Help identifying this found in firewood pile

[Michael Weber]

I found this in recently delivered firewood. Not sure what it is. I'm guessing a crotch or burl of some kind? Appears to have some crazy grain. Obviously round and about 16 inches or so across. In it's rough state just under the bark in the most swirly areas the grain is thread like and can be pulled off in short pieces. The layers under the top layer appear to be tighter without the looseness of the top layer. I assume it's red oak as that is what most of the firewood is. Is this usable for anything other than something to look at or should I burn it with the rest. Not sure what I could make with it other than a very small box if I could manage to get a few flat pieces out of it. Anyway, with my limited experience it appears interesting and didn't want to dispose of it without knowing more. Thanks.

[Cary Falk]

I don't know what wood it is but it is usuable. Turners would love to get their hands on it. I would too but I am just a hack turner. You could could cut pen blanks and bowl blanks and sell them. You could probably resaw it and make a small keepsake box out of it. Don't throw it away.

[Van Huskey]

Turners would trun it, flat workers would resaw it into veneer, burners would burn it, don't be in the final group!

[robert raess]

can you get a close up of the bark, as well as endgrain and sidegrain ?

[Michael Weber]

Two more pictures. Pretty sure it's red oak. You can see that there is no "inside" to it. Pretty much a concave shape. I don't see how a bowl turner could use it but I know nothing about the subject. If I elect to try and cut this up to try and salvage a couple of small blanks how do I treat it in the meantime? Should I trim out the dead stuff in the inside and otherwise clean it up before drying it? Do I need to coat it with something while it dries and which surface(s)? I can't see salvaging much out this it's so decayed on the inside. Looks like a maximum of 1.5 inches width of usable wood and all of that is curved. By the time I get some flat material out of it, it's seems it would be a really small amount. In short, if it's at all worth salvaging I guess I need a little guidance on how to proceed. Thanks for all the reply's.

[curtis rosche]

looks like cherry root. the root grain and brak is different. use a soldering pen or a dull drill bit and see if it smells like baking cookies when it heats up. the grain in root wood can be amazing, and the color is very cool. but it could have rocks.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I'm thinking that at least you could get some nicely figured pieces for drawer/door/tool handles.

[Bill White]

Nah! It is no good to ya. Send it to me. (Did ya see the smiley face?) There's a treasure lurking in that wood.
First thing to do is get the rest of the bark off of it.
Bill

[Michael Weber]

Okay, so it's not going into the stove! I thought I would bandsaw the rot and and the rough stuff off the back and clean it up but I sure would hate to ruin it through ignorance. What do I need to do to it to dry it, if anything? Do I need to coat the ends and/or sides like lumber while it drys? Hope someone can fill me on on that info.

[James White]

If it is oak i would get it out of the house. It will check quickly. You can remove the bark if it is loose. Then clean up the very soft rotted stuff. Otherwise if the rotted part is stable just blow it out with an air nozzle. Then you can coat the solid wood with Anchor seal or latex paint if you don't have anchor seal. Then you can take your time in thinking what to do with it. Perhaps you can donate it to a local turner.

[Jake Helmboldt]

Definitely oak, and probably red oak. It looks like part of a burl and often oak burls will be hollow and somewhat rotted on the inside (like your piece). I have several in the garage now and the grain is nice but not spectacular. The shape and lack of thickness limits the utility but I'd say find a turner that can use it or ask them to turn something for you. A platter or shallow bowl with an irregular edge can be turned from it.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

I think it's pork.:)

[Michael Weber]

If it is oak i would get it out of the house. It will check quickly. You can remove the bark if it is loose. Then clean up the very soft rotted stuff. Otherwise if the rotted part is stable just blow it out with an air nozzle. Then you can coat the solid wood with Anchor seal or latex paint if you don't have anchor seal. Then you can take your time in thinking what to do with it. Perhaps you can donate it to a local turner.
James, do I coat the entire thing or just the end and side? Thanks

[James White]

All of the solid wood. You don't want to get any of the sealer into the nooks and crannies of the rotted portion. This way if you decide to use that portion in a project it will not be contaminated with sealer.

James

[James White]

Do you have a bandsaw? You could slice a box lid or two out of it. But be sure to dry it slow. Or you will end up with a potato chip.

[Michael Weber]

Okay, thanks to everyone that helped out. Appreciate it. A couple more pictures after clean up on the back and a close-up of part of the front. There was lots of black rot and under that a lot of punky wood which you can still see a little of. The front reminds of Van Gogh's Starry Night painting. Going to paint it all this afternoon (excepts the nooks on the back). Wish I had found it sooner as it's already begun to crack in a couple of places. Too bad. If it holds together during the drying process, both my wife and I think the best thing to do with it is to sand it smooth(er), apply a finish and keep it for a display. That's now though so don't know what it will be a year from now when I remove the paint.

Forgot to mention, there are 3 or 4 holes on the front, obviously from bugs, do I need to inject something into those?

[Matthew N. Masail]

it's quite a beautiful display of nature.

[Greg Hines, MD]

It looks like hickory to me after cutting up and splitting some for firewood this season.

[Dan Hintz]

Definitely not worthless... doesn't look big enough to get a bowl out of, maybe not even a small hollow form, but a turner could easily get a good number of pen and bottle stopper blanks out of it (and I'd be happy to take it off of your hands :D). The grain pattern looks very much like a piece DAMP turned just yesterday (see the DAMP January 2012 thread in the turner's forum). Out and out gorgeous piece.