Millettia leucantha (syn. Millettia pendula) of the family Papilionaceae
A very durable, heavy, hard, dense Burmese wood that is from the same genus as wenge, and is thus closely related to it. Has dark purplish-brown to chocolate brown heartwood, with very close and fine black veins. Used for carvings in Burma, also good for heavy construction due to strength. Tree grows to 80 feet in height and about 2 feet in diameter. Tough on hand tools but works well with mahchine tools and takes a high polish. Weight at 14 percent moisture is 69 pounds per cubic foot.
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 thinwin / Millettia pendula --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The labeled side is raw but the 2nd side has been sanded to 240 grit and so shows details better and is a lighter color. Millettia pendula is a synonym for the accepted name, Millettia leucantha.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of Laos thinwin / Millettia pendula --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. Millettia pendula is a synonym for the accepted name, Millettia leucantha.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of Laos thinwin / Millettia pendula --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. Millettia pendula is a synonym for the accepted name, Millettia leucantha.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of thinwin / Millettia leucantha --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
bowls by Bryan Nelson (NelsonWood). Bryan fine-polishes his bowls with 1200 or even higher grit sandpaper while they are spinning at high speed on the lathe and then finishes them there with a friction polish of his own devising, thus achieving a shine and color vibrancy that is beautiful to behold. These bowls are all about 6" across.
