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Curious. Why is Spanish Cedar available, but not it's oil? Many wood oils are produced by steam distillation of wood byproducts (sawdust, scrap). Why would nobody provide this product? I buy Port Orford cedar oil. Like it. But wish I could get Spanish Cedar oil.

Mike

Maybe it's got something to do with Cedrela Oderata being Cites listed?
With many cedar oils available and similar, it may be prohibitively expensive.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I understand that. The wood is available, not the oil. Maybe the worry is that trees would be chopped down just for oil. Yet, from what I read, its the stump and sawdust that is used.

It may be that Spanish cedar doesn't produce enough oil compared to other sources. Not all maples are tapped for syrup.

That's why you never see it dripping down the sides of the boards!

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Pat

That is not the issue. I've seen plenty of Spanish Cedar kerfed lining seep.

"That is not the issue. I've seen plenty of Spanish Cedar kerfed lining seep."

Maybe you could bile them kerflings down and make you own oil.

I am not going to throw up on my awesom Spanish Cedar. Or, did you mean boil?

Bile - as in "bile them cabbage down, down!, bake them hoe cakes brown!"

It seems like most of the species they use to make "cedar oil" are actually cypresses or junipers. I don't know why that is.
Why do you want Spanish cedar oil?(just curious)

Because it smells so darn good. I'd rub some under my ears for romantic effect if I could.

it does smell great. My lutherie teacher used to cut a piece in the shop b4 a client would come over just for effect!

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Pat

Actually you make a good point. Cedrella Oderata (Spanish Cedar) is not a cedar at all.

interesting concept...and brings back bad memories of a buttload of Spanish Cedar trim material slated for use on 2 step crown moulding...it was chosen because it does stain out similar to Mahogany, and was far cheaper at that time...anyway, the stuff was dripping all over the place and wreaking havoc not only on itself but other species of lumber beneath it on the lumber rack.

thing is, this is not present in all pieces of Spanish Cedar, and research has indicated that this is most likely because it was not properly kiln dried, as said sap should be set if heated high enough...

I used to hate the stuff because of said leeching sap, but now that I "think" I know it's because of improperly treated lumber my opinion is changed...

I haven't smoked a cigar in a while. Messes with my running habit. But man o man do I love walking into a large store humidor. It's all Spanish Cedar. Love cigars that are protected with it. Talk about symbiotic relationships. It is amazing to me that such a dry, low density wood can emit so much scent. I'm heirs guessing real oil content is low, but what oil exists is very potent.

When I was a kid, I used to live near tobacco warehouses in NC. On hot summer days, u could smell it for miles. Something like a mix of raisins and western cedar. Maybe I'll build a guitar, then stuff it with cured tobacco leaves and Spanish cedar and see how that cures out. Lol

you know what? i love the smell of spanish cedar until i work with it. by the time i finish a neck i can´t stand the stuff, too much in your face. and it always makes me sneeze.

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