Need help with ID on wood

[pcooper]

I've got some boards I've been trying to plane, they're hard as anything I've ever tried to work. I'm not sure what they are, and hope someone here has an idea based on the planed and unplaned surfaces I've got in photos. I put new knives in my planer this morning, they're already so dull they won't cut worth anything...getting discouraged here with this project.:no:

 

[Gofor]

Looks like Black Walnut to me. It can get quite hard after several years of air drying.

Go

 

[Rob]

Looks like white oak to me. But I'm no expert.

 

[pcooper]

I thought it might be white oak at first, but comparing it to some I've worked here it's not that...I know the pictures really don't do it justice either, hard to get a good photo in the shop. Going online it compared some to hard maple, and maybe a red maple, grain was close and end grain was similar, but not similar enough for me to say it is that. Walnut has a similar grain but this is a lot whiter than any walnut I've got. I wondered if maybe it's sweet gum, I can't find any photos of that milled, just trees standing. Uncut and air dried rough sawn it's got a yellow look to it. I know one thing, it's like trying to plane marble!!

 

[eyekode]

Is it dark in the center? The end grain looks like gum to me.
Salem

 

[pcooper]

After pulling this thread up on another computer, I can see how bad these pics are, sheesh,

Well, color changes between boards, there are some that have dark streaks in them, but the color is close light beige to a slight grey kinda like pecan, but not pecan/hickory. I'd say it looks like the color of most maples, but has a stringy look to it too. I've not tried to split any, guess that'd tell if it's gum or not. If it's gum, it might be good for nothing?

 

[eyekode]

I only thought gum because one of the boards looked like it had a dark pith. And th end grain seems similar. But if the pith is not dark then I have no idea .

I would say if it looks good and you can machine it then regardless of the species it is good for something .
Salem

 

[merrill77]

I can't help much with the id. I'll say that if it is so hard that it's dulling blades quickly, it is seems unlikely to be any of the species you've mentioned. Even hickory should not dull blades in one day. Of course, even within the same species, there can be great variation. I've heard that teak will dull blades quickly, due to silica in the wood. I've never worked with it, though.

If it's gum, it might be good for nothing?

Nothing wrong with sweetgum, if properly dried and it hasn't pretzeled. Takes stain well, IIRC. Some call it poor mans walnut.

 

[scsmith42]

It's hard to tell from the photo's, but I'm thinking maybe hickory.

Live oak is a member of the white oak family, and incredibly hard on planer blades.

 

[Jeff]

This stuff sounds nasty from your description so my guess is Ipe (aka Brazilian walnut). "Like planing marble" also fits the bill. The "ipe" link opens up a new window with a fact sheet and lots of pics.

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/index.htm#letterI

There is a pic of ipe decking lumber and the author's comment is "...particularly light-colored for ipe".

Ipe is at the very top of the Janka Hardness Scale. It's about 2.5 x denser than white oak and hard maple.

http://www.advantagelumber.com/janka.htm

 

[chesterboyd]

It looks a lot like hickory to me---someone else said the same thing. but I think it is and wonder if it doesn't have some sand or other matter in the pores to dull so quickly?

 

[Jeff]

Forgot to ask. Pic #1 end grain looks red and pic #2 planed face looks almost white. Heartwood hickory would have that red look, but the face should display the same. Maybe spray them with a little alcohol and retake pics?

 

[wooduser]

I've not used hickory but understand its very hard. Due you know if its domestic or improted wood.
A good book on identifing wood is by Bruce Hoadly and titled Identifying Wood. Its at most of the wood tool dealers and of course Amazon.
Good luck.

Lecil

 

[pcooper]

Here's another group of photos, these are taken with thinner applied. One shot is done with my camera in a different mode than I usually use, making the pic seem more yellow like natural outside light instead of the shop lights I have...maybe that'l make some difference in opinions.

I can say that after the thinner was applied the wood had some red streaks in it, and is a more red color overall.

 

[plcrawfo]

I'd also vote for hickory - mostly based on the end grain picture the OP supplied. I recently built a bed in which I used hickory for the slats to support the mattress - I pulled a cut-off from the scrap bin, and compared to the end grain picture - it's a dead on match....the other way to tell - does it smell kinda like bbq when you're milling it?

- Philip

 

[Jeff]

Here's another group of photos, these are taken with thinner applied. One shot is done with my camera in a different mode than I usually use, making the pic seem more yellow like natural outside light instead of the shop lights I have...maybe that'l make some difference in opinions.

I can say that after the thinner was applied the wood had some red streaks in it, and is a more red color overall.

View attachment 5515View attachment 5516View attachment 5517

The mystery continues so Poirot and Holmes are intrigued. The new pics are more revealing. Hmmm...Maiden, NC and probably a local wood. How about honey locust or black locust? A new vote for honey locust because of the slightly reddish tinge similar to red oak. Dry black locust is more on the yellowish to greenish-yellow side. Both locust species can be hard on a thickness planer when well dried.

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/locust, honey.htm

If it's a locust species it will show a bright green fluorescence under a black light. Many of our common domestic hardwoods are notably absent from the list.

http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/fluorescence-a-secret-weapon-in-wood-identification/

 

[sawduster2]

My vote is for Rock Elm.

Don