(strictly speaking only Sequoia sempervirens should be called redwood)
my samples --- colors are accurate throughout
sample plank and end grain --- judging from the extremelly low ring count, I'd say this was a VERY fast-growing tree! Compare this to the ring count in the piece directly below. This was listed as Sequoia washingtoninana which is a synonym for Sequoia gigantea
end grain closeup of the piece directly above
sample plank and end grain sold to me as redwood / Sequoia sempervirons --- compare the ring count in this piece with that in the piece directly above and keep in mind that this one does NOT have high-count rings; it's something like 15 rings/inch --- the piece above is something like 2 rings per inch.
end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of giant sequoia / Sequoiandendron giganteum
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
the pieces in this section were all provided by Rex Scates, whom I thank for the contribution to the site
stump chunk and end grain closeup
stump chunk and end grain closeup
limb sections and a small chunk and an end grain closeup from the small chunk
limb section and end grain closeup
sample plank and end grain of "dawn redwood" which is Metasequoia glyptostroboid and which is totally unrelated to sequoia and so SHOULD NOT BE ON THIS PAGE
end grain closeup of the piece directly above
a small stick and end grain and then the end grain shot with the wood moistened with water
a small stick and end grain and then the end grain shot with the wood moistened with water
both sides, and end grain shot and a side grain shot, all of a nice plank donated by Jim Glynn, whom I thank for his continuing generous donations to the site. The color on the first two shots is completely accurate; the end grain and side grain shots are off a little in that I removed just a hair too much red when doing the color correction. Both levels of enlargement are there for all of these pics.
end grain closeup of the piece directly above --- opposite end from the one shown above. I have no idea why some of the grain lines are very dark compared to the others
same plank as directly above but moistened with water. Now here's a wood where a finishing agent clearly makes a significant improvement in the color and overall beauty of the wood. The curl is MUCH more obvious in the wet pics. I have no explanation at all for why the end grain, showing the growth rings, absorbed the water completely in some sections and almost not at all in others. This is not a case of my having allowed the water to start to dry off before taking the pic, it was simply that no amount of rubbing would get the water to sink in to those areas. The most likely explaination is that there is some sort of resin in the wood in these areas.
moistened quilted redwood pairs --- pics contributed by Todd Levy --- thanks Todd. Although not good bookmatches, these are beautiful sets and shows up much better in the enlargements.
long veneer sheet and closeup. The closeup has an optical inteference pattern that gives the wood an unrealistic grain wave that disappears in the enlargement, but the color is quite accurate; this is a lovely smooth red.
a long veneer sheet and a couple of closeups --- the somewhat muddy color is quite accurate
vavona burl veneer (see discussion below with the web pics near the bottom of the page)
redwood burl veneer sheet and two closeups
redwood burl veneer sheet and two closeups
redwood burl veneer
curly piece --- not a good quality representation of curly redwood; I bought this as junk, pretty much, and that's about what it is.
curly veneer --- I got this in a box of mixed thick veneer cutoffs from a jewlery box maker who tells me that this used to be readily available commerically but is no longer. I've seen a couple of web pics of items made from this kind of veneer and they are stunning. The fellow who sold me this lot says the results are "eye poping" and I believe it.
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are avaiable for all 3 views
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum, reported in the Wood Book under an old name of Sequoia gigantea and also listed as big tree, giant redwood and redwood of the mountains) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are avaiable for all 3 views
web pics
an illustration of why this wood is called "giant redwood" and "giant sequoia". I remember driving (well, riding actually) through/under one of these about 60 years ago and being very impressed.
heartwood, first grade and 2nd grade
heartwood, construction grade and lower grade
clear with sapwood and 2nd grade with sapwood
construction grade and lowest grade (both with sapwood)
log slabs
flat cut planks
quartersawn planks
misc redwood planks and turning stock
very large plank (that's a person at the left)
plank with a color that is just silly
this was listed as a redwood plank but neither the color nor the grain looks like redwood to me
old growth slab
figured redwood plank pair
listed as "flamed" plank
turning stock
veneer
quilted veneer
three sets of burls all from the same vendor
misc burl pieces
this was listed as "lace burl" but I think that's just a made-up marketing term and this is just normal redwood burl (vavona)
burl turning stock and closeup
curly burl
burl slabs
curly; a set of planks and then 3 pics of veneer sheets
curly
old growth curly
fiddleback veneer
turning sticks made from redwood burl
small bookmatched sections of burl
burl veneer
bookmatched burl veneer
bookmatched burl veneer pieces
listed as "lace" burl veneer, and since it's from the BogusColorVendor, the color is very suspect
curly (probably moistened) --- some vendors would list these as quilted, although curly seems to be the favored term with redwood
curly planks and turning stock --- from my experience (see my own sample at the top of the page), I'd say all of these have been moistened for the pics.
curly planks
closeup of a quartersawn curly plank
curly planks with color that is just silly
curly slabs
bowl blanks of curly redwood
listed as "quilted curly", although it seems to me it should just be one or the other (and in these cases, probably "quilted", not just "curly") --- but whatever you call it, it's really pretty wood !
a piece of curly redwood, shown both dry and then wet
curly plank --- boths sides and a closeup; these are from the BogusColorVendor so the red is probably exaggerated
a set of book matched curly redwood
listed as birdseye redwood
makers of cigar humidors seem particularly fond of the common name "vavona" for redwood burl. When I first started this site, I was not sure if that was a separate subspecies or not but I now know that it is not, but that's why this set of pics is here --- these were all listed as "vavona".
solid "vavona" burls
"vavona" burl veneers. The last one was listed as "rainbow", but I believe this to be a fabricated marketing term, not a recognized common name
a 4-way bookmatched vavona burl veneer set
guitar sections, two burls and a two curly sheets; the color on the 2nd burl piece seems to me to be WAY too orange --- I thought I saw notes that these were for guitar backs and had them so listed, but luthier Rick Lee tells me that only a cretin would use such beautiful burls in particular for the BACK and that these are undoubtedly intended as FRONTS, not backs. My thanks for the correction.
burl bowl blank
a vase made from a redwood burl --- on the enlargement in particular, you can see the natural voids due to gum deposits.
burl platter --- really nice piece of wood went into this one; it's rare to find a piece this big with such a consistent burl pattern
curly redwood bowl
12" diameter redwood bowl by Steve Earis, big enlargements are available
redwood section on a laminated bowl. The pic on the left is of the piece fresh off the lathe and the one on the right is after one coat of natural stain. This is a case where, I believe, the wood looks better WITHOUT the finishing agent.
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