Claro Walnut: Originally it referred to the Juglans Hansi root stock portion of a walnut log that was just below the graft line on California’s English walnut orchard trees. Today however, many dealers in western walnut refer to all stock as Claro to differentiate itself from its more common eastern cousin. Outside of California’s walnut groves many ungrafted trees grow entire logs of Juglans Hansi. Northwest Timber provides western (Claro) walnut in random lumber graded from furniture grades to instrument quality. Lumber, Billets and Blocks are the forms you will find our material milled to.
Quilted Maple: Quilted maple is an end grain figure that shows a circular pattern on flat sawn material. There are many terms that describe the shape and pattern of quilted maple. Aka popcorn, tubular, sausage, bubble wrap, angle step.
Curly Maple, Walnut, and Myrtlewood: Curly figure is horizontal lines that run perpendicular with the grain. There are many terms that describe the shape and pattern of curly aka. tiger, flame, fiddleback.
Burl: Growth on the tree that is irregular and without grain. The pattern is either eyes or rays depending on the angle of the burl when milled.
Port Orford White Cedar: This species of cedar only grows on the southern Oregon coast. Northwest Timber only buys old growth vertical grain material. Because of its hardness, purity and tonal qualities it is sought after by luthiers for sound boards. It is also common for Japanese temples and tubs. Because of its strength it makes a beautiful wood for furniture and it has rot resistant qualities common with cedars and makes beautiful, silver high-end outdoor furniture.
Myrtlewood: This hardwood species is only found on the Southern Oregon and Northern California Coast. It has a color range from blonde (like maple) to brown (like walnut). It is also common to find many colors in a log making a streaky (marble) look. Myrtlewood has curly, burl and marbled figuring. The curl with Myrtlewood has many faces. It can be big ribbons to tight fiddleback. It goes by many names; pepper wood, bay laurel; some may put California or Oregon with the name.
Curly Cherry: This is the only species we import. It is Eastern figured cherry. The figure is called curly but has more of ribbon look or quilted circular pattern.
Block: Figure will vary throughout block. Figure will be stronger on one side than the other.
Billet: Is graded with the idea that it will be resawn. Billets will yield fair consistency throughout the billet.
Billets and Blocks are not milled on a mill but rather chain sawed on location for figure and luthiers dimensions.
Lumber: Boards cut from a log on a mill in random widths and lengths.
4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 8/4…: Spoken in quarters of an inch. 4/4= 1”, 5/4= 1 1/4“and so on. Keep in mind this is the milled thickness. When buying pre-surfaced material you should expect about 3/16ths to have been removed from the milled thickness. 4/4= 13/16”, 5/4= 1 1/8” and so on. We have our Walnut milled a 1/8th of an inch thicker than the “milled thickness” because of shrinkage and movement. Our walnut is often thicker than industry standards. If you are truly concerned with the thickness of our lumber call 1-800-238-8036 and we will go and put a tape to it.
Northwest Timber carries musical instrument Billets and Lumber in Big Leaf Curly and Quilted Maple, Curly, and Marbled Claro Western Walnut, Curly and Marbled Myrtlewood
Northwest Timber never grades Spalted Maple as Musical because of its nature.
Kiln Dried: Wood that has been dried in a kiln down to 7.5% moisture content.
Air Dried: Wood that has been dried to 10% moisture content without use of kiln.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our lumber, blocks or billets please call 1-800-238-8036 or email
sara@nwtimber.com.
