Wood Identification

[Corset]

I require help identifying some mystery wood. I intend to use these to make my tool holders in my tool chest and both were bought on a wing and a guess. One was from a commercial wringer/roller and is so heavy i struggle to pick it up. The other larger plank is just as dense. While cutting and planing the tools have taken a right hammering and new blades will be required. I wore full face protection etc while working with unkown timers etc. I was not wearing sandels while working!
First up roller timer, Nice oily texture, weighs a ton and planes with yellow shavings. I am hoping for lignum but |I am normally wrong!

Next timber heavy and ugly. Odd smell when planing but that could be me not having a wash last night :lol:

I really could do with some help here as my next stage depends heavily on what these are and the properties of them.
I intend to create some wear strips if they are lignum or another resistant type timer. However if they are a bit toxic a rethink will re required.
Any opinion would be helpful!!
Owen

 

[Modernist]

Wringer rollers were indeed often lignum so you may be lucky

 

[Corset]

I can confirm when i first bought it it was heavy when dropped on ones toe due to being slippy it made a very dense wringing noise if that helps.

 

[JonnyD]

second one possibly iroko .

cheers

Jon

 

[Corset]

I think although could be wrong that it is too heavy for iroko. looking its weight up on the web its dense but not as dense as this wood!

 

[Teckel]

Is the second one teak?? Would of said lignum for the first but not sure

 

[AndyT]

Lignum vitae is the only wood which sinks in water, so that should be an easy test.

 

[JonnyD]

could be this then if its quite heavy http://www.smeetimber.com/species/ekki.html

cheers

Jon

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Greenheart for the first? Second jarrah, maybe?
There are 6 1/4 gallons to the cubic foot, water is just over 10lb to the gallon - you could work it out precisely, but I don't think lignum is the only wood that sinks.

 

[Tony Spear]

Greenheart for the first? ......I don't think lignum is the only wood that sinks.

Such as Greenheart? :lol:

 

[Stormer1940]

I was going to say Iroko for the second ones as well - The grain is pretty much the same as Iroko...... The dust that was created when cutting it should have been a bright greeny colour...

Nice Sandals :lol:

 

[Corset]

I am fairly confident that the first log is lignum vitae now. The grain does not seem right for greenheart and is very greasy which and waxy which I think is the key.
Its possible that the second is ekki the grain looks similar. I had though it might be ipe but I am not sure what that looks like.
Owen

 

[Mister S]

I'm no expert, but the second one does look like iroko to me, I've used quite a bit of reclaimed stuff.
I have to say though it's very hard to tell, because the stock I had varied in colour and grain tremendously.
You only need to look at the Hobbit house web sit to see there are lots of variations.

It's a good site, but it looks like you have to have at least an idea of what it is you are looking at before
you can jump in and look at the photos.

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

Steve

 

[Dodge]

Personally I do not think its Lignum much mute likely from description of weight, blunting of tools and agape arame in the photos to be afromosia.

IMHO anyway

 

[Mister S]

I don't think the second one is ipe, looking at the pictures here.

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/ipe.htm

Not much help I know, telling you what it isn't.

But at least my knowledge has increased today, because I for one
had never even heard of ekki or ipe before, let alone seen them

 

[woodbloke]

Lignum vitae is the only wood which sinks in water, so that should be an easy test.

There are others, lignum vitae is the heaviest timber known (at present) Any timber with a density greater than that of water will sink
Can you provide a sample of the end grain or a picture of the leaf and twig structure of the tree?...expert analysis of those two features is the only way to be sure of identification...anything else is a pure 'shot in the dark' Personally, I reckon they're both balsa...until anyone can prove otherwise and my guess is as good as anyone else's Data needed for expert ID! (and I'm not it) - Rob

 

[AndyT]

Ok, it's the only wood I could think of without looking it up!
But I now know that ebony and greenheart are also denser than water and would sink. Also cocobolo, grenadillo, some boxwood, ironwood and satinwood.

Plenty of lists out there!

 

[Corset]

First wood definetly sinks in water as tested in the childrens bathwater last night.
Second wood i will try to cut an end grain to get an idea. I think it may just end up being mystery tough heavy reddy woody species! :lol:

 

[Modernist]

It looks like Greenheart, sinks like greenheart and came from an item often known to be made of greenheart.

What does the team think it is? :lol: :lol:

 

[Corset]

I suppose its greenheart.
Any problems leaving it in contact with metal ie resting planes on it??
owen