Jelutong a natural fine grain light color wood is most suited for wood carving. With a sharp honed knife or carver very fine details are easily achieved. It also carves well with a rotary TCT bur fitted to a Proxxon micromot 60E. It sands well with grit 800 sand paper. Safe for children carving as splinter free unlike hardwood species. This wood can be waterproofed with Tung oil and waxed finish. It also permit fine French varnishing with shellac. For a perfect painted or varnish piece, matt seal the end grain and wood surface.
Jelutong wood carving of printing block is most suited for use in an etching press or as a fabric printing block in batik industry. Its end grains are extremely compact and fine to absorb and retain wax or printing ink. Without an etching press hand rubbing with a wood or plastic barren would also result in good prints. Jelutong wood is used to carve printing stamps or cop way before rubber stamp.
It is the best even surpassing its Basswood equivalent as a carving wood.
NOTE: Jelutong wood may have natural sap holes which can be filled with wood filler. Please purchase on this understanding.
