What wood?

[jim_w]

Hi there folks. I recently picked up this nice chunk of wood:

http://www-student.cs.york.ac.uk/~jw222/end.jpg
http://www-student.cs.york.ac.uk/~jw222/side.jpg

But I haven't the foggiest what sort it is... It's very very hard, so I put it in a bucket of water to soften a bit for working. Now I'm wondering whether that was sensible.

What do you guys think? Any idea what kind of wood it is?

 

[match]

Its difficult to tell the wood type - I'd guess maybe beech from the colour, seems too dark to be anything like Elm/Aspen, and lacking too much grain to be anything like oak.

Perhaps a fruit tree of some kind maybe??

As far as soaking it goes, that will not necessarily soften the wood up much, especially if it is already aged. All the water will do is soak into the outer layers, and may not travel up the grain and soak the centre as you'd expect.

Also be careful when you dry it out, re-drying wet wood can often introduce new splits and breaks - do it very slowly with no rapid changes temperature.

 

[Venger]

It's hard to tell when it's wet.
Seems like it's quite old, or did you strip the bark off?
Where did you find it - that may help

If you can show me a cut through section I may be able to help.
It looks vaguely like a London Plane - or lace wood though I'd need to see a cut through section


Cheers

Venger

 

[jim_w]

match:
Arg! I've taken it out of the water now - I don't want to risk splitting it for no real benefit. I doubt it's a fruit tree, but I can't really rule anything out. Maybe the bark below will help...

venger:
Yeah, I stripped the bark:

http://www-student.cs.york.ac.uk/~jw222/bark.jpg

I found it in a small local wood with a mix of trees, none of which I can name (d'oh).

Thanks all!

 

[Venger]

Hmmm might not be London Plane.
I don't suppose you brought out any leaves did you


Venger

 

[jim_w]

No, sadly no leaves

I've hacked away at it a bit in the hope of exposing more grain:

http://www-student.cs.york.ac.uk/~jw222/one.jpg

http://www-student.cs.york.ac.uk/~jw222/two.jpg

And here's a marginally better view of the end:

http://www-student.cs.york.ac.uk/~jw222/three.jpg

The tree it came from was felled long ago, but it seemed to be totally straight, and quite long - about eight yards, give or take. This chunk was the fat end, but the thin end was only slightly thinner. I don't recall and obvious signs that big branches had been lopped off the sides, but I didn't look. It was definately totally straight though.

I really should start studying different types of wood - I'm hopeless at it, and every time I make something I find more and more reasons why it's essential!

 

[Venger]

Ok, that's a bit better.
Is the core soft or hard?
Any smell?

Take a closer look at this and let me know (don't think it is but look anyway)

http://www.chengappa.demon.co.uk/planes/text/timber.html

Venger

 

[jim_w]

Yeah, that link looks pretty similar... I'll have a dig around for some sandpaper (I can only find emery paper at the moment!).

The core is hard - possibly slightly softer than the outer wood, but still bloody hard.

This is very exciting; like 20 questions but better

 

[Venger]

lol
It's hard to do by internet
I'm generally pretty good with living trees - or at least ones with bark on them - in situ.

(leaves help too!)

You may never find an answer! (unless you go back and find a similar tree - with leaves and take a picture lol)

Venger

 

[Stew]

This may sound stupid, but I think that's Laburnum.

 

[Stew]

Here's my reasoning.

The white sap wood is noticeable - it's just discoloured.
http://www-student.cs.york.ac.uk/~jw222/two.jpg

The bark looks like Laburnum bark
The log stripped of bark looks like Laburnum logs stripped of bark that my Dad has in his back garden.

 

[jim_w]

Well, whatever it is I've just given up carving it! It's so hard! :'(

 

[Stew]

In fact, if you look back to the first 2 pictures, you can see that the sap wood is a pale colour

http://www-student.cs.york.ac.uk/~jw222/end.jpg
http://www-student.cs.york.ac.uk/~jw222/side.jpg

I hadn't noticed it initially.

 

[Goose]

Well don't make a spoon out of it for now!
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/forumdisplay.php?f=26

 

[Stew]

Well, whatever it is I've just given up carving it! It's so hard! :'(

Don't stop, it's a gorgeous wood.

If you want to see it for yourself, sand a section to a high poish but dry it first. (Maybe put it in a plastic bag with some wood shavings for a while)

Just don't use it for a spoon or food bowl as it is a poisonous wood (the best ones always are!)

 

[Venger]

Doesn't laburnam have a dark core -( false ebony!)

Like I said it's hard to tell - there's so many types of tree!

Yes, thanks goose

 

[Stew]

Doesn't laburnam have a dark core -( false ebony!)

I've never heard it called that before and have never seen a piece that dark that I would confuse it with Ebony.
The picture of the bowl above is on the lighter end I've seen but then you do get darker too.

Both of these are Laburnum.

 

[jim_w]

breif update: I've found a way to work this wood without killing myself (by strapping the wood to my thigh with a belt ), so my secret plan is underway again! I'll post pics later - I've taken a bit of the outer wood off, so you can see the grain much better. It's very pretty!

 

[Venger]

Well I checked out some Laburum logs this weekend (3 - 4 dia) it's definatly not laburnum.
Laburnum (on all the logs I saw) has a dark centre, compared to the light wood, (not black but very dark)
If I had a camera I'd have taken photos


Venger

 

[jim_w]

Good to know it's not poisonous! :-D

It has a wonderful grain - hard to describe really, and I can't seem to get it to show up in photos. I'll have another go once it's oiled.