Help wanted with timber identification.

[PowerTool]

Any ideas what timber this is ?

It's hard (screws tend to snap if you don't pre-drill),quite heavy,smells a bit like vinegar when you cut it if it is slightly damp,and was salvaged from dry-lined containers.

End grain

Long grain

(The dark spots are scorch marks from the tablesaw)

All suggestions welcome

Andrew

 

[Russell]

could be Eke but that smells bad like sweaty feet

Or what about a Jarrah type species

 

[Chris Knight]

Conceivably Gonçalo Alves if very freshy cut (it goes brown on exposure to air and light).
See pics of woods at this site http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/ ... s/#letterG

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Andrew, at first glance with its red colour and open interlocked grain I'd guess at any of the following.

Possibly Sapele, Entandrophragma cylindricum, an East African wood.

It might be one of the Khayas's aka African mahogany from west coast Africa.

Lastly, I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the Shorea's, of which there are about seventy species within the genus. Some are very soft, woolly, and non-durable in outside locations. Others are hard, dense, and extremely durable. Most of what's sold in the UK is sold as Meranti, Seraya, or Lauan. Lastly some unscrupulous types try to palm off some Shorea made pieces of furniture as, er....uhm, Philipine Mahogany (sic.)

It could, of course, be an American mahogany, e.g., Swietenia macrophylla. You'll sometimes find very dense examples of the stuff, but it's really very rare nowadays.

I can think of other contenders too, e.g., it might be one of the Dipterocarpus species from the Far East such as Keruing, but your images seem to suggest it's not.

If you happen to know which part of the world it came from, that could help pinpoint likely contenders for the Genus and species. Slainte.

 

[Philly]

Could be Bubinga?
Philly

 

[PowerTool]

Thanks for all the suggestions (and information ) - have some sapele and goncalo alves,and it's distinctly heavier than both of them.
Russell - looked up eke in Terry Porters "Wood identification and use",nearest it has is "ekki" (red ironwood) - very similar in density and properties,just a bit lighter in colour (and it has a very strange smell,so I can see the sweaty feet analagy being possible)
Chris - excellent link,thanks.
Philly - bubinga looks a possibility,but no noticeable gum in it.
Sgian - not sure where it starts it's life,other than it is wherever Dow Cornings in Barry buy in their silicone granules from - will try to find out when back at work on Monday.

Might put some on the lathe tomorrow to see what it works like.

Thanks again to all.

Andrew

 

[Colin C]

Hi Andrew

I think it might be Lauan as it looks like some that I have used