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View Full Version : What is the mystery wood


Bob Hovde
03-01-2005, 9:24 PM
I used for the bowl and plate? I'd like to put it on the bottoms.

I thought the bowl was spalted maple, but the bark was very thick, with deep, rough ridges - and some moss. Could it be hackberry?

I got the wood for the plate as a 5/4, 12"x8' board from a friend who was "cleaning out" her basement. (It's very heavy!) The previous owner was a woodworker and my friend let a neighbor take the "good" wood - mostly pieces of cherry. This was under the pile of 2x4s. The plate is for her as thanks. I don't know what I'll do with the rest of the board. I think it's either cocobolo or some type of rosewood, because when it's freshly cut, the lighter wood is bright red.

Any guesses?
Blake McCully
03-01-2005, 9:42 PM
The plate is for her as thanks. I don't know what I'll do with the rest of the board. I think it's either cocobolo or some type of rosewood, because when it's freshly cut, the lighter wood is bright red.


Bob,
Not an expert but I also think the plate is cocobolo. Could the bowl be box elder maybe?
John Miliunas
03-01-2005, 11:03 PM
Bob, not sure about the species but I DO know they're gorgeous!:) Nice job!:) :cool:
Cecil Arnold
03-01-2005, 11:15 PM
I'm working some hackberry now and it doesn't look like what I've got. I think John may have the bowl right, or--could it be sassafrass?
Karl Laustrup
03-02-2005, 6:05 AM
I don't know about the woods either, but I must say that those pieces are both stunningly beautiful. :) :)
Gary Max
03-02-2005, 6:49 AM
Great looking bowl and plate---like the big mustard colored monster sitting behind them also.
Bob Hovde
03-02-2005, 8:42 AM
Great looking bowl and plate---like the big mustard colored monster sitting behind them also.

Yeah. That was a stealth gloat. These were the first things I turned on the new lathe. It's been sitting in the garage for almost a year waiting for this room to be built for it.

Bob
Ken Fitzgerald
03-02-2005, 9:09 AM
Bob.....I really like the plate....the grain really jumps out at you!
Bob Hovde
03-02-2005, 12:33 PM
I don't think we have much Box Elder or Sassafras around Huntsville, but I think the bowl came from a "volunteer" tree the Utility people were taking down. It has lots of black streaks in it, but the cream color of the wood surprised me. I expected it to be more white from looking at the chainsaw sawdust.

I have another piece soaking in the soap. We'll see what it turns out like. (This one went directly to finish, since it's totally closed.)

Bob
John Shuk
03-02-2005, 7:10 PM
The bowl could still be maple. There are alot of varieties out there with lots of bark differences. Both pieces are beauties for sure. So's the lathe. keep'em coming!
John Shuk
03-02-2005, 7:11 PM
If the wood is really light in weight it might be willow as well.
Jim Becker
03-02-2005, 8:08 PM
Some close-up pictures of the bowl/vessel may be quite helpful for folks to help you identify the species. There isn't enough detail in these shots, unfortunately, to see the grain/pore patterns, etc.
Bob Hovde
03-03-2005, 10:33 AM
Some close-up pictures of the bowl/vessel may be quite helpful for folks to help you identify the species. There isn't enough detail in these shots, unfortunately, to see the grain/pore patterns, etc.

When I get home tonight, I'll try to get some close-ups of the "sister" bowl I'm making out of the same piece of log. It doesn't have any finish on it yet. Maybe it'll give some clues.

Bob
Bob Hovde
03-03-2005, 10:41 PM
I found some chunks of the log along with the second bowl - just roughed out. Does this help, or are there just too many kinds of wood that look the same? Sorry I can't get any closer with my S220 camera, but there's not a lot of grain structure visible.

Bob
John Shuk
03-04-2005, 4:10 PM
I'd have said willow to look at the first pic but seeing the bark I'd say it looks kindof like hard maple from the outside of the bark but what looks like a thick "spongy" layer between the wood and bark make me think something else. Could it be butternut?
Bob Hovde
03-07-2005, 9:43 AM
I'd have said willow to look at the first pic but seeing the bark I'd say it looks kindof like hard maple from the outside of the bark but what looks like a thick "spongy" layer between the wood and bark make me think something else. Could it be butternut?

I was thinking maple to start with. The "spongy" layer IS the bark. It's about an inch thick at the ridges.

Bob