It's August now - time for at least a "monthly" Blog...since July seems to have disappeared without trace!
Some interesting stuff has been dealt with by TFT in the past few weeks: some of it is rather "hush hush" and Confidential stuff, relating to Expert Witness matters that I can't go into here (otherwise I'd have to shoot all of you!); but some of it involved a lot of very good Wood Science and Timber Technology.
Here's question which has come out of our recent work: has anyone heard of a timber called "VEHO"?
We've had a sample sent here for analysis (working properties, etc), which we've done all the tests on; but we can't find any mention of it anywhere under that name - not even on the Web, which is most unusual. The Timber Trade, of course, has a long-established reputation for making up names to help them to sell unusual timbers: but why "Veho"? It doesn't sound like anything else that is already well-known: so why not call it by the name it is usually known by, where it comes from? - which we are told is West Africa. (If it were known by that name in Africa, then SOMEBODY would have written something about it, and posted it onto the Web by now....)
You are probably aware of some names of timbers as used by the Trade in the past, to help promote a wood that was "new" at the time - and which was not what it appeared to be, judging by its "given" Trade Name. "Parana Pine", for example, is not a true Pine at all. Or "Western Red Cedar", which is not related to Cedar (but at least it's a softwood); and "South American Cedar" - which not only isn't a true Cedar, it's also a hardwood! Then there's "Tasmanian Oak" (really a Eucalyptus) and "Douglas Fir" (not a true Fir)...I could go on!
Which is why - to return to my original question - I firmly believe that "Veho" is a made-up name...so if anyone out there in the Blogosphere can help to find out what it REALLY is, I'd be very grateful. Thanks!
Jim Coulson, Director, TFT Woodexperts
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