Help with ID of African Woods

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Tom McMillan

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2004
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1,598
Location
Washougal, WA, USA.
I really need to get control of my impulse buying of woods. I purchased a boxful of woods said to be from South Africa. There were at least 4 types of wood in the box from what I can tell (one not in the photo I'm pretty sure is Leadwood (also called Ironwood) as it sinks in water and looks like what Hobbithouse shows). The seller said they were sent as filler and he wasn't sure of what they all were. He did say some were White Pear and some White Stinkwood. I think the wood in the photo on the left is White Pear (I see at Hobbithouse it looks to me like what they show as African Pear). The center wood works up very very smooth. Where I cut it to length the end feels waxy to me--real smooth even though it's a rough cut. I thought one of the two lighter colored woods might be the stinkwood--but, I didn't denote much odor (my sense of smell isn't good though). Would appreciate any help you can offer.:)

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OK Mike---Here's some two photos of the center wood and one photo (bottom) of the one on the right. (I can do another of the one on left if you'd like?---but, I do think it's the White Pear wood.) Oh, I should mention the center wood is heavier and denser than the one on the right, and the one on the right has some tearout when turning to round. What I believe to be the White Pear wood also seemed to have a lot more tearout than most woods until I got it round.

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Ask the seller (if you can) what they are and he should be able to tell you...if they were filler wood they might not be south african woods...filler is most time what they have alot of or want to move out
 
Check also the classifieds, some time back there was a guy from South Africa who was selling pen blanks that are native to his country. I think he showed pictures as well.
 
Hi Tom
There is a possibility that those woods originated with me. Who did you buy them from? Can you send me photos of the un-turned wood? The one on the left looks the most like stinkwood (Celtis africana). Has it got an overall grey/streaky appearance? Was it slightly spalted? If it is more brown and it originated with me, it could be buffalo thorn (Ziziphus mucronata) or even fever tree (Acacia xanthophloea). The other two could be either variations on white pear or white pear (Apodytes dimidiata) and white ironwood (Vepris lanceolata) - both of which turn "like butter". Your best bet is to cut the ends with a very sharp knife and have a look under a 10x magifying glass. If you can get a good photo of the pores, we'll get the ID sewn up.[
Originally posted by Tom McMillan

I really need to get control of my impulse buying of woods. I purchased a boxful of woods said to be from South Africa. There were at least 4 types of wood in the box from what I can tell (one not in the photo I'm pretty sure is Leadwood (also called Ironwood) as it sinks in water and looks like what Hobbithouse shows). The seller said they were sent as filler and he wasn't sure of what they all were. He did say some were White Pear and some White Stinkwood. I think the wood in the photo on the left is White Pear (I see at Hobbithouse it looks to me like what they show as African Pear). The center wood works up very very smooth. Where I cut it to length the end feels waxy to me--real smooth even though it's a rough cut. I thought one of the two lighter colored woods might be the stinkwood--but, I didn't denote much odor (my sense of smell isn't good though). Would appreciate any help you can offer.:)

custminis0159034.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Thanks everyone for the help!!

Yes, Barry, I'll send you some more photos of the unturned wood and more info. I'll see if I can cut the ends as you say and get some photos of that too. Appreciate your help!!
 
Tom - Did you buy it from NC Woods? If so, then the wood did come from me. We got most of the ID's right, but I had a guy working for me who mixed up some species. There is a lot of variation in some of the species, so it is easy to get thrown.
Originally posted by Tom McMillan

Thanks everyone for the help!!

Yes, Barry, I'll send you some more photos of the unturned wood and more info. I'll see if I can cut the ends as you say and get some photos of that too. Appreciate your help!!
Click to expand...
 
i've got a feeling the wood in the middle is Ropala, i have just ordered some myself and the grain looks very similar to it, not sure what the others are though.
 
Yes, Barry I got it from Gary at NC Woods and he's always been very helpful, as he was this time. He thought he knew a couple of them and let me know what they might be, but I'm not sure which is which. Your help is greatly appreciated also!!

I'd give you the auction number, but I checked and the photos aren't showing there. I'll send you a PM.
 
Tom and I have communicated by e-mail and I believe that I have it sorted out:

The wood did come from me, via Gary Davis at NC Wood.

From left to right:
Ziziphus mucronata (buffalo thorn)
Mimusops caffra (red milkwood) - very young tree
Apodytes dimidiata (white pear)

He also had a piece of Celtis africana (white stinkwood) and Spirostachys africana (tambotie) - the one that sank in water.


There's lots more where that came from :)
 
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