Wood ID- Hercules Wood?

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Redshed

Redshed

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Springfield VA
A while back my neighbor (who incidentally got me into turning) gave me some wood to get started. She called it "Hercules wood." since then I have not been able to find any mention of it. does anyone know what type of wood it really is? My best guess is bocote. It smells like vinegar and has yellow mixed in. I love the wood but can't find more.
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Prickly Ash is a tree (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis) that is known by several other names including Hercules' Club, Tickle Tonge, and Toothache Tree.

That definitely is not Prickly Ash & I'm not aware of anything else called Hercules wood.
 
I suppose it could be sequoia as the huge old trees were often referred to as Hercules Trees, but it doesn't look like any kind of Redwood I've ever seen. I second Ken's estimation. The color and grain pattern looks a lot like some of the Cocobolo I have. - Dave
 
We need to protect our bodies from the potentially hazardous effects that result from our woodworking efforts, some woods being more dangerous than others. This sample appears to be cocobolo, one of the more dangerous. It is a very good practice to know what material we are working with IOT employ the correct level of self protection.
 
I agree with fnfalguy, it could be desert ironwood. At first I thought Cocobolo, but the two can look very similar. Ironwood is more likely to retain it's color from blank to turned pen, where Cocobolo usually changes some and can often contain multiple hues that come out in the grain when it is turned.

Cocobolo Janka is 2960, Ironwood is 3260, hardest of the two. The tell for me would be how it smells when it is being worked. Cocobolo has a spice-like, sweet scent that is distinctly different than the smell of Ironwood when it is being worked.

Dave
 
Lots of possibilities: Cocobolo being my first thought.
http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/ has many pictures of various wood species.

Coco is a true Rosewood and has numerous species which are similar in appearance.

As others have mentioned, Coco is one of the woods which can be toxic to users.
In fact, it's also a sensitizer—meaning over time, individuals might react more negatively the more they interact with it.
Some people react so severely as to require hospitalization.

If you have any reaction when turning this, use caution. Beautiful stuff but it's not for everyone.
 
cmiller said:
Looks like bocote to me with that yellowish tint. Wouldn't cocobolo be more red?
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Cocobolo comes in different colors. Yes, in most cases it is red, but it also comes in the yellowish/orangish tint.

An example is here: https://www.bellforestproducts.com/...MIuPzIieeagAMVUzrUAR1MHA7oEAQYBSABEgLbefD_BwE

I leaved in E Asia for many years and would go to wood import stores (a hobby store - Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya) and could get either tint, but the reddish was more common.

One other problem with the color that is rarely discussed in forums - but it pops up occasionally: computer screen calibrations for which most people never fool with - will distort colors from what the real color actually is.
 
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I am with the coco crowd, having just made a couple of small bowls for gifts. There can be huge color variations even within the same board.
 
Hi All,

I put a few blanks of Cocobolo, Ironwood, and Bocote next to each other for comparison. One picture is dry the other I sprayed with a quick coat of lacquer to bring out the finished color.

I'm still leaning towards Cocobolo because of the Red-Orangish hue; however, the real tell would be the hardness and smell when it is being cut.

Left to Right:
Cocobolo: Janka about 2950, Smells spicy sweet fairly strong odor
Ironwood: Janka about 3250, Distinct, somewhat unpleasant odor
Bocote: Janka about 2000, Moderate scent sort of like dill pickles.

Regards, - Dave

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IMG_3653 Cropped.jpg
 
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