Anyone got Pictures of London Plane

[Grahamshed]

Does anyone have pics of London plane logs ? hopefully end on and of the bark.
I saw what I thought were some chunks of Yew branches this afternoon but shop assistant thought they looked like plane to him.

 

[marcros]

These are from the Facebook page of From the Woods (Alex Wigley) to give credit where due.
More info http://www.coatesengland.co.uk/alex-wigley/

 

[Grahamshed]

Thanks for that Marcros/ The bark does look similar....... not sure.

 

[marcros]

I would have expected yew to have distinct heartwood and sapwood- orange and creamy white which you would see at the end. But I am no expert.

 

[KimG]

Timberwise, (as opposed to the bark) London plane is often heavily flecked (medullary rays) and is the primary reason for it's name as a wood, Lacewood, I have some somewhere I will try and photograph it and pop an image up.

 

[bellringer]

These are from the Facebook page of From the Woods (Alex Wigley) to give credit where due.
More info http://www.coatesengland.co.uk/alex-wigley/

Interesting thing about that plane it came from the tower of London

 

[marcros]

I have a small stash of that same tree too for a bed project. Nice bit of provenance with it and I am looking forward to getting started on it soon.

 

[KimG]

Here are three pics of the timber, the first one shows the fleck pattern, its similar to Beech but bigger and less regular, the second image is of the bark showing the very characteristic flaking nature of the tree (the reason it does so well in cities, it traps the excess pollutants in the bark and in shedding it is able to keep healthy, something like that anyway)

The third image shows (highlighted in the yellow area) some more flecks, a piece with a lot of this type of flecking is called lacewood, the flecks in Lacewood are often elongated as well.

This sample is pretty ancient, it came from a tree felled by the 1980's hurricane, and has been stored and munched by woodworm in the intervening time!

 

[KimG]

The bark of yew has a slightly stringy quality, and is softish, Plane bark is quite corky and comes off in plates, not stringy at all.

 

[chipmunk]

The other way to tell would be density. If it's dry, plane is very light compared to yew.

Jon

 

[Grahamshed]

Getting more unsure by the minute
Bark is thin and flakes off easily, not stringy but not corky either. I would have said papery.
I have a 3 inch thick branch 18 inches or so long and feels pretty heavy to me.

 

[Grahamshed]

Lets see if can get some pics up.

weight wise the branch is about 3 inches thick by 20 inches long and it weighs a lot more than the piece of spalted beech below it which is 4 X 3 X 16 inches

 

[marcros]

it isnt LP- much too much contrast between the heartwood and sapwood.

 

[Soylent1]

Looks like yew to me to yew...?

 

[KimG]

That is Yew for a certainty. Absolutely not London Plane. When I say Yew has stringy bark, I mean it can be peeled in very thin sections rather than it is like string.

 

[Grahamshed]

Golly Gosh
We have consensus

Many thanks guys

I've got a bit of yew - Yay =D>

 

[procell]

I would agree with Yew. the bark is exactly like the logs I have in my garden and those still have some of the leaves on them so I am certain they are yew.

 

[Woodmonkey]

those still have some of the leaves on them so I am certain they are yew

If it's got leaves on it then it ain't yew!

 

[Grahamshed]

needles are still 'leaves'. In my book anyway.

 

[procell]

yes by leaves I include needles