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While trying to get my bend skills down Bob C. ask if I had any rosewood. Well I remembered that I had some local Tampa Jacaranda that's been in my outside laundry room for for about 5 years. I got it out and dressed and thickness it and cut the ribs to ruff profile. It has some worm or termite hole in it who knows what but I kind of like it for charactor. But there are white spots that go through the wood and not just on the surface. Does anyone know if there is a way to treat that to either remove or hide it? I'm assuming it might be some kind of mineral deposits but I really don't know.
Oh yeah, the wood up top is sea grape in case you are interested.

What is Tampa Jacaranda?

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

It's really just jacaranda and I call it Tampa because that's where the tree was taken down. That being said, it's a local tree that grows down here. Jacaranda mimosifolia ,Family-Bignoniaceae. Native to Brazil, NW Argentina. Approx.Height 50', width 45'. Put out a real pretty violet -blue flower in the spring. I think it's closly related to Brazilian rosewood if not the same. I'd have to look u BRW.

Sometimes these are hard mineral deposits and sometimes they are dried white sap. I removed some white sap with a wet rag. I have heard of people removing minerals with acid, but I would not recommned it, unless you are set up for that and already know how to handle the acid. Sometimes you can easily pop out the minerals with a pointed device, such as a sewing needle. Wait until you are at final thickness on the exposed face, or you will just have to do it again. I think another member posted recently that he used the point of an Exacto to pop out the minerals.

Here's a close up. I thickness sanded this last night and took off about .080" and it runs through the board. I don't think it will scrape off.

This is not BRW, by the way.

Well I did say I "think " it's closly related and I'd have to look it up.
But thanks for clearing that up for me.

Ok. Thanks I'll pick some up the next time I get to Lowes and give it a try.

HI Chris,
The white spots look like the results of a fungus .
You might want to try wiping it with acetone to see if some of the resins in the wood will stain it a more even color.
Good luck, Brett

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How long is that in luthyears?

Thanks for the suggestion but so far I've tried shellac, nitro lacquer, alcohol denatured and iso, Acetone, peroxide and naphtha. The shellac made it a light brown color of the wood but it was in the shape of the spots . Less noticable yes but still noticable. The peroxide made it somewhat lighter as did the alcohol. It looks as if whatever it is it fill the pores so that it smooth at it's surface. I noticed that after sanding an area to 220 grit. I've yet to give the acid a try. I'm also wondering what an oil base pore filler will do to it if anything. I may try blush remover to see if that has any effect too. That's always been there since I had the wood and it hasn't grown any and I've had the wood for at least 6 years and I don't know how long the guy who gave it to me had it. He had a stack of the stuff. He got it from the neighbors felled tree.

This is the reasult after muriatic acid and then a thin coat of lacquer melt. Seems like the acid did remove the white as there is a spot in the upper right area that is a bit whiter where no acid was applied. A bit hard to see in the photo. The lacquer melt seemed to bring out the color and sort of stain it somewhat. But the spots are still noticeable. Looks like the only thing to do will be and try and color over the spots and try to blend it in maybe with a fine brush.