# Where can I find Lilac wood?



## mbellek (Sep 20, 2007)

Preferably bigger than pen blanks... Ideally, 1.5sq x 12 or 18"... I don't know if it can be that big or not..


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## toolcrazy (Sep 20, 2007)

Good luck, I have some lilac, but it's less than 1" and 6" long. I could of cut longer pieces, but none of it was very big. I hope you find what you are looking for.


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## kent4Him (Sep 20, 2007)

I don't know you very well Melanie, but I'll respond like I normally would.  Do you have any neighbors will some Lilac bushes?[]


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## wdcav1952 (Sep 20, 2007)

Melanie, 

Lilac that big is likely to be hard to find.  I have some, but given the twisting nature of the trunk, long pieces for hair sticks will be hard to come by, given my limited experience with the material.


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## Stevej72 (Sep 20, 2007)

Melanie, I had a friend cut out his lilac and the brought me some. I'll see what I have left when I get home. I know it is between 1 and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. PM me with how much you need and as a reminder to check.


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## Firefyter-emt (Sep 20, 2007)

Mel, just a heads up inc ase you don't know. Lilac has a very porus center pith that is very large compared to the rest of the wood and not useable. You have to work around that and given the small nature of the wood, will make it tricky.

Second tip, this is a very light wood that will "suck in" dirt so clean often and seal with a sanding sealer as you go. The small diameter as it grows will yield very fine rings with purple to red hues. 

I had milled 6 blanks from the Lilac at my parents house that was planted by my great grandmother. The largest part of this bush was only about 6" diameter and it was planted in the 1800's


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## mbellek (Sep 20, 2007)

The measurement I gave is the size I prefer to buy wood in, simply because I can then cut it down to size. I was pretty sure I would not find lilac in that size, because, well, I've seen a lilac bush!! But it never hurts to ask. 

I have seen this wood and think it is just so pretty and I really want to try it. I am interested in ANY size anyone can point me toward... Minimum would have to be 5/8sq x 3" probably-- I could still use that in a segmented piece.


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## mbellek (Sep 20, 2007)

> _Originally posted by kent4Him_
> <br />I don't know you very well Melanie, but I'll respond like I normally would.  Do you have any neighbors will some Lilac bushes?[]



Thought I'd try "proper channels" before I went the commando route...

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## LostintheWoods (Sep 21, 2007)

Hillside Hardwoods, an ebay store, has lilac pen blanks listed as a "buy it now" item at $1.00 each, and they have 30 available. They are only 3/4 x 3/4 x 5", though. Shipping is reasonable. If interested, go to ebay, and search "Lilac lumber pen blanks."


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## CSue (Sep 21, 2007)

I'm not sure where your from, but our hillsides in some areas (So CA)are just covered in wild mountain lilac.  there semi-dormant in the fall/winter.  Good time to try to gather a few choice 'sticks.  I drive through some areas where I can go up to a house and ask them if I could 'trim some bushes' for pens - and send them pen of same.  Wild mtn lilac gets to be maybe 5-6 feet high.  You should be able to find some that long.


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## rixstix (Sep 21, 2007)

I have a lilac trunk and rootball in the shop which is maybe 3ft tall total and 3-4" in diameter.  I don't know if you can use anything this rustic.  It was uprooted in June, so it's still wet.


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