I picked up this ~16" long 4x4" blank a while back. I can't seem to find the receipt, but I'm finally going to use it...and I am at a loss for what kind of wood it is. I thought I knew at one point, but now I just can't remember. Any chance any of you know what this is? Thank you!
Can I get a wood id?
- Thread starter jrista
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SabertoothBunny
Member
Looks like it could be black walnut from these photos.
Fred Bruche
Member
Myrtlewood maybe
Ted iin Michigan
Member
Top 2 look like butternut
That's what I see, also from the side shots.
KMCloonan
Member
My guess is also Walnut, with sap wood and heartwood.
keithlong
Member
My guess is black walnut also
Thanks for all the responses... I think the pictures might be a bit misleading, as the wood is not very dark. Its a rather light brown, beige, and is not dark like walnut, even a lighter colored walnut.
FWIW, all the photos are the same two pieces of wood. So the top two are the same as the bottom, I guess the white balance changed in the bottom one since I had some of the bluer colored ironing board in the picture as well.
I remember the sales rep telling me what it was when I bought it, but I've forgotten what it was now (was over a year ago I think that I bought it.)
FWIW, all the photos are the same two pieces of wood. So the top two are the same as the bottom, I guess the white balance changed in the bottom one since I had some of the bluer colored ironing board in the picture as well.
I remember the sales rep telling me what it was when I bought it, but I've forgotten what it was now (was over a year ago I think that I bought it.)
This might be it... I looked up some myrtlewood photos and its so far the closest match... Some slight differences in the grain pattern at a medium scale, maybe...
leehljp
Member Liaison
It reminds me of sassafras heart wood. Many woods darken after a year or so if not painted.
www.hearnehardwoods.com
Scroll down to the lumber and there are several different colors.
I'm not saying it is sassafras, but the grain pattern reminds me of it.
Sassafras Lumber
SASSAFRAS WOOD Sassafras is a fragrant North American hardwood. With open grain, soft texture and light brown color, it is sometimes used as a Chestnut substitute. Excellent bending properties Chestnut substitute Characteristics of Sassafras Origin of Wood Type USA Botanical
www.hearnehardwoods.com
I'm not saying it is sassafras, but the grain pattern reminds me of it.
Thanks, Hank.It reminds me of sassafras heart wood. Many woods darken after a year or so if not painted.
Scroll down to the lumber and there are several different colors.Sassafras Lumber
SASSAFRAS WOOD Sassafras is a fragrant North American hardwood. With open grain, soft texture and light brown color, it is sometimes used as a Chestnut substitute. Excellent bending properties Chestnut substitute Characteristics of Sassafras Origin of Wood Type USA Botanical
I'm not saying it is sassafras, but the grain pattern reminds me of it.
Looks pretty close as well...
I'm honestly at a loss. I don't even know if I ever knew what it was, to be honest... Trying to think back, I am honestly not sure if the sales guy really knew, or was just taking a guess.
I guess its just going to be a mystery wood!
Maybe that can be a selling point in the end. Its going to turn into a couple of candle pedestals in the next day or so here...
wolf creek knives
Member
My first thought was Black Walnut but I wasn't sure. Back in my Petroleum days I worked with a lot of Walnut growers and many grafted Chamberlain (I think but could be way off base) to Black Walnut trees. Then I looked at a very small log I've got in my stash and thought English Walnut, but again, I'm not 100% sure. I definitely feel it's in the Walnut family but I'm not 100% convinced it is Walnut. But I have to disagree with @Ted iin Michigan I ate a butter nut the other night. But wait, it was a squash 
. Now I'm all confused.
. Now I'm all confused.I turned one of the two halves of this round yesterday. I started to try and turn the pedestal candle holder I had planned, and it turned out there was a pretty large pith portion, and once I started turning into that, big chunks of the wood split off. So, I've changed my plans, and will have to figure something else to turn from these.
I did capture some photos of the rounded blank, and I'm certain its not walnut now. Its a lot lighter, and it seems to have a variety of colors, including a blueish gray and orange. The pattern of the darker veins in the grain, doesn't remind me of walnut either... I'm still at a loss. I think this was a piece of reclaimed wood, as IIRC the box I grabbed it out of was full of chunks of reclaimed wood (someone even bought some American Chestnut!! Nabbed it before I could!) Anyway, I think this wood is pretty old, its super dry and feels almost brittle, but, it actually turns pretty well (except around the pith).
A couple of photos:
I did capture some photos of the rounded blank, and I'm certain its not walnut now. Its a lot lighter, and it seems to have a variety of colors, including a blueish gray and orange. The pattern of the darker veins in the grain, doesn't remind me of walnut either... I'm still at a loss. I think this was a piece of reclaimed wood, as IIRC the box I grabbed it out of was full of chunks of reclaimed wood (someone even bought some American Chestnut!! Nabbed it before I could!
) Anyway, I think this wood is pretty old, its super dry and feels almost brittle, but, it actually turns pretty well (except around the pith).A couple of photos:
I've been checking out english walnut blanks. The grain is more interesting than normal or black walnut. It still looks a lot darker than what I have here, but I've noticed that it sometimes does appear to have some orangish streaks in it. It may be because of the age of this blank, but I think there is a hardness difference here, too...this blank is moderately soft, while the english walnut blanks I have are pretty dense... Most of them are waxed, so maybe that is affecting my evaluation.My first thought was Black Walnut but I wasn't sure. Back in my Petroleum days I worked with a lot of Walnut growers and many grafted Chamberlain (I think but could be way off base) to Black Walnut trees. Then I looked at a very small log I've got in my stash and thought English Walnut, but again, I'm not 100% sure. I definitely feel it's in the Walnut family but I'm not 100% convinced it is Walnut. But I have to disagree with @Ted iin Michigan I ate a butter nut the other night. But wait, it was a squash
Really hoping someone knows what this wood is. It is actually really beautiful wood, the grain is amazing. I would love to get some more! I ended up turning down the part of the blank that I had partly turned into the pedestal candle holder, and am just making a couple of small tealight holders instead. The other part of this blank, I'm thinking of making into a box, or maybe small bowl, so I can get rid of the pith part. Amazing grain... The finished tealight holders darken, but the color seems to have been preserved pretty well (even the grayish colored streaks; sanding sealer + Acks sanding grit and finishing wax).
Going to give this a bump. I am really hoping someone knows what kind of wood this is, as I'm really interested in getting more. So far, I haven't been able to figure it out. It does, however, have a notably sized pith (3/8" to 1/2" in diameter, and its super soft and punky. I rarely come across a pith that large and problematic. In any case, some of the most beautiful grain...would love to know what this is.
