bob493 Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Hey guys, new here, but i have a pressing question. I am very well versed on lumber species, both indigenous and exotic to the USA. However, I went to my local lumber guy this morning, and I was buying off cuts to do a nice end grain cutting board or whatever, and I saw this very lovely piece of wood by itself. It struck me as a honduras mahogany given its color and grain pattern, but when I picked it up, it was HEAVY. I mean, practical joke heavy. It wasn't the largest of pieces, so I was kinda bummed out (guitar necks), but he had a 3" x 2" x 72" board he sold me for 20$. He said it was jarrah (eucalyptus), but my understanding of it was jarrah weighs just a tad more than oak. All of the sections he had were easily 2-3 times the weight of oak for a given size. I'd place it on par with lignum vitae with weight and hardness. It looks EXACTLY like this, which is honduras mahogany (color is identical to the far left side too, a nice deep red). It's FAR too hard to be any mahogany, and certainly far too heavy. any help is appreciated! Perhaps jarrah is that heavy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 This is my go to source for weight since he posted. And welcome to the forums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob493 Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Yeah, see the density is 54 on there, and oak is 48. This is SIGNIFICANTLY heavier, Im about to cut off an inch of oak and this stuff and compare them. Any speculation of the wood in the mean time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Pictures? End view, side view, top view - it would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 I have seen Ipe about that color. There is a huge wealth of Brazilian and African stuff I just don't know. I have some Massaranduba that looks like that and is that heavy but it is pinker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob493 Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Pictures? End view, side view, top view - it would help. I will post some tonight, I have my wood in my workshop which unfortunately isn't attached to my place.... Im aware a picture would speak a 1000 words here, sorry! I have seen Ipe about that color. There is a huge wealth of Brazilian and African stuff I just don't know. I have some Massaranduba that looks like that and is that heavy but it is pinker. Interesting, that may be right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 There are a million oddball species out there...sometimes it just remains a mystery. If you like the look of it and you have a use for it, buy it and use it. Also remember that weight is effected by moisture content, and density can vary from tree to tree, slight variations in subspecies, even where a tree grows and its specific ecological situation. Many variables. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob493 Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Who knows I guess. The wood is 12% moisture which is usable for pretty much anything. Im gonna rip it in half and use it for a few guitar necks, should be interesting anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Might be interesting for guitar necks but of course the denser the timber the more tendency there is to absorb vibrations making them feel dead when played. Nothing wrong with trying it out though - you may have found the holy grail. Let us know how they come out. If it rings when you tap it then it may be a good tonewood. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob493 Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Might be interesting for guitar necks but of course the denser the timber the more tendency there is to absorb vibrations making them feel dead when played. Nothing wrong with trying it out though - you may have found the holy grail. Let us know how they come out. I've used jatoba, wenge, and lignum vitae a few times. I personally have found them to be quite lovely . Granted, I always laminate my necks too. I'll most likely be laminating it with some flame maple, for both stability and aesthetics. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 BTW welcome to the forum Bob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob493 Posted November 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2014 thanks terry! Heres pics, im not a photographer, sorry :-/ Here's 2 smaller pieces, one wet one dry (for color comparison) And this is a larger piece, next to white oak and ash for color comparison (doesn't seem to be accurate. It's very close to padauk in color) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob493 Posted November 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2014 cutting this wood was NOT pleasurable haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick A McQuay Posted November 8, 2014 Report Share Posted November 8, 2014 If the lumber guy said jarrah then I would go with it. Might just be my phone but the pics are too blurry for me to tell anything and if the color is off that doesn't help. If it's as heavy as you say I'd be worried the guitar will be very neck heavy. - sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted November 8, 2014 Report Share Posted November 8, 2014 The pics aren't really very helpful. Looks a bit like ipe but that's just a swag. Also could be jarrah although jarrah is not hugely heavier than oak. If you actually want it identified, try posting pics that are in focus, particularly one of a cleaned up end grain area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Kolva Posted November 9, 2014 Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 Cumaru maybe? Using a card scraper on it do you get some nice redish/orange shaving that turn brown in about 30 minutes? http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/cumaru/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob493 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 Cumaru maybe? Using a card scraper on it do you get some nice redish/orange shaving that turn brown in about 30 minutes? http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/cumaru/ That is along the lines of me thinking this was jatoba. Ill check it out later today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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