Wood Identification - What is this?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 6:59 pm

Those end grain shots eliminated black walnut fer sure!

Now I do not have a clue! Tis 'foreign' to me!:D

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 9:09 pm

Because if the rough cuts I couldn't distinguish pores or parenchyma but was sure a good look at coloring. I went to my book "Identifying Wood by Bruce Hoadley" and am making two GUESSES thinking of the species of wood available from Rockler.

My favorite guess is - Indian Rosewood. --from the book -- "heartwood light to dark violet brown to purple with near black pigment layering that resembles growth rings, grain - irregular to roey

Second guess is -- Lignum Vitae. --from the book -- "heartwood medium to dark olive brown, typically with yellowish, greenish of darker streaking; oily or waxey feel." Lignum Vitae also has a pleasant and spicy odor.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 9:22 pm

[quote="charlese"]Second guess is -- Lignum Vitae. --from the book -- "heartwood medium to dark olive brown, typically with yellowish, greenish of darker streaking]

A little info about Lignum Vitae. http://www.wood-database.com/wood-artic ... num-vitae/

crosscreekcraig · Post by **crosscreekcraig** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 11:00 pm

[quote="charlese"]Because if the rough cuts I couldn't distinguish pores or parenchyma but was sure a good look at coloring. I went to my book "Identifying Wood by Bruce Hoadley" and am making two GUESSES thinking of the species of wood available from Rockler.

My favorite guess is - Indian Rosewood. --from the book -- "heartwood light to dark violet brown to purple with near black pigment layering that resembles growth rings, grain - irregular to roey

Second guess is -- Lignum Vitae. --from the book -- "heartwood medium to dark olive brown, typically with yellowish, greenish of darker streaking]
I'll zap one or two of the ends with the disc sander, reshoot and upload photos tomorrow.

Lignum Vitae was added to the CITES list in 2003, so I doubt that's what it is. However as hard as this stuff is, it fits the bill "hardest wood in the world". ("that's what she said!"

never too old to be immature) It doesn't have any odor as far as I can tell and it doesn't feel waxy. I wish you could feel it - it's like knocking on granite, but it sounds like wood.

I wish I could start a poll -

What is it?

A. Lignum Vitae
B. Black Walnut
C. Poplar
D. Green Heart
E. B and C in a Hybrid (for Red):D

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 1:30 am

crosscreekcraig wrote:I'll zap one or two of the ends with the disc sander, reshoot and upload photos tomorrow....D

doubt that sanding would do us any good:( Wood identification requires a clean slice with a sharp knife. A dull knife will bend the pores closed as will sanding. If that is done the wood where the slice was taken can be viewed with a loop (or a camera if the camera can get that close) also the slice can be viewed with a loop or microscope.

Specific gravity information might help. If you could weigh a volume of wood and also an equal volume of water the ratio between the two will be Specific Gravity. This takes a pretty fine scale.

An unscientific way to determine is to take small piece (about 2x2x? and float it in water. See how much of the piece goes under water. If it doesn't float, the SG is 1.0 or more. maybe we can get a better guess on SG by seeing how much floats.

An easier method would be to phone Rockler and ask the species of wood included.

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:48 am

I've seen Lignum Vitae turning blanks for sale at the Indianapolis Rockler store several times in recent years... CITES notwithstanding.

crosscreekcraig · Post by **crosscreekcraig** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:23 am

nuhobby wrote:I've seen Lignum Vitae turning blanks for sale at the Indianapolis Rockler store several times in recent years... CITES notwithstanding.

I'm leaning toward lignum vitae now because I've seen it online too in the last few hours researching. I don't know a lot about CITES, but maybe there is some sort of grandfather clause or something.

I ran a piece through the band saw and getting ready to take a macro shot of the end grain. I cut 4 slivers off and had to turn the PP down to 750 to get something that might be acceptable, but the ends still look a little shiny.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:58 am

crosscreekcraig wrote:I'm leaning toward lignum vitae now because I've seen it online too in the last few hours researching. I don't know a lot about CITES, but maybe there is some sort of grandfather clause or something.

I ran a piece through the band saw and getting ready to take a macro shot of the end grain. I cut 4 slivers off and had to turn the PP down to 750 to get something that might be acceptable, but the ends still look a little shiny.

Save some pieces for band saw blade guides!;)

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:37 am

nuhobby wrote:I've seen Lignum Vitae turning blanks for sale at the Indianapolis Rockler store several times in recent years... CITES notwithstanding.

I'd almost bet that it was the Argentine Lignum Vitae.

crosscreekcraig · Post by **crosscreekcraig** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:40 am

charlese wrote:doubt that sanding would do us any good:( Wood identification requires a clean slice with a sharp knife. A dull knife will bend the pores closed as will sanding. If that is done the wood where the slice was taken can be viewed with a loop (or a camera if the camera can get that close) also the slice can be viewed with a loop or microscope.

Specific gravity information might help. If you could weigh a volume of wood and also an equal volume of water the ratio between the two will be Specific Gravity. This takes a pretty fine scale.

An unscientific way to determine is to take small piece (about 2x2x? and float it in water. See how much of the piece goes under water. If it doesn't float, the SG is 1.0 or more. maybe we can get a better guess on SG by seeing how much floats.

An easier method would be to phone Rockler and ask the species of wood included.

I called Rockler. Bill in Technical Support said if it was between green heart and lignum vitae, he would say lingnum because they don't carry green heart. He couldn't give me an answer on what types of wood would have been in there because it could be anything - I kind of figured that would be the answer to that one.

I took dozens of macros experimenting with different extension tubes between the lens and camera and came up with this photo - I think it's a winner.

I also measured and weighed the piece I used. After cutting its 6-3/4" X 3" X 1" and weighs 13 oz. Conversely, a length of pine measuring 36" X 2-1/2" X 3/4" weighed in at 18 ounces. I didn't try a specific gravity test.

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