Melia azedarach of the family Meliaceae. The names chinaberry and lilac are used interchangeably in some cases, although there are two different, and unrelated, species involved and lilac has its own page on this site.
my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K) colors will vary under other lighting conditions
both sides of a sample plank of chinaberry / Melia azedarach
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above --- despite the really crappy sanding job on the left side of the end, the fine grain details are clear on most of this
both sides of a sample plank of chinaberry / Melia azedarach --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
END GRAIN UPDATE and quartersawn side grain closeup from directly above. As you can see in the enlargments of the end grain update, there are thin rays and the side grain shot, because it is perfectly quartersawn, very nicely shows the accompanying small ray flakes. It would show them even better if it had been cleaned up a bit but it wasn't.
both sides of a sample plank of chinaberry / Melia azedarach --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a quartersawn sample plank of chinaberry / Melia azedarach --- HUGE enlargements are present. Notice the ray flakes on the lower left of the first side.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of chinaberry / Melia azedarach --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was purchased from Gary Green and his label says that this is golden raintree but that was a mistake by Gary. It's actually chinaberry.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of chinaberry / Melia azedarach --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. Like my own sample directly above, Mark purchased it from Gary Green whose label says that this is golden raintree but that was a mistake by Gary. It's actually chinaberry.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a piece of chinaberry / Melia azedarach loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. HUGE enlargements are present. This is from either a stump or a crotch area and has some nice angel step figure in the upper left of the first side shown. I sanded that side to 400 grit so I could get a good detailed face grain pic (below) and it is as smooth as glass.
end grain of the piece directly above and then a face grain closeup showing the angel step compression wood.
both sides of another piece of chinaberry / Melia azedarach from Mark Peet and probably from the same tree as the sample directly above as they were both provided to Mark by the same person. HUGE enlargements are present. I assume the color difference between the two sides is because the first side was exposed more and thus has more age patina. I did not do any sanding on either side.
both sides and both ends of a sample piece of chinaberry / Melia azedarach --- the shoddy quality of this sample plank was fairly typical of the sample planks I received from the IWCS. The piece is rife with white rot although it was not stated as being so.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above --- the end grain shot is a little too dark
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain --- I'm pretty sure that even if these are moistened, the color shown is over-saturated.
a very well-photographed, 3" long, piece of chinaberry / Melia azedarach with both levels of enlargement, the 2nd of which shows the face grain very nicely including narrow but strong ray flakes.
chinaberry plank and closeup; pics contributed by Bill Stuewe, whom I thank.
slab
plank pics contributed by Funktionhouse whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site
two views of a chinaberry slab that has been moistened for the pic --- you can see the moisture beginning to dry off in the lower/right area of the first pic and it's very obvious in the 2nd pic
scales
dry and wet pics of the same log-end slab
dry and wet pics of the same log-end slab
crotch turning stock
bowl blank
turning stock
vase
oiled vase
two views of a chinaberry natural edge bowl
pen turned from chinaberry / Melia azedarach. Photograph contributed to the site by the pen turner, Bruce Selyem, whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The pen is finished with shellwax.
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