Blue Mahoe

[Malcolm Wheeler]

Looking for sources for Blue Mahoe in North West Washington state or in the British Columbia lower mainland area ...

Also, does this stuff stay blue or does the blue colour disappear much like purple heart turns brown after a while...

regards
Malcolm

[Jack Camillo]

Sounds like the name of a fish. If you find it, please post a picture.

[Bill Huber]

Sounds like the name of a fish. If you find it, please post a picture.

Jack here is a picture of it, it is a neat looking wood.

http://www.gilmerwood.com/photo%20ht...Mahoephoto.htm

[Jon Lanier]

http://tswoods.com/index.htm

[Walt Caza]

Hi Malcolm,
Sorry I can't suggest where to get Blue Mahoe, but I can share my own
personal Blue Mahoe story. (ya, real helpful...)
Back in 1997 I was living in rural Jamaica for a few months, on a big
adventure. I camped several weeks in a jungle yard of a nice Indian family,
along the beautiful Roaring River. I pitched my tent between pineapple
and banana trees, and contributed to the family by hauling water and
buying chicken and rice to cook for all for each dinner.

Looking to keep busy, I helped the oldest son with his dream, by giving
him money for lumber. While it was snowing back in Canada, I was
handplaning and handsawing a stack of mostly blue mahoe, to frame
his maybe 12 by 18' house. We sweated and got her framed, and the
floorboards mostly installed, until the wood ran out. (deep tan too)
We made the opposites sides equal length with a piece of thin string.
Poor people can be very understanding when your money is done.

As I last saw that little house in progress, my new brother was
waiting to find a way to get some corrugated zinc panels for the roof.
He was going to borrow a tarp it and live in it meanwhile!
He told me that much zinc can be scavenged after a good hurricane.
I gotta get back down there some day. (left a piece of my heart)
I really learned alot!

Thanks for stirring up great memories for me,
Walt

[Malcolm Wheeler]

Thank you kindly for the two shops listed above - I appreciate it!

Does anyone know if the blue colour fades over time? Very quickly like the purple in purpleheart? Or a little more slowly like bloodwood? Also can you bake the wood in an oven and get more blue like baking purpleheart gets more purple...???

For Walt - I once lived in Africa for many years, so I know very well what you refer to about using whatever materials are nearby. In many cases in Africa the nearby trees are long gone for firewood, so tarps, paper, cardboard and zinc sheet is far more common. A whole family in a 10 by 10 foot shack is not that unusual in the urban areas.