RIMU ( Dacrydium cupressinum)

Rimu or also known as Red Pine is a tree that usually grows to a height of between 20 and 35 meters but

sometimes even 50 meters. The straight trunk is up to 1.5 meters through and the bark is dark brown with a flaking texture. Rimu is one of the best known species in New Zealand and is an excellent timber tree. Heart Rimu is one of the most beautifully figured woods and is very often used in quality furniture. The Rimu tree is found in forests throughout New Zealand.

MATAI ( Podocarpus spicatus )

Matai or black pine is a robust tree reaching up to 30 meters with a tall straight trunk up to 1.3 meter across. Matai trees can be easily recognised from their flaking hammermark grey bark. The leaves are aromatic when crushed. Matai is found throughout New Zealand but abundant in the central North Island. It grows in altitudes of up to 700 meter. The wood is golden brown in colour, very hard and exceptional strong. Much used for flooring and weatherboarding because of it's durability.

KAHIKATEA ( Podocarpus dacrydioides )

Kahikatea or white pine is the tallest of the native trees and grows up to 60 meters. The trunk is up to 1.6 meter across with smooth greyish bark. The tree is found throughout New Zealand to an altitude of 600 meter but mainly in lowland forests and on swampy land. The timber is odourless and has been widely used in the past for the manufacture of butterboxes. The heartwood is of yellow colour has also been used for boatbuilding.

TOTARA ( Podocarpus totara )

Totara is a large native tree found throughout New Zealand. It grows to 30 meters tall with a straight trunk up to 20 meters. The bark is a rough reddish brown stringy type that peels of in strips. Totara is growing from sea level to 600 meters. The timber is reasonable soft and of a beautiful reddish colour. It has been extensively used by the Maori to build their meeting houses and their carved panels. It has also been used extensively for piles and fenceposts because of it's extreme durability. The timber contains a great deal of natural oil which makes it very difficult to paint.

KAURI ( Agathis australis )

Kauri is the most famous native tree of New Zealand and also one of the largest in the world. The tree grows up to an average of 30 meter and a massive 3 meter in diameter. The bark is light grey, hammermarked and comes away in flakes. Kauri covered once much of the area of North Auckland and the Coromandel but to date there are only relatively small areas where they grow. The ancient Maoris have been known to construct a 25 meter warcanoe out of a single Kauri trunk. The timber is light and very durable and of a straw or amber colour, virtually free from knots and other defects. Widely used in the early days for boatbuilding. Todays resources are minimal and Kauri logs are being salvaged from swamps and forest floors.

SILVER BEECH ( Nothofagus menziesii )

Silver Beech is a beautiful and tall tree reaching a height of 30 meter with a trunk up to 2m through. The tree is found in forests from sea level to 900 m but is scarcely found in the North Island. There are some dense stands in Southland and the Westport area. The timber is a pale pink colour with a fine grain structure. A very stable timber which have been used in the past for bridge costruction, railway sleepers and house building. Silver Beech is excellent for furniture.

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MACROCARPA ( Cupressus macrocarpa)

Macrocarpa can be grown as a tall forest tree in a plantation situation but a lot of Macrocarpa which grows in an open area shows a great number of heavy branches. Many trees have been grown into tall windbreak hedge type situations on several farms throughout New Zealand. The sapwood is creamy white while the heart is amber in colour. It is fine in texture, reasonable tough wearing and durable for uses above ground. A very good verstile timber for boatbuilding, furniture making and joinery.

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WALNUT ( Juglans regia)

The New Zealand Walnut trees have a large spreading crown with clean trunks of up to 1.2 meter in diameter. Most of the Walnut used for the craft has been grown in the Roxburgh area in Otago. The timber is moderately durable and is often used for rifle stocks and made into veneers.

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ASH ( Fraxinus excelsior)

Ash trees in New Zealand grow up to 35 meter in height with a diameter of 80 cm and there are small pockets of Ash planted by the early settlers and farmers. The timber does have a coarse grain and is therefore a tough and flexible wood. It has been used for chairmaking because of it's easy steambending possilbilities and also for hockeysticks and tool handles.

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YEW ( Taxus baccata)

This tree has also been introduced to New Zealand by European settlers and it grows up to 20 m in height. It is a very strong wood and almost as hard as Oak. The heart is a light brown to golden brown while the sapwood is almost white. Yew has been widely used for crossbows in the past.

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EBONY

The Ebony is used for jewellery making and is the African Ebony variety which is imported from Nigeria. The tree is small, averaging 16 meters tall with a diameter of 60 cm. The heartwood is quite black and very dense with fine grain.

There are mainly two categories of jewellery e.g earrings and pendants. They come in different sizes and shapes and most of them are made from the native timber Rimu but other woods like Yew and Ebony are also used. Many jewellery pieces are inlaid with a shell which is the New Zealand Paua . This shell combines very well with the wood, particularly with the black Ebony, and these jewellery pieces are unique in New Zealand.  Inlay of the Paua shell can be flush with the wood or recessed.

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Wooden hairclasps are available in two different types e.g one with a metal clasp attached to the back and the other with a wooden pin through the main ' body '. They come in two different shapes, one is oval and the other a rectangle. Native woods like Rimu, Matai and Kauri are used to manufacture them but they are also available in Walnut and Ash.  Most hairclasps have a small piece of Paua inlaid in them.

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These vases are mainly made from old recycled Totara posts or Silver Pine used in the early days by the larger farming community to erect the fences around their paddocks. These fenceposts have largely been replaced with treated Radiata Pine, or concrete.

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Bowls and Platters come in a variety of shapes and sizes and a wide range of timber is used for these. A number are made from Cypress, Ash, Totara, Rimu ,Silver Beech and some Walnut and Kauri this depends entirely on the availability of the timber.

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There is a range of refillable pens available from the simple wooden sheath with brass tipped refill to the more upmarket ones with gold plated parts. Some of the simple models have a small circle of Paua inlaid in them. They come in a variety of timbers like Rimu, Matai and Beech and the upmarket twistpens with goldplated parts are also available in Walnut.

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Paper knives are finely crafted from Rimu and have a small piece of Paua inlaid in the handle. Two types are available. ( see photo album )
Also available a paperknife with gold plated blade and wood handle.

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A variety of other items are also available e.g Rimu chopsticks inlaid with Paua shell, small Rimu cheese plates with Rimu knife, cheese- or pateknives with Rimu handle with Paua Shell dot inlay,  Sushi plates, small wooden spoons, scoops, bottlestoppers in various woods, potpourri containers made from Beech, Rimu or Cypress, 40 year calendar brass in Rimu frame, pepper- and saltmills ( when available ), small Rimu hinged boxes for rings, oillights in Yew , Jarrah or Cypress.

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Three species of Paua are found in New Zealand of which two are very common. All are from the Haliotidae family ( which means 'ear shell' ) the same as the Abalone which is however not found in New Zealand. The best known of the Paua is the Heliotis iris which is the largest one and grows to a length of approx. 16 cm and breadth of 12 cm. The blue green colours of the interior of the shell and the various rainbow like colours on the outside make it very attractive for use in the manufacture of jewellery..

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