On April 21st, 2021 OFAC (US Office of Foreign Assets Control) placed an embargo on the MTE (Myanmar Timber Enterprise) effectively making Teak illegal going forward.  This may be the push needed by industry to start accepting alternatives species like Iroko that many in the lumber business have been pushing for years.

51 - Teak Embargo:  Bright Future for Iroko

An 8/4, Kiln dried podcast all about lumber and your questions about it.  Let's dispel some myths and broaden an understanding of this ancient industry and help us all become a little more wood savvy...woodier??

Leisure

A word of warning on this episode.  New levels of nerdery on display here.  If I had a white lab coat I would have worn it while recording.  To sum up, woods with a higher T/R ratio will be harder to dry.  But if you are like me and want to know why a higher T/R ratio is harder to dry, keep watching to dive into some organic chemistry and cellular structure.
Also I feature Sapele this month.  A much more mainstream species but one worth looking at closely due to how it has taken over the Mahogany market.  A reminder that Walnut tier supporters on Patreon will be getting the fancy Sapele sticker with all of the details I discuss in this episode.

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123 - Wood Cell Structure & Sapele

Lots of breaking news in the Lumber world and it was time I dust off my teleprompter and read everything that is on it.  News from Notre Dame, the Paris Aquatic Center, Carbon Fiber and Mass Timber, Key Bridge Tragedy, and lots of great feedback from y'all.  Plus I fit a few questions in about drying end grain cookies, lumber jobs, and Aniegre.

122 The News Show

Today we talk about American Hornbeam, why some trees are brittle, fast growing trees for lumber, IBAMA strike and the CITES impact, and a possible source for urban lumber.

121 - American Hornbeam

Let's talk about grassroots sustainability and how giving back as users of wood can start with education and grow into all kinds of programs for and individual or your local woodworking guild or even sawmill business.

120 - Wood Legacy

Iroko or African Teak is the featured species this month.  Found all across tropical Africa, the Iroko tree is enormous producing wide and long boards.  It is growing in popularity as an alternative to Teak due to its similar color.  But Iroko is a great species all on its own for exterior and interior projects.

51 - Teak Embargo: Bright Future for Iroko

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