Tamboti Spindle Blank

Tamboti (Spirostachys africana) is a rare and highly prized southern African hardwood with a character all of its own. Exceptionally dense and hard, it is one of the heaviest timbers on the continent — and one of the most beautiful. Rich golden-brown to dark reddish-brown with fine darker streaking and a naturally lustrous surface, it turns on the lathe with a precision and smoothness that immediately sets it apart. It is also naturally fragrant, carrying a distinctive, pleasant scent when freshly worked that lingers long after the turning is done.

Tamboti is a wood that rewards the patient turner. Its density demands sharp tools and careful technique, but the results are exceptional — a surface that polishes to a deep, glassy lustre with minimal effort, and a finished piece that carries real weight and presence in the hand.

Wood Characteristics

• Species: Tamboti (Spirostachys africana)
• Origin: Southern Africa
• Colour: Rich golden-brown to dark reddish-brown with fine darker streaking
• Grain: Straight to slightly interlocked with a fine, even texture
• Hardness: Exceptionally hard and dense — one of Africa's heaviest hardwoods
• Fragrance: Naturally aromatic — a distinctive, pleasant scent when freshly turned
• Finish: Polishes to a deep, glassy lustre — the surface quality is outstanding
• Workability: Turns well with sharp tools; the density rewards patience and careful technique
• Note: Tamboti sap can cause skin irritation in some individuals — dust precautions and gloves recommended

Supplied

• Supplied dried and ready to turn
• Sizes are approximate and shown in inches (length × width × thickness)

Natural wood — colour, grain, and figuring will vary between blanks. Images are representative.