Yellow Boxwood

did you like working with that? I had strips of what I think were yellow hornbeam too and I found them very brittle and hard to bend. I used it on the Corel's model of the Mirage.

that sounds right Hornbeam in North America is called ironwood and is used for tool handles like an ax because it it very strong and stiff it does not bend very easy.
 
Yes! Tinted wood can look way better than painted wood! I hope to use any variety of colored hornbeam for highlights just as you have done.

But our colleague wanted boxwood...

are your looking for true boxwood or a wood that looks sort of like boxwood

that might be a problem these days "boxwood" became a generic name so any wood can be sold as Boxwood. what is sold as Castello boxwood is not boxwood at all it is not even a wood it is a trade name.

Common Name(s): Lemonwood, Degame
Scientific Name: Calycophyllum candidissimum
Calycophyllum multiflorum
Ivorywood, Palo Blanco Brazilian Maple
Distribution: Cuba and Central America
Janka Hardness: 1,880 lbf (8,350 N)
Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a light brown to pale yellowish color. Sapwood is lighter in color and isn’t clearly demarcated form the hartwood.
Grain/Texture: Grain tends to be straight to slightly interlocked. Fine, uniform texture with a slightly lustrous appearance.

some wood dealers will say you are not buying "boxwood"

Castello Boxwood

Calycophyllum multiflorum
Castello Boxwood, though not a true Buxus species, still has a very fine texture and a lovely light canary yellow color.
 
box wood.jpeg

box wood 2.jpeg
The top photo is a collection of wood I have somehow gathered over the years. The second photo is a closeup of the boxwood. Most of it from a hardwood dealer online over 10 or 15 years ago and came as large pieces with two edges milled. The smaller pieces shown were all cut and dimensioned using Byrnes thickness sander and table saw. So, while I had ordered box, I could not really say what variety it is. Given the size of the larger pieces I suspect that it is not the "true" boxwood, but it looks and works well.

I started to read Dave's article a couple of times and the partial bits I was able to get through on the first reads helped me understand the topic better, if not the detail. I learned just enough about wood to understand the issues, which the article and this thread accomplished.

So, to answer Dave, I probably want to get close but do not necessarily need exact. I was looking for fine grained, workable and the right color to add to the realism of the model. I originally ordered the strips in question because I had a need and didn't what to pull out all the equipment from storage and go through all the milling steps just for a few strips.

With the start of my next build, I will relearn how to mill the wood I have. If that doesn't work (can you spell arthritis?), I now know a little better how to describe what I am looking for and where to go to get it.

What a great discussion. I have learned a lot.

You guys are a gold mine of knowledge.
 
Earlier this week, I received the same tone of strips from ModelExpo after expecting the traditionally-toned boxwood. I’m still hoping for a response from them as the strips are not usable on decks as I had planned (and other ordered parts were missing). Did it really take six months to receive a response? I’m unable to find a contact number for them and instead submitted my concern through their website. Thanks in advance!

(Update: ModelExpo quickly responded and corrected the matter suggesting basswood instead of boxwood.)
 
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Earlier this week, I received the same tone of strips from ModelExpo after expecting the traditionally-toned boxwood. I’m still hoping for a response from them as the strips are not usable on decks as I had planned

if your looing for that pale yellowish cream color for decking let me know i can hook you up with some West Indian boxwood. Again not a true boxwood but very close to the real thing.
 
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