Another what wood is this.

[JimB]

This wood is fairly common across here and is even seen as a weed tree in places. Heavyish and hard enough to test the sharpness of your tools but gives a marvellous finish.
I've included pictures from all sides with excellent ones of the dustbin lid. As you can see, it comes off the bandsaw rather than planed.

 

[woodiedonald]

Is it Osage Orange?

 

[KimG]

Robinia? (False Acacia) I also thought it looked a bit like Mulberry, but the bark seems wrong.

 

[mikebeetle]

Acacia

 

[JimB]

That was quick, Donald. Osage Orange it is.
Popular for making bows in the States I believe.

 

[Vic Perrin]

I was going to say Boomerang Wood

Vic

 

[Grahamshed]

I was going to say Osage Orange



Well, I might have done if I had heard if it (hammer) (hammer) (hammer)

 

[woodfarmer]

Too late!, When i saw the end grain I thought it might be acacia, when I saw the bark I knew it was acacia. Oddly in the branch I cut a week or so ago , the wood is white??? as it dries it is beginning to darken a little and the grain figure is becoming more defined.

 

[JimB]

The orange colour gets even deeper with time. I've planted some seedlings just to see how they go.

 

[JimB]

Woodfarmer, what sort of acacia is that. We have a great variety out here some of which are furniture quality, others, like one I've just had felled are beautiful when flowering but not a lot of good outside the fireplace.

 

[woodfarmer]

Woodfarmer, what sort of acacia is that. We have a great variety out here some of which are furniture quality, others, like one I've just had felled are beautiful when flowering but not a lot of good outside the fireplace.

otherwise known as false acacia, or Robinia. or locust tree. They originated in NE USA I believe. Grown here for fencing stakes and firewood. It can be used for furniture but best to use older trees for that. Finishes well but "bendy" when being sawn into planks from the tree trunk. Is leguminous so will fix nitrogen in the soil, interplants really well with a mix of ash and sycamore. The three of them feed each other.

The one you have is the same as I have, just this last one I cut a branch which was fouling on the tractor in the lane. Be aware they like to split from the middle so planking it green (fresh) is a good idea. Generally here we don't get big stuff as they are coppiced. the straight ones go fo fence posts and the rest is firewood. Turns really well.

 

[JimB]

Getting crossed lines I think. The wood I showed is Osage Orange.
We do have Robinia across here - another weed tree if it's allowed free rein.

 

[woodfarmer]

Getting crossed lines I think. The wood I showed is Osage Orange.
We do have Robinia across here - another weed tree if it's allowed free rein.

sorry, that is a new wood to me... bark and figure near identical to normal robinia.

 

[KimG]

The end grain is very similar to Robinia, the wikipedia article on the tree in very interesting too. My other choice of Mulberry was very close to the mark too, the Osage Orange is a Mulberry family member!

 

[JimB]

The end grain is very similar to Robinia, the wikipedia article on the tree in very interesting too. My other choice of Mulberry was very close to the mark too, the Osage Orange is a Mulberry family member!

Have a mulberry growing in the garden. Some fruit last season but not much and it's only chopstick size so far so the chainsaw stays in the shed.

 

[KimG]

There's a really old one that grows in an old walled garden about 12 miles from here Jim, one memorable summer back in the early 90's we happened to be there when a troop of scouts were camping in the garden (it is owned by the national park), the tree was actually fruiting and so we were, for the one and only time since, able to pick and eat the mulberries, they were very nice. I bought a tree a few years later, but they are quite particular about where they will grow, and it didn't take to my garden. I don't know of any others in the county, they seem reasonably common in the Midlands though.

 

[JimB]

Kim, they are quite common across here especially in the older gardens. You sometimes see them in the bush where there used to be a settlement. Took some politicians to see one near where we lived and they pigged themselves. The red hands went well with their suits.

 

[Harbo]

A neighbour has one that he planted a few years ago which is fruiting for the first time this year. (Winchester).
The ones I've seen in Parks etc get very big?
I suppose you know of the story re the Stuart? King who planted lots of Mulberries for silk worms but sadly he choose the wrong variety?

http://www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalHouseho ... alace.aspx


Rod

 

[Grahamshed]

You do learn some fascinating stuff on this forum =D> =D> =D>