Sliced TAMO ash veneer: figured, ripple and pommele — how buyers grade what they get

Sliced Manchurian ash veneer — TAMO in the trade — is one of the few Far East hardwood products that European and Japanese buyers still write into panel schedules by name. The figure sells the sheet; a plain-grain TAMO leaf goes into the industrial pile, while a full-ripple leaf can land in a five-star hotel lobby. Buyers who know the differences pay accurately; buyers who do not overpay for plain leaves called "figured" on the invoice.

The three figures worth naming

1. Figured (light ripple). Fine, evenly spaced chatoyance across the grain. Formed in trees with mild tension wood on one side. Reflects light in gentle bands. A safe "TAMO figured" spec for architectural interiors — always available, moderate premium.

2. Ripple. Deep, tight cross-grain waves running perpendicular to the length of the leaf. Formed in slow-grown trees on windward slopes; not something a mill can produce on demand. Reflects light in sharp bands two to five millimetres apart. Sold as "TAMO ripple" or "TAMO waterfall." Premium 40–90% over plain.

3. Pommele. Rounded, three-dimensional "puddled" figure, visually similar to pommele sapele. Rare in ash; caused by irregular localised grain compression, usually near the root swell. Sold as "TAMO pommele" or "TAMO cluster." Premium 100–200% over plain, and only available in short lengths (typically under 2200 mm).

Confusingly, mills sometimes market a mixed pack as "figured / ripple" — meaning a leaf-by-leaf mix. Ask which grade, not the average.

What the leaf looks like off the flitch

• Thickness: 0.5 mm and 0.6 mm standard for panel lay-up; 0.7 mm for edge banding; 2.5 mm sawn "back-veneer" on special order.
• Length: 2200 – 3200 mm typical, 3500 mm on figured selections when the log allows.
• Width: 180 – 320 mm per leaf. Figured logs run narrower than plain because the tension wood band is often on one flank of the tree.
• Bundling: consecutive leaves, tied in bundles of 24 or 32, sequence-numbered. Colour and figure match within a bundle; between bundles from the same log, small colour drift is normal.

How to write the spec

A tight spec is short and eliminates argument on delivery:

TAMO ash sliced veneer, quarter-cut, 0.6 mm × 2400 – 2800 mm × 220 mm min, ripple figure, book-matched pairs, moisture 12 ± 2%, 6 bundles × 24 leaves, colour-matched pack.

Missing "book-matched" or "colour-matched" is where most disputes start. Say it in writing.

What we ship

Sliced Manchurian ash veneer from FSC-certified logs, quarter-cut or half-round, plain and figured. Sample bundles on request, with a photo of the mother log for premium selections. See the veneer product page or ask for a sample bundle.