Name that wood

[John Loftis]

I picked up a couple pieces of wood this evening at an estate sale. I found these blocks of wood in a steamer trunk buried under a bunch of junk. A few of them have handwritten identification (Brazilian Mahogany, Basswood, Cherry, Jelutong). The rest have no identification. All the pieces are between 8/4 and 16/4. Most are ~16" square or a little bigger.

I was hoping that you folks could help me figure out what species they are. I sanded a spot on the boards and dabbed a little water on one of them in the hopes that will make it easier to ID.

I've never posted pics before, and hopefully they'll be clear enough that you don't say, 'umm... that shiny, blurry thing looks kinda like wood.'

Picture 1: I also found a little 4/4 lumber hiding under 20 years' worth of rat poop... I think it might be honduran mahogany (?). If it is, my next project just got its raised panels.

Picture 2: It has "DRPM" written on it. No idea what that means... maybe the "M" is mahogany?

Picture 3: no idea. This is probably my clearest picture, so hopefully it will be easier to id.

Picture 4: Is this pine? It's pretty heavy and the grain pattern is really cool.

Picture 5: Really old, weathered, split, 16/4 wood.

Thanks much for the help. I've also been trying to figure out what he was planning to do with that wood. His daughter said he enjoyed toymaking, so maybe that's it. The dimensions seem kind of strange to me. Really thick, but not big enough for my pea brain to figure out what to do with them.

[John Keeton]

With the wood being in TX, it would be hard for me to guess. But from the varieties you mention, apparently a good bit of it was not local anyway.

Hard to tell on 1 and 2 - not close enough - would guess mahogany. 3 looks like mahogany of some sort, 4 looks to be southern yellow pine. 5 - hard to tell as the pic is not close enough, but looks like yellow poplar to me.

Put me in for guess #1.

[Ben Davis]

No. 3 Certainly looks like mahogany to me.

[Matt Roth]

I had the same response as John, so ditto that.

[Jim Tobias]

#1- can't tell
#2 - Cypress
#3 - Honduran Mahogany
#4 - pine
#5 - can't tell


Jim

[Frank Drew]

The second board from the left in picture # 1 (the only board I can see really clearly) looks like quartered mahogany (and the others probably are); the fourth picture is, as others have said, most likely pine, or fir. I'm not convinced that the third picture is genuine mahogany, but it could be.

DRPM in the second picture... Dominican Republic something something? In the picture it looks pretty pale for genuine mahogany, but that might just be the lighting.

Some of the blocks of wood that you found in the trunk sound intriguing; might be some great bowl blanks there, if you turn. Not the basswood, but the mahogany, cherry, etc.

Maybe shot from directly overhead, in really clear focus, would make identification easier.

[John Loftis]

Thanks for the guesses. I'll take the more ambiguous boards outside and take pictures of them from close-up using natural light. Maybe that will help. A photographer I'm not.

I've never turned stuff, so some of these might get donated to the turners (they are legion) in the North Texas Woodworkers Association. Shows how little I know... I thought most folks turned green wood. I bet this stuff was hiding in his trunk for 20 years.

Assuming I keep a couple pieces, any other creative ideas for them? Barstool seat maybe.

John

[John Loftis]

Re-shot these for added clarity. Again, there's a bit of water/sweat on some of them (June in Texas...)

Pic 1= single board from pic 1 with a bit more sanding
pic 2= pic 2
pic 3= pic 3, but i think this version is less clear
pic 4&5 = old weathered. This one seems the most ambiguous to me. It isn't very heavy for 16/4

Thanks again,
John

[Frank Drew]

John,

In these new shots, 1 & 3 both look like mahogany, perhaps also #2, but I like the quality of the wood in 1 & 3 better than #2 (if the pictures are accurate.)

I can't tell about 4-5, but that amount of checking is going to be problematic.

[george wilson]

The wetted wood in #4 looks a lot like Spanish cedar. Does it have a cedary smell when freshly planed?

I am pretty definate about this. I have used it for many years for classical guitar necks. Cigar boxes used to be made of it. Also those long rowing shells for college competitions were made from it before fiberglass came along. It is pretty soft,and light for its strength.

#1 looks like African mahogany (Sapele). The #2 and #3 look like Honduras mahogany.

[Todd Burch]

First picture:

#1: cheap mahogany
#2: looks like Maple, but 2nd set of picture confirms mahogany
#3: mahogany (probably not premium)
#4: Douglas fir
#5: can't tell, but 2nd pic sets makes me think mahogany, but based on its condition, firewood.

Todd

[Jim Rimmer]

First picture:

#1: cheap mahogany
#2: looks like Maple, but 2nd set of picture confirms mahogany
#3: mahogany (probably not premium)
#4: Douglas fir
#5: can't tell, but 2nd pic sets makes me think mahogany, but based on its condition, firewood.

Todd
I agree with all of Todd's IDs

[david brum]

John

A couple of years ago, I built a buffet out of Philippine Mahagony, also known as Maranti or Marante. It looks exactly like pictures 1 thru 3, and would be consistent with the "PM" part of the designation. Marante looks kind of like mahogany but is generally lighter in weight and a little softer. It smells a lot like Spanish Cedar.

It seems to be very stable and is easy to machine. Hand planing is tricky though, because the grain reverses every season as the trees twist. Lots of tear out. The dust is really awful, so take that into account when you're working with it.

Take a look at this http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/meranti.htm

[Prashun Patel]

Your mahogany looks to be African Mahogany to me - not Honduran.
It could also be Eucalyptus Grandis, which is used as an economy grain match to African Mahogany. The way to tell the diff is Af Mahog will have a lot more ribboning and grain switching. Also, it darkens up considerably more under an oil finish than does Eucalyptus. But both have that pink cast when raw.

[george wilson]

African mahogany (sapele) may not show the ribbon figure if it isn't fairly quarter sawn. I stand by my evaluations.

[Roger Benton]

I have a bunch of old southern yellow pine, looks exactly like you first #4 pic.

[Matt Hutchinson]

To me, the last two certainly appear to be Spanish cedar.

Hutch

[Ryan Sparreboom]

Picture 4 in the first group is definitely douglas Fir, not pine.

Ryan

[george wilson]

Matt,Glad to meet an educated lumber identifier !!! :)