What is this?

[Bruce Page]

Any idea what kind of tree this is from? Judging from the tight growth rings it appears to be a slow grower and fairly old. It feels heavy for its size. The heartwood is a deep chocolate color.

I have no idea if it is native NM or from some distant land.

[Joe Jensen]

I think it's what's known as "Iron Wood". It's native to the SW and Mexico. Grows very slowly in the desert. Crazy hard to cut.

Of course I may be completely wrong :rolleyes:

[Pete Bradley]

Judging from those checks in the sapwood, you may want to consider cutting it or at least sealing the ends to insure it doesn't wind up identified as "firewood".

[Bruce Page]

Judging from those checks in the sapwood, you may want to consider cutting it or at least sealing the ends to insure it doesn't wind up identified as "firewood".

The guy that gave it to me said it had been sitting in his garage for 15 years. It's probably not going to check anymore.

[Bruce Page]

I think it's what's known as "Iron Wood". It's native to the SW and Mexico. Grows very slowly in the desert. Crazy hard to cut.

Of course I may be completely wrong :rolleyes:

I was thinking maybe it was Ironwood.

[Stephen Edwards]

Whatever it is, I bet it'll be pretty once sawn into boards.

[Mike Cruz]

Hmmmmm. Do a quick search for "ironwood" on either Google or in a wood identification book and you you will find a list of woods from around the world. It is a loose term used to describe very heavy dense woods in all cultures. I'm not saying that it isn't a Mexican or American wood, I jus hope you can find out its actual species.

[Stephen Edwards]

Hmmmmm. Do a quick search for "ironwood" on either Google or in a wood identification book and you you will find a list of woods from around the world. It is a loose term used to describe very heavy dense woods in all cultures. I'm not saying that it isn't a Mexican or American wood, I jus hope you can find out its actual species.

I was wondering about that. We have a tree here in TN that folks call ironwood that's different than the one in this tread. IIRC, there's another species over in NC also called ironwood. Both are extremely hard.

[Dick Strauss]

It looks close to what they call Texas ebony or maybe an acacia but I'm not sure. It could be some sort of acacia like Mike Vickery turns in Arizona. It could be some chilean mesquite...

Here are some pics of Texas ebony just in case...
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/texas%20ebony.htm

Try searching Mike Vickery's acacia turnings in the turners forum for some ideas:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=83077&highlight=acacia
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=61948&highlight=acacia

[Jeff Willard]

I think it's what's known as "Iron Wood". It's native to the SW and Mexico. Grows very slowly in the desert. Crazy hard to cut.

Of course I may be completely wrong :rolleyes:

Desert Ironwood doesn't have the wide band of sapwood that this does.

My SWAG is African Blackwood. What is the diameter?

[Greg Wittler]

Looks similar to some Ziricote pen blanks I had that had a little bit of sapwood on them, if so then it would be from a distant land as I believe it is from Africa. I remember it was fairly easy to turn but hard to finish sand (or maybe I am just too impatient)

Greg

[Bruce Page]

Jeff, it measures about 4" at the widest cross section. The heart measures about 2-3/4"

[Dan Forman]

I have some desert ironwood that has a fairly substantial band of sapwood, and similar bark. I think the width depends largely on which part of the tree it's from. The off center heartwood indicates that this is probably a piece of a branch, rather than trunk.

Dan

[Jeff Willard]

Really hard to tell just from innerweb pics, and just end grain at that, but it sure looks like it may be blackwood to me. The size is also consistent. Any plans on opening it up?

http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/blackwood,%20african.htm

[Bruce Page]

Really hard to tell just from innerweb pics, and just end grain at that, but it sure looks like it may be blackwood to me. The size is also consistent. Any plans on opening it up?

http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/blackwood,%20african.htm

Jeff, I don't know what to do with it. It might make a couple of interesting "finger" bowls.

[Jeff Willard]

If you turn, you may have the ideal project for it. If it is in fact blackwood, it's one of the nicest turning experiences you'll ever have. I've turned dozens (hunnerts?) of small boxes out of the stuff. It will come up to a hard gloss with nothing more than progressively finer grits of paper, and a little wax. In fact, anything else on it is frivolous.

Very hard, very stable, and very sweet.

O.T. How does that hump-backed bear tie in with New Mexico?

[Anthony Albano]

How about persimmon?

[Bruce Page]

O.T. How does that hump-backed bear tie in with New Mexico?

It's an Alaskan Grizzly. I took the pic on one of my trips up there.

[Glen Butler]

+1 for Ironwood, though the sapwood does appear excessive. Beautiful stuff for bowls, and goblets. You can sand it to a polish. I personally feel like Ironwood is a misnomer. While it is very dense, I have found that it machines more easily than oak.

[Michael Gibbons]

I thought Ironwood was a slang name for Hornbeam...