Tropical wood value
Julio:
My answer is too long so I have to put it in three pages But here it is.
I will try to answer what seems to be a simple question. I export tropical wood from Iquitos , Peru which is a seaport located 2500 miles up the Amazon. We ship to Houston every six weeks on ocean going vessels.
Dealing in tropical wood has about the same reputation as a blood donor with AIDS. Thousands of people make very good livings spreading fear that the tropical forests will be gone by next Christmas. The reality is that the Amazon spread across many countries is about the size as the continental US and produces a little more in total yearly than twice the annual production of Oregon. There is not yet what any sane person could call a lumber industry in the Amazon.
I actually think that there is hope that the world will wake up to all the hustlers such as the WWF and others and figure out the real facts someday. Anyway that is a subject worthy of a book and not for this limited answer.
Tropical woods can be exported with only a “sanitary certificate” signed by authorities of the exporting countries certifying that the wood left with no insect infestation. No fumigation needed. Now we will talk about the pallets that the wood is exported on. They are generally made of the same wood being exported which is untreated but the pallets must have a special treatment. This law “ISPM 15” Google it, it was made by your United Nations at their best.
Now as for what woods are valuable. Rosewoods are a great example of tropicals.
Read the article below: “THE ROSEWOOD JUNGLE”
Many tropical woods sold are sold as something they are not. Rosewoods are one of the finest examples as is well explained in the article below. There are two main reasons. The first is that there is very little knowledge about tropical woods and the identification is at a very primitive stage. The second is that a lot of wood is sold as something it is not either on purpose or by ignorance.
Now to make a long story short what makes some tropical wood valuable is the fantastic color and grain. Known or unknown species with , burls, roots, crotches, defect in the grain and color sell. Wood like Mahogany is cheap but is an old standard that somehow is equated with quality even tho is looks like cardboard and is still accepted in many markets but dying fast.
I could go on for pages but this should give an idea of what you were looking for.
THE ROSEWOOD JUNGLE
by Dick Boak, manager of the Wood Division of Martin Guitar Company, visit
http://www.mguitar.com/.
INTRODUCTION
Rosewoods in general have been prized throughout history because of their richly exotic and vividly contrasting grain. In terms of sheer beauty, few woods can compete with Rosewood. There is however, a great deal of confusion and misinformation about the many varieties of genuine Rosewoods as well as the so-called "substitute" species. This article should clear up most of that confusion. In order for a wood to be considered "true" or "genuine" Rosewood, the tree must be a member of the specific genus Dalbergia (Leguminosae family).
There are many species within the Dalbergia genus:
GENUINE SPECIES
BLACKWOOD (Dalbergia melanoxylon) Africa African Blackwood, also known as Grenadillo or Mozambique "Ebony", is dark purple to black in color with similar density and working properties of true Ebony. It should not be confused with Granadillo, a Rosewood substitute discussed later in this article. African Blackwood is traditionally used in the construction of the finest wind instruments, bagpipes, violin bows, ornamental turnings and precious treen. It is very rare, very expensive and is generally available in small dimensioned pieces only.
BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD (Dalbergia nigra) Brazil Sometimes referred to as "Jacaranda", this preferred species ranges in color from dark brown to violet with spidery black pigment lines that often overlap giving the illusion of landscape, hence the term "landscape grain". The smell is like roses when freshly cut. Brazilian Rosewood is the optimum species for the reflective back and sides of acoustic guitars. The species was so popular as sliced veneer for the furniture and plywood markets during the first half of the century that it has been driven to near extinction, though some sparse new growth timber has appeared on the market. The highly resinous wood turns beautifully, polishes well and is very durable. It is very expensive if available at all.
COCOBOLO (Dalbergia retusa) Mexico & Central America This highly exotic wild grained species is brilliant orange, rust, purple and yellow with distinctive superimposed lines of purple and black. The brilliant color seems to oxidize gradually with air exposure after cutting. Some woodworker's react specifically to the cinnomon-like sawdust that typically causes itching or sneezing. Nonetheless, the unusual vivid beauty and color contrast of this wood overshadow the allergic risks. It is typically available in small cuttings due to the relative small size of the tree.
EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD (Dalbergia latifolia) India Predominantly light to dark purple, with occasional red and brown streaks, East Indian Rosewood is prized for it's consistency and it's size. When Brazilian Rosewood began to become scarce, East Indian Rosewood quickly filled the vacancy. The wood was more stable, met grade lumber specifications easier, and came in larger planks. Within the last ten years, embargoes and regulations have severely limited the sizes of East Indian Rosewood pieces allowed out of India. Some "plantation" growth of the same species is available as "Sonokeling" from Indonesia. Another close relative includes Dalbergia sissoo from the region in and around India.
HONDURAS ROSEWOOD (Dalbergia stevensonii) C. America Honduras Rosewood is pinkish brown to salmon red with dark irregular grain lines. It is very hard, heavy, and durable. It is difficult to dry and prone to heart cracking which causes poor yield, but after drying the wood is quite stable. Honduras Rosewood is highly regarded within the furniture and musical instrument industry for its beauty, its strength and its tone quality. It takes a trained eye to differentiate between Honduras Rosewood and Guatemala Rosewood, Dalbergia tucurensis or Dalbergia cubilquitzensis (two botanical names for the identical species).
KINGWOOD (Dalbergia cearensis) Brazil Kingwood, often referred to as Violetwood, is brownish purple with fine stripes of black and luminous violet that can approach royal blue. Appreciably denser than most other rosewoods, Kingwood is similar to Brazilian Rosewood in technical properties, but harder and stronger. The size of clear cuttings is very small but Kingwood works well and takes a high natural polish. It is especially popular for fancy trinkets and decorative marquetry.
AMAZON ROSEWOOD (Dalbergia spruceana) Brazil Also referred to as "Jacaranda do para" or "spruceana", this species resembles Brazilian Rosewood somewhat and is used for similar purposes, though odor and subtle grain characteristics are noticeably different. The pores are often filled with a characteristic yellow sulphur deposit. The trees are generally logged during Mahogany harvests in the Amazon River region.
TULIPWOOD (Dalbergia frutescens) Brazil Sometimes distributed as "Brazilian Pinkwood", Tulipwood has a rich pinkish golden hue with luminous salmon stripes. The general color is much lighter than any of the other Rosewoods. It is quite valuable and is generally available in small cuttings only.