May need help identifying this wood

[Bill Bulloch]

I have several Box Elders on my property, or at-least what I thougt was Box Elder. I cut one down yesterday; it has a pretty grain, but it is not flaming red like one expects Box Elder to be. It has an orange/yellow tint with brown/orange spalding. I know that it is some sort of Maple, just not sure now which one. Since most people expect Box Elder to be Flaming, I am going to call this one Ash-leafed Maple (Box Elder), unless someone can confirm its idenity for me.

The first picture is a blank of this tree about 13 inches wide. The second, is a roughed out bowl from this tree about 11 inch diameter.

[David Christopher]

Bill, can you show a picture of the bark...it looks a lot like chineese tallow

[Dan Forman]

Looks kind of like Siberian elm to me. What do the leaves look like? If they look similar to ash, but staggered instead of straight across from each other, I'd say elm. Is the wood somewhat open grained and coarse?

Here is a roughed out Siberian elm bowl that I did. There can be a fair amount of variation in color with these. This was a crotch piece.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/P1020314.jpg



You can Google boxelder leaf, elm leaf, and whatever anyone else thinks it may be to see what each species leaf looks like.

Dan

[Bill Bulloch]

Here is a picture of the leaf and bark. I am fairly sure that it is Box Elder, just doesn't have the flame. I have heard that the flame color is caused by a decease -- maybe mine is {was} a healthy tree.

[Dan Forman]

Yup, that sure looks like a boxelder leaf.

Dan

[alex carey]

no idea what it is but im really looking forward to this being finished, its looks totally great.

[Ken Glass]

Bill,
I turn a lot of Box Elder here, and usually you don't know whether it is Red Flame Box Elder until you fall the tree. I ran into a nice sized tree that was flamed 5-6 month ago, but none since. The leaves look like Box Elder to me, and the grain seems to follow that thought also. Yours is very nice and has a lot of character. Please show us the finished piece when completed.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Bill that is not Manitoba Maple AKA Box Elder.
Acer Negundo/Box Elder has much thinner bark, and the wood is typically white, sometimes stained with red.
I believe you have Silver Maple there, the wood and grain plus the bark does make it Silver Maple to me.
I have some pictures here that will show the bark and wood and also the wood color in rough turned form, also one picture that shows the cut bark of a Silver Maple, HTH
And yes the leaf looks like Box Elder.

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[Bernie Weishapl]

Yep leaves look identical to the box elder the neighbor took down. It had no red flame in it either.

[Barry Elder]

So maybe it's Box Elder but has never been injured or infected so there's no red.

[Bill Bolen]

Leo, that leaf is not from a silver maple believe me. I have 2 growing right outside the garage and the leaf looks nothing like a silver maple...Bill..

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Bill yes the leaf is Acer Negundo, The question is, is that leaf from that tree ??

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Bill find this kind of leaf, that's what belongs to the wood you're showing I do belief :)

[Bill Bulloch]

Bill find this kind of leaf, that's what belongs to the wood you're showing I do belief :)


Leo, I have some Silver Maple Trees with the leaf you are showing. But, this tree is not one of them. I am still convinced that it is Box Elder, just has no Flame. The deeper I dig into it the more I am convinced that not all Box Elder has the Red Flame look, although all of it that I have turned before had the flame. I'll know for sure once the roughed-out bowl dries and I am able to finish it. Box Elder has a unique, {smooth, glass like} feel when finished.

The Trees I have look like the trees at this site: http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ACNE2

[Matt Murphy]

Here is a picture of the leaf and bark.
The bark does indicate that it is a Box Elder (Acer negundo). The Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) has a bark that is coarser.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Leo, I have some Silver Maple Trees with the leaf you are showing. But, this tree is not one of them. I am still convinced that it is Box Elder, just has no Flame. The deeper I dig into it the more I am convinced that not all Box Elder has the Red Flame look, although all of it that I have turned before had the flame. I'll know for sure once the roughed-out bowl dries and I am able to finish it. Box Elder has a unique, {smooth, glass like} feel when finished.

The Trees I have look like the trees at this site: http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ACNE2

Bill I don't know who came-up with the name flame elder, there is no such thing, the red color in the ash-leaf Maple/box Elder is caused by a fungus, and usually transmitted by beetles that get into the tree where there are wounds, diseased or broken Box Elder are more prone than healthy trees to get the discoloration, I've had some that was so red you wouldn't believe it other have nothing or just small lines or branches.
Look at this picture and see how a branch has the color but not the log, and also look at the bark and see the white inner bark (cambium), compare that with the bark you are showing, I also have a picture here of some real red Box Elder and also one from logs laying down that show the thin bark on Box Elder

[Jeff Nicol]

Bill, If you still have the chunk that is not turned, take a picture of it so we can see what it is on that piece. It does look like "Red Maple" to me more than a silver maple. The silver maples around here have little wormy looking dark lines in it and they are all through the wood. The leaf that Leo posted looks like a Norway maple to me, lots of them are planted on the boulevard and in many yards around here. Some of the Norway maple have the dark purple leaves and some have regular green leaves. So post another picture of the side of the other half of the blank you started and then we can make a better decision.

Jeff

[Bill Bulloch]

Bill, If you still have the chunk that is not turned, take a picture of it so we can see what it is on that piece. It does look like "Red Maple" to me more than a silver maple. The silver maples around here have little wormy looking dark lines in it and they are all through the wood. The leaf that Leo posted looks like a Norway maple to me, lots of them are planted on the boulevard and in many yards around here. Some of the Norway maple have the dark purple leaves and some have regular green leaves. So post another picture of the side of the other half of the blank you started and then we can make a better decision.

Jeff


Jeff, I am not sure what you want me to post. I have already roughed out the other half of that log, but here are some pictures of some of the other blanks.

[John Keeton]

Here is a picture of the leaf and bark. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=129852&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1255287646 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=129852&d=1255287646)

Don't know a thing about the color, but I am very familiar with the box elder and I believe that is what you have.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Bill, If you still have the chunk that is not turned, take a picture of it so we can see what it is on that piece. It does look like "Red Maple" to me more than a silver maple. The silver maples around here have little wormy looking dark lines in it and they are all through the wood. The leaf that Leo posted looks like a Norway maple to me, lots of them are planted on the boulevard and in many yards around here. Some of the Norway maple have the dark purple leaves and some have regular green leaves. So post another picture of the side of the other half of the blank you started and then we can make a better decision.

Jeff

Hi Jeff, the leaf I photographed is from a Silver Maple, the red maple isn't as deeply forked as the Silver maple, as for the color, the trees here are turning into fall color, the reason for the color.
I have a couple more pictures that will help to ID the leaf I posted, I do have pictures of Norway Maple leaves and bark also, the Norway leaf is very much like a Sugar Maple leaf, easy way to make sure it is Norway Maple is by breaking a leaf node, it will ooze milky white sap.
Anyway I'm still quite certain the wood shown is not Box Elder, so unless Bill gives us good clear pictures of the bark side of the log, we can't say for sure at this point if it is Silver Maple or another soft Maple, though it is not Box Elder.

http://images.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=ref&q=http://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity/herbarium/trees/acesil01.htm&usg=AFQjCNGOmXUO2SWm-i5G-l2uLya6u7yXgA

http://images.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=ref&q=http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/acpl.html&usg=AFQjCNGKRAJAyzZvhmTlz7_4P2IZ-I1kMw

[John Keeton]

I may be mistaken, but I thought Bill said the leaf shown came from the tree that produced the wood shown in his pics. Since the leaf is clearly a box elder leaf, that would seem to assure that the wood is also box elder. Of course, I could have misunderstood.

[Bill Bolen]

Jeez Leo....there is so much red in the second to last example you show I figured a chainsaw accident must have taken place. That is some beautiful stock you have there! Kinda makes me wish I lived a bit further North!...Bill..

[Bill Bulloch]

I may be mistaken, but I thought Bill said the leaf shown came from the tree that produced the wood shown in his pics. Since the leaf is clearly a box elder leaf, that would seem to assure that the wood is also box elder. Of course, I could have misunderstood.


The leaf posted did come from the tree in referrence. The Bark also. The bark is thin not thick. I always assumed it was Box Elder the only thing that confused me was that it did not have the red flame. I know now that all Box Elders are not the same.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Bill you can call it whatever you like :) :)

Have fun and take care

[Jeff Nicol]

Jeff, I am not sure what you want me to post. I have already roughed out the other half of that log, but here are some pictures of some of the other blanks.
These new pictures are definitly not Box elder. As leo says the bark is way to thick. I wanted you to show the side of the blank where the bark is. The darkness of the heartwood and the ambrosia stains says Red maple to me. I have about 200 acres of it to look at and just about all of it looks just like that when it is cut. I have cut up hundreds of box elder and just about all of it has some pink to orange tones in the wood and never the browns like what you are showing. So it is Red, Silver, Swamp or Norway maple. I really need to see the bark on the side of the slabs to be sure. If it is box elder it is the strangest I have ever seen!

Jeff

[Dave Schell]

Is it possible that a Maple tree and Box Elder tree cross-pollinated and what we have here is a "Box Maple" tree? :D

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Is it possible that a Maple tree and Box Elder tree cross-pollinated and what we have here is a "Box Maple" tree? :D

Dave I think it easier to pick-up the wrong leaf when you do have both trees on your property, what do you think :)

[Leo Van Der Loo]

These new pictures are definitly not Box elder. As leo says the bark is way to thick. I wanted you to show the side of the blank where the bark is. The darkness of the heartwood and the ambrosia stains says Red maple to me. I have about 200 acres of it to look at and just about all of it looks just like that when it is cut. I have cut up hundreds of box elder and just about all of it has some pink to orange tones in the wood and never the browns like what you are showing. So it is Red, Silver, Swamp or Norway maple. I really need to see the bark on the side of the slabs to be sure. If it is box elder it is the strangest I have ever seen!

Jeff

Jeff That's what my conclusion was, the bark just isn't Box Elder, and the color of the wood and the streaks made it something else, to me it was identical to most Silver Maple, though I'm not sure of that, could be a couple of other soft Maples, and even with a bark picture it's going to be hard to be certain which one it is, the problem is that bark often changes as the tree gets bigger/older, also exposure does add to it's looks, anyway I tried to be very truthful and show the things that do give us reasons to call it what we think it is, what more can we ask for or give :)

[Jeff Nicol]

Bill, Here is a picture of some box elder and some red maple with some spalting in it. The box elder looks a lot like what you have but it has some red also where a branch had been. And the bark is pretty much the same as what yours is. So the conclusion is that there can be variations in all woods that can throw us off track! Some leaf pictures too right out of my yard, it is nice to have the real stuff close at hand!

Jeff

[Mac Carlton]

I don't know what it is ,but if you don't like it, just send it to me ,I like it .
I am still new to this turning thing ,so I don't refuse any free wood. I guess I have'nt got my fill yet. I even go through our club president's burn pile, when we meet at his house.(with his blessing)

[Jarrod McGehee]

I'm just jealous you guys have those species. We don't have any local maple around here, it just won't grow

[Bill Bulloch]

I'm just jealous you guys have those species. We don't have any local maple around here, it just won't grow

What about those Avocado Trees, can you turn them? A friend of mine who lives out there gets them for firewood. I have been wondering if they are worth turning. Though about getting him to Flat Rate Box me some to try, or would that just be a waste of $12.00?

[Christopher Fletcher]

Avocado is great to turn. I have a few pieces that I sealed in wax last summer that have a nice amount of spalting on them now. They turn nicely and have a good amount of natural oil in them.