Tulipwood – An Expaned View

Geographical Distribution

I had previously, briefly, mentioned Tulipwood in an article that covered a variety of materials.  However, given my fondness for Tulipwood, I have decided to expand the information I can provide.

The term “tulipwood” can be applied to at least three distinct species and the easiest way to distinguish them is to rely on the Latin species name for clarity.

The most common use of tulipwood, at least in the United States, is to reference common Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) which is native the Eastern United States.  It is largely a utility wood, rarely used for its attractive appearance since it is generally quite plain, however useful especially when painted.  Occasionally, some specimens of Poplar will display varying amounts of color, usually due to mineral deposits, and these specimens may attract other names such as Tulipwood or Tulip Poplar.  The name may also reference the Poplar blossom which is said to resemble a tulip.  In any case, this wood is not popular for turning due to its limited color and extreme softness, which tends to lead to rough cut edges.

Another potential use of the term “tulipwood” is to refer to a species of Harpullia, including but not necessarily limited to H. pendula which was widely planted as a street tree along the east coast of Australia.  The timber of some species was popular for its dark colored heartwood.

However, the most common use of the term “tulipwood,” when used in association with wood turning, is to refer to Dalbergia decipularis (be aware that some sources still mistakenly identify the wood as Dalbergia frutescens var. tomentosa).  The wood’s membership in the Dalbergia genus makes this a true rosewood and the tree’s growth area is restricted to small areas of northeastern Brazil.


General Characteristics

Tulipwood is a classic high-quality, very dense wood.  The heartwood is typically streaked with yellows, reds, oranges, and pinks and the color and figure can be highly variegated both within and between specimens.  The pores are open and medium-sized, while the grain is usually straight, with a fine texture; characteristics which add to its appeal for woodworkers.

The wood has been reported to have low resistance to decay, although I shouldn’t imagine that many pieces of, or items made from Tulipwood, spend their lives outdoors where decay would be a major concern.  Conversely, however, the wood is rated as highly resistant to insect attack, a concern which could be relevant depending on geographical location.

Working Characteristics

For all its beauty, Tulipwood tends to be a difficult wood to work with.  The difficulties arise primarily from the extremely high density which can easily lead to breakage and the quick dulling of the cutting surfaces of both power and hand tools.  Frequent sharpening is of paramount importance.  Tulipwood has an abundance of natural oils and this can make gluing operations difficult, however, there are well known and relatively simple methods for reducing this difficulty through the use of solvents such as denatured alcohol, mineral spirits, as well as other means explicated elsewhere.

Despite its potential difficulties, Tulipwood does turn absolutely beautifully and takes a high natural shine due to its own oils.  And, the wood turner is rewarded with a wonderful, but mild, fragrant odor that is reminiscent of mild roses (as we know, Tulips actually have no scent).

Pricing

Only relatively small amounts of prized Tulipwood wood reach the world market and therefore it is expensive.  Pen blanks can be purchased for $3.50 to $4.00 each, while a more substantial bowl blank size measuring 8”x8”x3” retails for a whooping $135 at an exotic wood retailer such as West Penn Hardwoods, a reliable source for bowl blanks from many species at fair prices.  Other exotic wood suppliers, such as Bell Forest Products, may also have Tulipwood in stock as it is a relatively common exotic wood in dealers’ stock.  Woodfinder is a website that is dedicated to advertising exotic wood dealers and I can’t speak to the quality of any of them, but they do have the advantage of performing searches based on your location which might allow you to visit a wood dealer in person to hand pick what you want to work with at a price you are comfortable paying.

Uses

Because of the limited supply of the wood, which helps to drive its high cost, and the relatively small size of the trees, some might call them shrubs, that yield the wood, Tulipwood is usually used in small pieces or in veneer and inlay work.  The wood is also popular for small turned items, decorative accents on high-end furniture, and musical instruments (especially percussion items).

Health Hazards

Severe negative allergic reactions are uncommon but Dalbergia species as a whole have been known to cause reactions in sensitive individuals.  Most common reactions include eye, skin, and respiratory irritation. Therefore, care should be taken especially if an individual has experienced allergic reactions with other woods or wood dust.

Complete information about health hazards associated with a wide variety of exotic hardwoods is available from The Wood Database along with additional information about the best use of a dust collection system, coupled with the use of personal protective equipment such as respirators, which is highly recommended when machining this wood.  Fortunately, I have never experienced any negative side effects from working

My Personal Experiences

I can say with no hesitation that Tulipwood is one of my all time favorite woods.  Yes, it is dense and it can break (which also breaks my heart!) but with very sharp tools, or by using tools armed with replaceable carbide cutters such as those manufactured by Easy Wood Tools, Tulipwood is accessible with some patience and respect for the material.  Thus far I only have experience with making pens with Tulipwood, and in fact, my two go-to pens on my desk every day are black and blue ones made from Tulipwood.  I should also mention that those two pens were from kits bought from Woodcraft and I experienced difficulties during assembly that would have resulted in my having expensive trash instead of pens!  I sent the pens, out of the blue with no previous contact, to Woodcraft with a note about my difficulties and lo and behold if they didn’t return my two pens, repaired at no charge, return shipping included.  Now, in my book, that was classy customer service that couldn’t be beat.