STRENGTHS

-hard and strong

 -distinctive figure

-cheap rosewood

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WEAKNESSES

-inconsistent coloring

-hard on tools

-swirling and interlocking grain

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Wood Type: Tropical hardwood

Sources: Central and West Africa. Primarily around Cameroon,Gabon and Zaire Cost: It's current cost is moderate for a tropical hardwood, but will become more expensive as supplies of rosewood diminishes and the increase of use of bubinga is used as a substitute.

Bubinga (Guibourtia Demeusei) otherwise known as African rosewood is sold as a substitute for African rosewood. The bubinga trees are massive, that produce logs that weigh up to 10 tonnes, which in turn, produces extremely wide planks! Bubinga is initially pinky-red but darkens to a red-brown with light red to purple stripes or veining. With a fine finish it comes out with a glowing red-brown finish.

Bubinga is no a lumber for the faint-hearted craftsman. Machining is simple however it causes severe tool blunting. This wood is a hard and heavy tropical wood that does not bend well but neither does it bruise easily. It is used to make furniture,handles,veneers and it great for turning.

 Bubinga is not on the IUCN list of endangered species but can be difficult to find from a certified source.