wood ID? - Woodworking Talk

rocklobster · 06-28-2009, 05:55 PM

I'm not good at identifying wood beyond some of the very basics. Today, I stopped in to see a guy that used to own a trim business. He has been selling the kiln dried wood that's piled everywhere. I was able to get a few specific woods in the past, but now all he has left are piles of mixed hardwoods.

I picked through one of the mixed piles and got a lot of this stuff dirt cheap. He didn't know what it was but he can barely see anything. It looks kinda like oak, so I cut one to see if it smelled like oak. It didn't really have much of a smell at all.

It does seem to be about the same density as oak. Oh, and I'm pretty sure that just about everything he has is from Ohio and West Virginia.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Rob

**Daren** · 06-28-2009, 06:25 PM

Maybe honeylocust ?

**Daren** · 06-28-2009, 08:14 PM

The middle one could be pecan also.

jeffreythree · 06-28-2009, 08:46 PM

I have some cherry that looks like the top pics right and left pieces, but not black cherry. It does not darken as much as black cherry.

rocklobster · 06-29-2009, 07:21 PM

Thanks, guys.

I've only seen black cherry milled. I'm not familiar with the others, but it's possible.

I looked up info on honey locust and pecan and it seems pretty accurate. Some sites said honey locust could be used for furniture and such, and others said it was only suited for pallets.

I found something Daren said about it on a forestry forum that made me feel better about it, though. In any case, I only paid $.65 per bf for it.

Rob

**Daren** · 06-29-2009, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocklobster

Some sites said honey locust could be used for furniture and such, and others said it was only suited for pallets.

Honeylocust is a fantastic (and unique) furniture wood. I have seen honeylocust flooring for $19 ft2

clarionflyer · 06-29-2009, 11:57 PM

The grain looks a lot like the cherry I've been working with lately. Tough to judge color from a picture.
But Daren's king. My gut instinct says to avoid my gut instinct. I'd go with him.

Boardman · 06-30-2009, 08:59 AM

Looks like the hickory I've got up here in MN, which is similar to pecan I've heard. Is it hard as hell?

phinds · 06-30-2009, 12:19 PM

Definitely not oak. I would have gone with pecan/hickory, but if Darren thinks it's honey locust, I wouldn't argue (don't know honey locust well enough to argue, anyway).

Paul

**Daren** · 06-30-2009, 01:06 PM

I think just from those pictures it is both. The outer boards look like honeylocust to me more than pecan, the center one on my second post I said was pecan after looking closer. If one looks at the fuzzy edge of the center board that is common for a bandmill to do that to the grain of hickories since it is so hard it tears the grain a little as the blade leaves. The outer 2 just look smoother to me honeylocust while still hard does mill easier, and the color is just like some I have...but not all honeylocust looks alike, it can vary from tree to tree.

Gerald · 06-30-2009, 01:09 PM

I have worn out several blades building a bedroom set for my son out of hickory. Your tools need to be really sharp .
The one on the right looks like hickory to me. The others do also but hard to tell in a picture. If the wood is hard as a rock (much harder than oak) I would guess hickory.
Hickory is also very common in Ohio.

Gerald

rocklobster · 06-30-2009, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerald

If the wood is hard as a rock (much harder than oak) I would guess hickory.
Hickory is also very common in Ohio.

Gerald

After looking at some images of Hickory online, I also think that's another possibility. But it didn't seem particularly hard after one cut on the mitre saw. That was only one cut on the mitre saw, though.

Once I start doing something with this stuff, I'll have a better idea.

I see another reference to cherry. I really didn't know cherry could look like that. Lots of great info, guys, thanks.

Rob

frankp · 07-01-2009, 09:05 AM

Well, whether it's honeylocust, cherry, or pecan, I'd say $.65/bf is a good price and that will make some fine looking furniture. I tend to ignore anyone who says "XXX type of wood is not good for furniture" simply because I don't really care what other people think. Not strong enough? I'll reinforce it with some fiberglass. Too heavy? I'll modify my design for lighter pieces. Too hard to work? Nonsense, just takes more patience. The best wood for furniture is the wood you want to make it out of at the time.