Blood Wood tar

[Ron Altier]

When I knew I was moving to Colorado, I bought a lot of exotic wood with me from our local supplier. This week I got out a nice piece of Blood Wood and cut it up for a project.  I had problems with my planer and had to clean and wax it.  I looked at the freshly cut wood closely and could see saw marks on it.  Some were ugly. Unusual. I was using a New Freud 40 tooth and it always cut smoothly.  I got out another new blade with 72 teeth to use, thinking I could get smoother cuts.  However, when I took the old blade off I noticed a dark red tar on the teeth. Some harder than other places. I worked at it until I had the blade clean. 

 That really puzzled me. Wood that I know for sure is at least 10 years old could leave tar like that on a blade. That wood has been exposed to very low humidity, sometimes lower than 10% and still retained that tar.  Maybe that is a characteristic of that wood. It sure altered my plans. 

Edited April 18, 2017 by Ron Altier
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[Ron Altier]

I did some research on this wood and it can be nasty to allergies. No wonder mine have been acting up. I do use protection, but not each time and the dust can be stirred up too. It is a very hard wood, that would help to explain some of my sawing/planeing  problems. So for now the project is on hold until I can get things in place to do it with better dust protection and I'll use my respirator. However, i may also let more cutting and sanding go. I don't recover as fast as I used to. I may switch woods. Blood Wood did sound intriguing.

[John Hechel]

blood wood loads up and ruins the paper on our drum sander also. so fast that it's almost an immediate reaction.

 

[John Moody]

It can be nasty. I have several boards here. I have used it in cutting boards but you have to be careful with the dust or it will turn the maple to a pink color.