mjwsjohnson Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Hey all! I need some help identifying this wood. It is relatively light compared to some European Beech that I have. This is about a 6x6x36 beam that weighs about the same as a piece of Beech that's 3x3x48. It has a sort of waxy feel with straight course grain. I got it from a fella who got it from a truck driver that had it left over from a shipment. Any assistance would be appreciated as I am stumped. Some more pictures...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Based on the pics provided. I am 100 % certain, That I do not know. .On the other hand, that's one good looking beam.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Is that a finish of some sort on the top? It looks different than the sides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPCV_Woodworker Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Send it to me, I'll let you know in a few months! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjwsjohnson Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Yes, I put a little paste wax on it to bring out the grain. The sides are faded from sunlight and dusty from storage. My guess was rosewood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 (edited) It looks like it planed up nicely. Are you able to get a clean cut on one end to show the end grain? Google hobbit house and start compairing. If that is a big old chunk of rosewood, that's quite a find. Edited August 12, 2015 by Brendon_t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjwsjohnson Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Yeah it plans beautifully but it is nearly impossible to sand. Its got to have silica in it. I will post a picture of the end grain today sometime. It seems to be some sort of tropical wood based on its color and weight but the grain being so course and straight is throwing me off. Most of them are fine grained Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 If you get a good clean, well focused close-up of the end grain, tag me and I'll check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjwsjohnson Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Here are a couple different shots of the end grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Can you get a clear, closer up shot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 These are good distance shots but show me nothing of the anatomy details. See my site for what I'm talking about (if you haven't already seen my end grain shots). I don't expect you to get the kind of detail I do but you need to come a lot closer than what these shots show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjwsjohnson Posted August 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 I tried but my camera won't focus lose enough to see the pores. I have sent a sample off to the folks at the Wisconson DOA forest research lab for ID. I should get the results back within a month. I will post the findings when the come in. Thanks all for the help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 What did it smell like when you planed it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick S Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 My first guess would be jatoba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 not sure why you say jatoba. based on that end grain I'd say the chances of it being jatoba are near zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick S Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 not sure why you say jatoba. based on that end grain I'd say the chances of it being jatoba are near zero.Didn't see the end grain photos before I posted. One thousand lashes and no dinner for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 My best guess would be tigre caspi. Otherwise I have no idea. So many mysterious chunks of wood out there...I'm afraid many of them remain a mystery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Jatoba should be heavier and harder than either American or European Beech. Your pictures sure do look like Jatoba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 not sure why you say jatoba. based on that end grain I'd say the chances of it being jatoba are near zero.not everyone is an expert. Based on the face grain shot. It looks a lot like a jatoba board I used for cutting boards last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 not everyone is an expert. Based on the face grain shot. It looks a lot like a jatoba board I used for cutting boards last year. The colors maybe a little, but not the grain at all. Not jatoba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 The colors maybe a little, but not the grain at all. Not jatoba.Exactly. Not the face grain (too grainy) and not the end grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 E, I'm not saying it is jatoba, just that I can see any someone would say that. I can ID MAYBE 20 unique woods from the face grain. I've never cut end grain and inspected it under a loupe as I'm sure most of you haven't either. If I was asking, I'd rather get a few wrong guesses that would prompt more pointed research than people not even trying for fear of being wrong. Just my $.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 My best guess would be tigre caspi. Otherwise I have no idea. So many mysterious chunks of wood out there...I'm afraid many of them remain a mystery.Not a bad guess but unlikely. It's not impossible for tiger caspi to have face grain that regular but it's very unusual, particularly combined with an end grain that would be quite weak for tiger caspi. So far, all I've been able to do is say what it ISN'T. Wish I could say what it IS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Can you confirm it isn't east indian rosewood? Can't confirm that 100% but I'm sure it isn't. Face grain easily could be EI rosewood but the irregularity of the end grain would be VERY unusual.It's too bad we can't get a better end grain shot. Well, we'll all see when the Ag Dept returns the results.By the way @mjwsjohnson I was told the other day that they now charge $50 to do wood ID instead of doing 5 free a year for any US citizen. Is that right? E, I'm not saying it is jatoba, just that I can see any someone would say that. I can ID MAYBE 20 unique woods from the face grain. I've never cut end grain and inspected it under a loupe as I'm sure most of you haven't either. If I was asking, I'd rather get a few wrong guesses that would prompt more pointed research than people not even trying for fear of being wrong. Just my $.02I completely agree. My pointing out what it isn't is not intended to discourage guessing, just to aim us towards figuring out what it IS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 I tried but my camera won't focus lose enough to see the pores. I have sent a sample off to the folks at the Wisconson DOA forest research lab for ID. I should get the results back within a month. I will post the findings when the come in. Thanks all for the helpbeing that they are a domestic university, do they also id non native wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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