handholds or entire canes), and musical instrument that Color/Appearance: Heartwood is medium brown, sometimes with a reddish or yellowish hue, with nearly black streaks. viable alternative of ebony. I am currently looking at an electric bass that has a neck of this material with a rosewood fretboard. With most hardwoods being light in colour, Wenge is renowned for its rich dark brown heartwood. Hi! The dark brown color is accented with a jagged black flame grain. significantly, which prompted the International Union for Conservation of Faites vous plaisir grâce à notre sélection Wenge pas cher ! which benefits production of honey. colorful leaves, and fruit. How about wenge or panga panga for outside stems on a strip canoe? Add to Cart. Warwick, Conklin Guitars, Yamaha and more). Its rarer than gold. Other popular uses of wenge See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information. At least not if you are using quality knives you don’t want to mistreat. Definitely not the same wood. * {{quote-news, year=2008, date=March 30, author=Suzanne Slesin, title=Taking in the River View From Both Banks, work=New York Times citation, passage=Mr. Was wondering since I have been having trouble finding hickory in my area if making a hammer handle from wenge would be a good idea. (scientifically called Millettia Laurentii,Millettia spp., or Millettia stuhlmannii ( panga-panga)) is an endangered wood type Anonymous. Within the flooring industry durability is often determined by the Janka scale rating of the wood. generations of trees, over 50% of its total population has been harvested. Found that cracks easy if not careful when giving pressure from point to point on lathe, Wenge handle hand turned by Berkhouse Knifeworks, Dans la province du Bandundu, village de Intswem Labwi sur la route d’Idiofa j’ai rencontré un jardinier qui utilise la fleur de l’arbre comme engrais naturel. Workability - Difficult. The point here is that these wood types heat up in the sauna but when you sit on them they do not burn. Durability - Very durable. Do what ever you have to do to not experience a wenge splinter. Wenge is offered in selected straight grain for a very uniform look or in mixed graining, where the flat sawn figure yields a visible "flower" look. growth of flowers that are colored in striking purple-blue color. Compare. 1/2 x 32, I was going to do this recently based upon seeing boards for sale, but was advised not to due to it having very open pores that can trap bacteria. Comments: Usually pronounced WHEN-gii or WHEN-ghay, the wood has excellent strength and hardness properties, and is also dark enough to be used as a substitute for ebony. A score of, or near, zero indicates a very soft wood that is not suitable for the heavy use flooring receives. There are about 40 species of Millettia, many of them tropical vines and shrubs. Upon application of a wood finish (particularly an oil finish) the wood can become nearly black. While it is today most commonly used for the While this tree is sometimes used for ornamental purposes, much of its use The dark and distinctive “wenge” wood color is today used as a standardized color in many coloring systems around the world You might try medium viscosity CA glue to seal the pores. Some woods are really quite nasty. form that creator desires. you are considering purchasing large quantities of Wenge lumber for your Wenge tends to be mineral rich and using it as a cutting board would be like cutting against sand paper. Strong, beautiful, it sounds incredible and feels amazing! easily splintered, and can be difficult to be perfectly smoothed out. Imagine wenge hard wood floors but at the same time imagine the excruciating pain of sliding along that floor and picking up a splinter in your foot. . Try using a penetrating epoxy Seal afterward to stabilize .also urethane will form a good chemical bond to epoxy if applied within a certain time frame, check epoxy specks. The curved stems typically consist of three laminated layers starting at 1/4″ x 7/8″ each. I find it to be a rather nasty wood to work with where the redeeming qualities of wenge do not overcome its characteristics. And lots of bits. Blunts tool edges. has been delegated to the woodworking industry, which has sadly placed this I use Voss Chemicals G4 for it an super strong varnish .. why would wenge have a blond center similar to sap wood, Hey I’m trying to make a tabletop of 22?x30? quickly be transformed in black color). in creation of floor panelling, furniture, high end walking canes In addition to its strength and durability, one of the defining Meaning of Wenge. Item 158775. Is there someone that are able to tell if this is Wenge or Pangapanga (or something else?)? Nooooo! I don’t have any feedback to use for long term results though yet. Tree Size: 60-90 ft (18-27 m) tall, 3-4 ft (1-1.2 m) trunk diameter, Average Dried Weight: 54 lbs/ft3 (870 kg/m3), Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .72, .87, Modulus of Rupture: 21,990 lbf/in2 (151.7 MPa), Elastic Modulus: 2,550,000 lbf/in2 (17.59 GPa), Crushing Strength: 11,710 lbf/in2 (80.7 MPa), Shrinkage: Radial: 4.8%, Tangential: 8.1%, Volumetric: 12.9%, T/R Ratio: 1.7. Non-carbide tools In such trees, up to 20 meters of the trunk can be uninterrupted and bark, leaves and other parts of the tree are also valued locally as medical I am making a relief carving of a wolf in a forest on a 2″x14″x2′ piece. One of the biggest problems during wenge wood cutting is the poisonous effect of its dust. It is very thirsty, and a thin layer will soak in to the point I barely need to wipe off any excess. I’m just guessing, but it look like walnut sapwood to me. Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; large to very large pores in no specific arrangement, very few; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; dark brown mineral deposits occasionally present; medium rays not visible without lens, normal spacing; parenchyma vasicentric, confluent, with wide bands of parenchyma typically as thick as the pores. Jeff Reply to LARRY MEHAFFEY 1 year ago Nice wood carvings, I especially like the single Ram but all of your stuff is really nice. millettia laurentii is used for the creation of remedies that nearly getting to about a 70% success rate with them turning straight and staying straight , the sealing bit is just as challenging, what i have tried so far is wiping epoxy paste onto the shaft using a blade to force it into the pores, no good, wax ,no good, oil, no good, soaked in 2 pack timber preserver overnight, no good, sprayed… Read more ». I got a large wenge splinter and it was so painful I couldn’t see, I had to use a razor to cut it out because I couldn’t see it and had to cut it out by feel. Wenge is one of my favorite hardwoods to use. While it sands well, wenge is hard on hand and power tools, blunting their edges. to rising availability of fresh timber. Wenge (/ ˈ w ɛ ŋ ɡ eɪ / WENG-gay) is a tropical timber, very dark in color with a distinctive figure and a strong partridge wood pattern. I’m making a sauna and have here wenge. It is very strong and dense which can make it harder to work with but is a … exotic lumber species that is harvested from the Central and West African tree called Millettia Laurentii I use Wenge often in guitars I build often in the neck laminate or in the fret board. Noun (-) A very dark and hard tropical timber, from the tree species . Cuts made from wenge splinters do not heal standards): As a verb venge is (obsolete) to avenge; t... What's the difference between and ... wenge . . Wenge is reported to be a suitable substitute for Hickory for the production of sporting goods. Wenge. managed to attract significant acclaim around the world for its strength, durability, and resistance to termite attacks. The wood you are using for sauna seats should have low heat conductivity and therefore less dense woodtypes are typically used. The one silver lining to Wenge splinters is that the wood is so tough that more often than not a splinter will stab me but not break off and lodge into my finger. Reply. quickly and have the higher chance of causing infections than splinters Wenge is a durable wood species, so if you have a piece of furniture made with wenge veneer, you don't have to give it any special care. Additionally, since its strength and durability, Doc Lorenzo. are built to last (including instruments created by Mosrite, Ibanez, Court, it is so strong, it can actually very easily blunt woodworking tools and Reply. What does Wenge mean? Since I couldn’t find any feeds or speeds or general milling tips, I had to do some guess work and nearly ruined my first block. With the ability to grow to the size of Quick View. class 4 - in ground or fresh water contact class 4 - not permeable class D - durable durable - sapwood demarcated (risk limited to sapwood) class 2 - durable NATURAL DURABILITY AND TREATABILITY Funghi (according to E.N. I found a great deal ($6/bf!) I think so, if you’re exceptionally wealthy and at the same time foolish with your money. Texture - Coarse texture, straight and even grain, and with low and natural is it possible to use this wood as a building material for a house? Model M05-130 Woodcraft Woodshop - Exotic Cutting Board Kit Large. Comments: Usually pronounced WHEN-gii or WHEN-ghay, the wood has excellent strength and hardness properties, and is also dark enough to be used as a substitute for ebony. I told my guys to use carbon fiber rods on all necks for more stability, not that i do not trust maple/wenge combo, a 5 piece neck alone is good enough.. plus an extra muscle by putting a wenge fretboard… Read more ». some bow manufacturers use wenge to create various models of flatbows. LMwildlifecarving.com Good luck! Please could anyone offer me some advice on wether this is possible (or not! Would it be possible to make a butcher block desk out of katalox and wenge wood ? I am a wildlife wood carver specializing in exotic hardwoods. English. Lumbar with a very high score is not usually suitable for hardwood flooring because it is too difficult to process profitably. Item 163697. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Wenge is one of my favorite hardwoods to use. that are used for cutting of wenge wood are in need of constant sharpening, 1.7, Odor - Faint and slightly bitter scent, only present during cutting and Wenge is a member of the great tree producing family, Leguminosae and comes from Zaire and other small countries of West Africa. African rosewood, faux ebony, dikela, mibotu, bokonge, and awong. I too am among the vicious-Wenge-splinter club. Once I got everything set up proper, I was getting beautiful and consistent sized chips. Very splintery (note “septic” . Other Names Awoung, Dikela, Mibotu, Bokonge. Look it up now! achieves such Also, Wenge splinters tend to take longer to heal and are more likely to go septic (get infected) than splinters from other woods. take a very high polish and smoothness, it is preferred wood for flooring G’DAY folks, ihave been using wenge for making 3/4 pool cues 26mm x 9.5mm x 1100mm, this is very challenging, i am turning it on a cnc machine with a home built lathe sitting on the bed. Sawing it felt like the teeth would rather slide instead of digging in, and my plane irons required sharpening at least several times If this wood is going to be worked by hand, the workability and harpoon like spiinters should definitely be taken into account when planning a project. from the Central and West African tree called Millettia Laurentii, Reply. Pricing/Availability: Tends to be on the high side, close to other exotic tropical hardwoods such as Cocobolo or Zebrawood. Hey Mathew, no advice on carving but I’d just like to say, and i would say this to all who work with endangered species, that whatever it is you’re making with wenge, please make it as beautiful and lasting as humanly possible. I think this could be done; you’d just have to be sure to sand it thoroughly and perhaps round over and sharp edges. Naturally resistant to rot and termite attack. and sanding attempts that are not sanitized quickly can become ingrained I’ve heard I need to clean the edged with acétone and uses titebond 3 glue. The Janka scale ranges from a low of zero to a high of 4,000.