My preference is to work with wood that I have harvested myself. A wide variety of the more familiar hardwoods of the world are locally available however, so virtually any species would be available on request.

Koa wood varies dramatically in color and variation of grain. The principal advantage to running a sawmill is the availability of sequence matched lumber, which is used to produce the finest furniture available. Mango also is wildly divergent in its grain and figure. The following samples are intended to show the range of possibilities in employing these woods.

When working with species like oak or mahogany, it is easy to superimpose a concept over the material, as the results will be quite uniform. But when working with the dramatic grain found in our koa and mango, it is best to let the wood contribute to the overall design of the piece. For instance, it would be a shame to cut up matched wood suitable for a table top to make a set of chairs. Whenever we plane a new load of wood and see its grain revealed, it is then that I make the decision as to what will be built next. Being able to match appropriate wood to the project at hand makes all the effort expended in logging worthwhile.