Another what wood is this question

[user 466]

I came across this piece of wood whilst clearing the garage a while back and cannot work out what it might be. At first I thought that it was a piece of softwood, possibly some kind of pine but it seems too heavy to be that. I cut off a small piece to find the grain is well defined and almost pink or orange in colour (difficult to say really). I tried turning a piece into a light pull and it finished quite well. Sanding produced more of a flour than a dust but the smell of the wood whilst turning was definitely not a pine type smell.

I hope that I have managed to attach the two photos correctly. Can anyone help with a possible identification?

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

wel....it LOOKS like a regular softwood pine but SOUNDS a little like Yew. I would still plump for a construction grade style pine based on the pictures.

 

[Woodmonkey]

That does look like some kind of softwood to me Doug fir maybe

 

[Chrispy]

Looks like Southern Yellow Pine to me.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

+1

 

[KimG]

Looks like Southern Yellow Pine to me.

I would go with that, it's not Yew though. The grain is a similar type to pitch pine (long leaf pine and yellow pine are closely related) it is a pretty dense and heavy timber, a characteristic that no doubt extends somewhat to these related species, hence your noting its unusual weight.

 

[user 466]

Many thanks for your suggestions.

Southern yellow pine seems favourite. The smell whilst I was turning was definitely not the usual pine smell. Would that be the case?

 

[KimG]

It might be a hemlock then Steve, that has an odd sort of smell, but that's more of a guess based on the absence of a pine smell which isn't necessarily indicative.

Basically though, it's a softwood which isn't Yew (which is probably the most turned softwood for decorative items). Various pines and spruces, probably even fir and larch are often turned for utility items like chair and table legs, balustrades and newel posts, but not that often for bowls etc.

You made a very nice little light pull from that bit though!

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

And by softwood Kim means its a coniferous evergreen rather than wood which is soft necessarily. Generally softwoods are indeed relatively soft. But confusingly, some are very dense and very hard (and therefore heavy). Yew being the classic example.

 

[Harbo]

If it's pink I'd say Wellingtonia?

Rod