Ares Unknown Wood

[qquake]

The pen is a Taylors Mirfield Ares in antique copper from Turners Warehouse. The wood is an unknown piece I got from the cutoff bin at Rockler. It looks kind of like red heart to me. Regardless, I love the wood with the copper kit. The finish is Watco Danish oil. I'm very happy with this one!

 

[jttheclockman]

Honduras Mahogany,

 

[Humongous]

I'm liking these copper finish kits, I did a cigar in copper. Nice choice of blank to compliment the copper.

 

[leehljp]

I'm not arguing with you John as the lumber does look like mahogany, but that wood in the Pen looks like a close first cousin to padauk. Of course I am used to the Philippine Mahagony, which looks a little different from that and therefore a not true mahogany.

 

[mmayo]

Looks like Padauk grain.

 

[egnald]

Hi all, my first impression of the pen was that it was Padauk (because of the grain and colors in the 3rd photo, #054) but the raw board sure looks like a Mahogany. Regardless, it makes a very attractive pen. - Dave

 

[qquake]

I thought padauk when I first saw it, but what I've seen and used in the past is more orange than red.

 

[jttheclockman]

I'm not arguing with you John as the lumber does look like mahogany, but that wood in the Pen looks like a close first cousin to padauk. Of course I am used to the Philippine Mahogany, which looks a little different from that and therefore a not true mahogany.

I will stick with mahogany because I use it all the time and notice I said Honduras. The sticks are doing it for me. Philippine is more brownish I have that too. Paduk is more orange I have that too and I can post photos of all these if you would like. I also have redheart which I know for sure it is not.

The end cut would help seeing too.

 

[qquake]

Here are more photos of the stick.

 

[leehljp]

Jim, That does look like padauk GRAIN but the color is off for the padauk that I have had.

John, when I wrote "I'm not arguing with you" . . . I mean't that I was not disagreeing with you. When it comes to SE asia, I may be more assertive. I do know that the Philippine mahogany is "luan" and does not look like that - it's close but different grain. I still have quite a bit of old stock luan from the '50s and the grain doesn't look like padauk or real mahogany. After making several pieces of furniture from old 5/4 luan, I KNOW it is different.

I also know that padauk IS more orangish.

 

[jttheclockman]

Whatever it is it works well. I just thought i would give my opinion. Maybe it is Padauk or some other mahogany. There are many brands in the mahogany family. With these closer looks at the stick I am not sure now. One view it looks like one thing and another it looks different. I am out.

 

[mick]

Did it look like you'd been grinding up orange crayons all over egg m when you finished? If so I'm calling padauk! [emoji16]

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[qquake]

The shavings look more red to me, but there does appear to be some orange, too. It's a mystery. If it is padauk, I used to be highly allergic to it, but had no reaction from this. But then I also used to be allergic to cocobolo, and recently turned some with no problems.

 

[hippi]

Padauk

 

[jttheclockman]

From the shavings it does look more like Padauk

 

[qquake]

From the shavings it does look more like Padauk

I would have to agree.

 

[egnald]

According to my typical go to for wood information, The Wood Database, here are some other tells perhaps:

Hardness:
Padauk is typically about twice as hard as Mahogany.
African Padauk has a Janka rating of about 1800 where Honduran Mahogany at about 900.

Weight:
Padauk is roughly 25% heavier than Mahogany.
African Padauk is about 47 lbs/cubic foot where Honduran Mahogany is only 37 lbs/cubic foot.

Fluorescence:
African Padauk will have at least a faint yellow/orange glow under black light where Mahogany (at least some types) will have more of a green glow, perhaps in streaks. I have blanks from both wood species, but I don't have a black light to do any verification testing - it does sound like fun though.

Dave

 

[showcaser]

Padauk also has a distinct smell when turning too. Almost a soapy smell