Castello Boxwood (Calycophylium Multiflorum)

[Boatsinc2000]

Shame on me!  For a long time I was Gilmer's largest customer for this wood when I was operating HobbyMill.  While I spent a lot of time milling it, I never really used it other than to make sheet and strip stock.  Now that I'm doing some modeling, I just switched away from basswood to using some of my boxwood stock for the cheek and other rails on my Conny build.  Can't believe how easy it is to work with...harder than basswood yet pretty easy to cut with any knife or chisel, homogeneous so none of the graininess or fuzzies of basswood and really great edges.  Takes paint exceptionally well too.  Been thinking the past few weeks while I've been working on the bow structure why all of the experienced builders flock to this wood and how stupid I've been to stay with basswood.  Thought that it would be harder to work with than basswood, but the opposite is true!

 

So, if you've never tried it, suggest that you pick up some from Gilmer or one of our wood milling sponsors and try a few sheets.

 

If you are purchasing in bulk from Gilmer, suggest that you keep track of the moisture content.  It varies all over the map.  My first experience was that I cut down some longer pieces into 24" lengths and they all checked due to the higher moisture.  After that I always checked the moisture content of each board and coated the ends with shellac whenever I started to cut the stock into 24" lengths.  Typically I always had a year's supply stickered in a controlled environment waiting for the moisture content to come down.  Also sometimes Gilmer would be out of stock for several months at a time until the next container arrived.  If you are buying some of their precut turning stock then the moisture should be OK.