Okay, so I’ve been messing around with some woodworking lately, and I wanted to try something a little different. I got my hands on some “keel dancing hevea timber” – sounds fancy, right? It’s basically rubberwood, but I guess the “keel dancing” part refers to how it’s used in boats or something. Anyway, here’s how it went:

Getting Started

First, I grabbed the timber. It was already in planks, which saved me some trouble. I laid it all out on my workbench to get a good look at it. The grain was pretty nice, kind of tight and even, which is good.

Planning and Cutting

Next, I sketched out a rough plan. I wasn’t making anything too complicated, just a small shelf. I measured everything out, double-checked (measure twice, cut once, you know!), and then marked the wood with a pencil.

Then came the sawing. I used my trusty handsaw for this. The hevea timber was surprisingly easy to cut. It wasn’t too hard, but it felt solid enough. I took my time, making sure the cuts were straight and clean.

Smoothing Things Out

After cutting, the edges were a bit rough. So, I grabbed my sandpaper – started with a coarser grit and then moved to a finer one. I sanded all the edges and surfaces until they were nice and smooth. This part took a while, but it’s worth it for the final result.

Putting it Together

Now for the assembly. I decided to keep it simple and just use wood glue and some screws. I applied the glue to the joints, clamped everything together, and then added the screws for extra strength. I made sure everything was square and lined up properly.

Finishing Touches

• Wiped off any excess glue.
• Waited for the glue to dry completely (this is the hardest part!).
• Gave it one last sanding to make sure everything was flush.

Finally, I wanted to give the wood so I used a light coat of oil to protect it and to avoid the wood getting dirty over time.

The hevea timber took the oil really well, and it brought out the natural color of the wood.

And that’s it! My little shelf made from keel dancing hevea timber. It wasn’t a huge project, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. The wood was easy to work with, and it looks great. Might have to try using this stuff again for something bigger!