wood ID?

[Adkpk]

Does anyone know what kind of wood this is? Maple? It was plenty dead and a little soft. But was I happy to see what was inside. I just hope it holds together till it dries.

 

[woodshop]

That colored heartwood looks a lot like a log I milled last fall. Does the wet wood have a kindof stinky smell to it? The stuff I milled did, and even when dry, running through my saws last month it still had that nasty smell. I never saw the tree, as all the branches were cut up and hauled away by the time I got there to grab the butt log, but the owner told me it had leaves that looked like a maple. No telling how accurate that info is though. The wood did not dry well in spite of my trying to dry it correctly. Much of it twisted, split with multiple cracks all through the wood. More than other soft "maple" I milled and dried, if indeed it was maple. I'd say about half of it was too far gone for my shop, and thus was firewood. Even under non ideal conditions, I rarely get more than 10-15% loss air drying. Beautiful wood once it was made into nut and bolt clocks, that color you see in your boards really came out once it was sanded down and an oil finish put on it, if its the same stuff you have there.

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

If you can post some close-up radial, tangential, and end grain photos I might be able to help you. Try to pick smooth areas if possible. I have a reference book that hasn't let me down yet.

 

[woodshop]

If you can post some close-up radial, tangential, and end grain photos I might be able to help you. Try to pick smooth areas if possible. I have a reference book that hasn't let me down yet.

good point aggie... I have my Hoadly Wood ID book, I can grab my razor knife and check out the stuff I have and see if its the same thing as his. Better yet, if Adrpk wants to send me a small chunk, square inch in a envelope would do, I'd be glad to get out the microscope and give it a shot.

 

[Adkpk]

Ya it did smell. I was looking around at my feet. Thought maybe I stepped on something. Like scunk cabbage and sewage. But I am not totally sure I didn't at that. I didn't see the top branches either, that tree had been dead for at least 5 years or more. Forget about leaves.
Great to know that it will probably crack. I hate that. Had some ash that cracked on me. I end coated it with latex paint and it cracked and kept cracking right thought my intented use zone. Firewood.

Here's one more closer pic. I will try to get a clear end grain tomorrow.

 

[Adkpk]

Is it legal to send wood throught the mail? I send a sliver.

 

[woodshop]

Perfectly legal to send wood in the mail. Mail order lumber companies would be out of business if you couldn't. In order for me to properly ID it, I would need a small chunk with end grain showing, at least 3-4 rings showing. Again, a 1 inch cube or similar piece would work fine. Take a hacksaw to the end of one of your boards, and stick it in a 5x7 manila envelope and send to me. At the very least, I can tell you if its the same stuff I have here that stinks, and that I had so many problems with drying. I will send you my address in a PM if you want to do that.

 

[upandcommer]

it looks like some of the poplar in the back yard to me. if the rings are big and i.e. some of the stuff in the back yard is 20-28 inch logs and only 25-35 years old i would say you could almost bet it is poplar and yes it does stink even dried. Burns quick and hot like pine minus the pops.

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

I mailed 300 lbs of Texas mesquite pieces (in many small boxes) to a guy in Alaska through USPS once. I got a few odd looks but no problems.

The guy in Alaska worked on the Northern Slope and made re-curve bows in his spare time. He used the mesquite for accents.

 

[woodshop]

if the rings are big and i.e. some of the stuff in the back yard is 20-28 inch logs and only 25-35 years old i would say you could almost bet it is poplar and yes it does stink even dried.

We must not be talking about the same poplar... I work with poplar all the time in my shop, and the poplar I work with doesn't stink at all. Doesn't have a pleasant smell like cherry or sassafras or catalpa, but it doesn't smell bad. Here on the east coast when you're talking lumber and you say poplar, you are usually talking about tulip poplar. A tall strait fast growing tree, heartwood is greenish to brown, sometimes even dark blue depending on where its growing, sapwood is white. Used a lot as the carcass of furniture among other things.

 

[Newfie]

it looks like some of the poplar in the back yard to me. if the rings are big and i.e. some of the stuff in the back yard is 20-28 inch logs and only 25-35 years old i would say you could almost bet it is poplar and yes it does stink even dried. Burns quick and hot like pine minus the pops.

Sounds like Aspen to me. Some call it popple or poplar because of the Latin name which is populus something or another.

 

[Reddog]

My best guess is Lombardy Poplar or Big tooth Aspen.:help:

 

[Adkpk]

The woods are oak, beach, a few maple and tulip. The tulips are big and probably most prevalent. It is a hillside with a lot of rocks. And also some kind of drainage ditch running under where this tree was. It was melded with an oak at the base. (I thought it was the oak I have been looking for, nice and dead ready to be slabbed, but the wood I cut wouldn't support my car. I need a new deck to a bridge on my property.)
I got a peice of end grain today. I will cut it into a mailable piece. What is a PM? Anyway PM me your address. Give it time, I am a landscaper and I am busy as a bee this time of year. And thanks for the attention.
I got a pic of the end grain and some bark.
By the way woodshop, what is that nut in your picture? Did you make that?

 

[Finnbear]

What is a PM? Anyway PM me your address. Give it time, I am a landscaper and I am busy as a bee this time of year. And thanks for the attention.
I got a pic of the end grain and some bark.
By the way woodshop, what is that nut in your picture? Did you make that?

PM = Private Message. Click on the name of the messager poster over toward the left side of your screen and a small drop-down menu will come up showing this option.
Finnbear

 

[woodshop]

By the way woodshop, what is that nut in your picture? Did you make that?

It's a wooden nut and bolt. Yes I make them from scratch in my woodshop using a metal lathe with a router rigged to the bed, and a Bealle Tool threader among other things. I put a clock fitup in the face of the bolt head and sell them at shows along with other gift items. There is a thread somewhere on here where I showed step by step how to make one, but can't remember where I posted it at the moment. Think I called it "from tree to avatar" or something like that.

 

[woodshop]

tulip poplar for sure

Adrpk, got your little piece of wood last night. Soon as I took it out of the envelope and saw it I thought tulip poplar. To be certain, I cleaned off and sliced the end grain with a razor knife and stuck it under the scope to compare it with Hoadly's micro photograph of tulip poplar. You definitely have some tulip poplar wood there, no doubt about it, dead ringer. That stuff dries easy, and quick this time of year. Last stack of that I dried, I milled it 5/4 in May, stickered it and let it alone. By August it was down to 12-15%, as good as it was going to get outside in the summer/fall. Not sure why it had that stinky smell as you said. All the poplar I ever milled did have a distinctive smell, but it wasn't objectionable. Was more of an earth like kindof vegitation smell, like when a brush hog goes through some underbrush.

 

[WRW]

All the poplar I ever milled did have a distinctive smell, but it wasn't objectionable. Was more of an earth like kindof vegitation smell, like when a brush hog goes through some underbrush.

Milled green, I get the faint odor of magnolia blosssoms...it's in that family, if my memory serves me right.

 

[Adkpk]

Thanks woodshop. I would like to to see one of these Hoadly books sounds interesting.
I told you I was milling in a bit of a swamp. Like stagnent water and emulisifying leaves.
This tree was pretty dead. I think I waisted my time. I was back there yesterday. I stuck my snips in the wood. It was a little spongie.
Thanks again!

FYI: the post office dosen't mail anything smaller than 5x7"s.

 

[woodshop]

Thanks woodshop. I would like to to see one of these Hoadly books sounds interesting... ... FYI: the post office dosen't mail anything smaller than 5x7"s.

your welcome, that book is available almost anywhere, I see it in bookstores like Barnes & Noble all the time. Identifying Wood, Bruce Haodley.

as per post office, I must have gotten lucky, I have mailed wooden nutcrackers I made for people in small 2 1/2 by 4 inch boxes, never had one come back yet. Guess I should look into that before I mail out any more.