A Gem of the Forest
To the uninitiated, it is easy to see each tree in a forest landscape as the same as its countless neighbors. For many experienced wood products professionals, however, the search for that one special tree never ends.
To the uninitiated, it is easy to see each tree in a forest landscape as the same as its countless neighbors. For many experienced wood products professionals, however, the search for that one special tree never ends.
Rick Banas, Vice President of Interwood Forest Products, the U.S. subsidiary of Fritz Kohl veneer mill, has spent his career procuring the highest quality architectural grades of veneers and lumber for his customers. Over that time he has seen many beautiful wood products, but he says it's rare to find that one tree that he immediately knows is truly special. That is exactly what he knew he had when he saw the single largest sapele tree he had ever encountered.
"For a wood manufacturer, it was like finding the Hope Diamond," he says. "Having been in the veneer industry for over 41 years, I have never seen any one tree produce the quality, color, consistency, and size of veneer which this sapele tree has produced."
Once he saw the quality of veneer that this tree was producing, he immediately had a customer in mind. "This log just fit the bill" for a premier aircraft interiors manufacturer which will use it in the building and maintenance of a fleet of large series international private aircraft.
This is an example of the type of woodwork in which the sapele will be used in the private aircraft project.
Spotlight On: Sapele
Species: Entandrophragma cylindricum
Origin: West Africa
Common Applications: Musical instruments, furniture, cabinetwork and decorative moldings, carvings, flooring, and door and window applications.
Characteristics/Appearance: Sapele heartwood is golden to a dark-reddish brown with a medium texture and high luster. Sapele contains an interlocking grain that produces light and dark ribbon stripes throughout the boards and is also found in a wide variety of other figured grain patterns. Sapele finishes well, with good gluing and nailing properties. It stains well and is suited to a variety of finishes retaining its color over time.
Janka Hardness Scale: 1510 lb_f (see chart on page 15)
Comments: Sapele is most often used as a window and door material because it is so stable and very rot and weather resistant. The grain and pore structure is tight, making it a great substrate for painted surfaces as well. Among its more exotic uses is that in guitar manufacturing, in the top, back and sides of acoustic guitar bodies as well as the tops of electric guitar bodies.
Frequently asked questions
Who discovered the exceptional sapele tree described in the article, and what was his reaction?+
Rick Banas, Vice President of Interwood Forest Products (the U.S. subsidiary of Fritz Kohl veneer mill), identified the tree. He compared finding it to discovering the Hope Diamond, noting that in over 41 years in the veneer industry he had never seen a single tree produce veneer of such quality, color, consistency, and size.
What will the premium sapele veneer from this particular tree be used for?+
Banas had a customer in mind as soon as he saw the veneer quality: a premier aircraft interiors manufacturer that will use the sapele in the building and maintenance of a fleet of large series international private aircraft.
What makes Interwood Forest Products' sourcing approach distinctive according to the article?+
Interwood, the U.S. subsidiary of Fritz Kohl veneer mill, focuses on procuring the highest quality architectural grades of veneers and lumber, with experienced buyers like Banas constantly searching forests for rare, exceptional individual trees rather than treating logs as interchangeable.
Why is sapele considered a versatile wood for finishing and construction applications?+
Sapele finishes well and has good gluing and nailing properties, stains well, and retains its color over time. Its tight grain and pore structure also make it an excellent substrate for painted surfaces, contributing to its popularity in windows, doors, furniture, and moldings.
How is sapele used in musical instrument manufacturing?+
Among sapele's more exotic uses is guitar manufacturing, where it is used for the top, back, and sides of acoustic guitar bodies as well as the tops of electric guitar bodies.