Replies

1. 
   jonsherryl | Apr 08, 2002 07:36pm | #1

   Tom,  there are over a thousand species of Acacia out there...about 15 native to North America...so it depends somewhat on which one you're using.  They belong to the legume family and the seeds of some of them are used for food and animal fodder. They aren't notorious for being exceptionally toxic, but some have moderately coarse texture, which isn't a good feature in food related items. Functionally, the best wood for this purpose is hard maple.

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   tbarnatt | Apr 08, 2002 07:59pm | #2

   Jon,  Thanks for the info. I have a big chunk of knarled Acacia trunk (Australian) that i'm going to use to turn some things, thinking it could be interesting grain and color. I know maple is the better choice and have used it often, but would like to see what i get with the Acacia. I can't imagine they are so toxic that it would effect food if used as a rolling pin or a wooden spoon?   Thanks again,  Tom

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   jonsherryl | Apr 09, 2002 03:31am | #4

   Tom, cutting boards and rolling pins are one thing, stirring spoons and food storage containers are another. Even if a wood has some toxic properties, casual contact isn't always that dangerous...but heat, moisture and time (prolonged exposure to food or drink) all increase the danger of leaching out enough of the toxin to cause a problem. If a wood contains a toxin, about the worst thing you could do is make a spoon out of it and leave the spoon in a pot of hot stew for a few hours. Also, making a wine cask out of a toxic wood is another sure ticket to paradise.

   I love to experiment with unfamiliar woods, but I never recommend anything but maple for food related items. I'm sure I'm excessively cautious on this topic and many other woods are safe enough for the purpose, but this is the sort of mistake you only make once...and I try to avoid those kinds of risks. 

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   bobhallsr | Apr 10, 2002 09:30am | #5

   Jon, do you know any reson that sweet gum wouldn't be as suitable for spoons? The local spoon factory was shipped to Korea some years back. They turned gum logs on a veneer lathe and stamped out little ice cream spoons. I've used gum for kitchen stirring utensels.

   BJGardening, cooking and woodworking in Southern Maryland

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   jonsherryl | Apr 10, 2002 04:02pm | #6

   Bee Jay, sweetgum should be one of the safer species for food related items. It produces a balsam (resin) called storax that has been used in chewing gum and medicines. Also, it's a fine textured wood with good turning properties. It does contain some acids like those found in walnut that have some pharmacological properties, mostly in the bark and foliage, but it's not known for being a particularly toxic species. It's a member of the witch-hazel family, which has played a role in folk medicines, perfumes and other concoctions for centuries.

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   Elcoholic | Apr 08, 2002 10:18pm | #3

   If your Aussie Acacia is anything like it's Hawaiian cousin, Kao I'm sure it will be georgeous.

   John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne