[believebraves]

I bought a truck load of 4' cut offs from a staircase company of very nice species of wood. Mostly walnut, cherry, oak, and maple, but there are 2-3 different species of wood I can't identify... Wondering if you all could help. Here is the first mystery piece.

Very hard and very heavy! Prob have about 10 pieces id say of this so if this pic isn't good enough let me know and I can snap a few more! Thanks

 

[frankp]

What does it look like with the stain sanded off? At first guess I'd call that red oak that's been stained, but I'm not the best species identifier we have here.

 

[believebraves]

There is no finish on this piece, other than water to remove the dust so the pic could be clean. But I can snap a pic of it without it being "wet"

 

[router worker]

Aged red oak I would guess, the grain looks like oak. There are a few different types of red oak. The stuff I use I've never seen that red. But I haven't ever let it sit for years unfinished

 

[believebraves]

Aged red oak I would guess, the grain looks like oak. There are a few different types of red oak. The stuff I use I've never seen that red. But I haven't ever let it sit for years unfinished

Well I gotta say I have used a lot of red oak and this is extremely redder and much heavier than any red oak I have ever seen. Also has a feel of walnut not oak... No very grainy like ash and oak.

 

[router worker]

Heavier, I wander if it is Osage orange. Extremely strong, heavy and used to make wagon tongues and axles back in the day. Very heavy and dense. Not sure what it looks like aged

 

[phinds]

Heavier, I wander if it is Osage orange. Extremely strong, heavy and used to make wagon tongues and axles back in the day. Very heavy and dense. Not sure what it looks like aged

Osage orange turns brown with age. See here:

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/_color change/index.htm

 

[phinds]

believebraves, can you clean up an end and get a well-lit well-focused pic? The end grain shot you have so far is useless.

 

[Steve Neul]

It looks like Padauk to me.

 

[phinds]

It looks like Padauk to me.

Yeah, me too. I didn't mention that because he said it is very hard and heavy which is a bit extreme for a description of padauk.

 

[cabinetman]

I've had Mahogany that looked like that.

.

 

[frankp]

While I would describe Paduak as hard and heavy none of mine has ever had grain that looked like that and it certainly browns with age way more than that. (Assuming it's seen any light at all). It is about the right color for "fresh" paduak.

 

[believebraves]

When I get home tonight I will try and snap a better picture of a fresh cutoff. Maybe that can clear it up a little...

 

[joek30296]

Since you said pieces were from a staircase company, just a WAG, but I gonna say jatoba (brazilian cherry). Go to Phinds website and look up "jatoba"....hard, heavy, used for stair treads.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[rocklobster]

Since you said pieces were from a staircase company, just a WAG, but I gonna say jatoba (brazilian cherry). Go to Phinds website and look up "jatoba"....hard, heavy, used for stair treads.
Just my 2 cents.

I have a bowl blank of Brazilian cherry that looks just like that. It's definitely a hard, dense wood, too.

Rob

 

[phinds]

I have to agree w/ Steve that (to me anyway) it looks a lot like padauk, but "very hard and heavy" is right on for jatoba.