What Wood Is This?

[Julie Moriarty]

When we bought these slabs they were labeled Flamewood.

http://julimorcreations.com/Images/LiveEdgeIsland/LEI_001.jpg
The one in front is has poly on it, the two to the right have only been skipped planed.

Some searches have taken me to Siam rosewood but two things tell me it's not - 1. I paid about $11/bd.ft. for it and 2. Siam rosewood is very rare and on the CITES endangered list. I've seen prices for Siam rosewood comparable to Gabon ebony, sometimes even higher. But the curvature of a Siam rosewood tree matches the curvature of the slabs I have.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/iucnredlist-newcms/staging/public/images/2757/content_rcs04_siam_rosewood_tree_160535.jpg

Flame box elder also came up in my search but that doesn't look like it either.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/532397e8e4b0e6df3fc7d2ad/5659d1f3e4b0b807739bc010/5659d28ee4b04e877106efb9/1448727194020/image.jpg?format=750w

The only image I have found so far that looks close is this
http://www.natures-expression.com/uploads/1/1/8/1/11812928/3829932.jpg
They don't identify the wood only that it was salvaged from a yard in Pinellas County, FL. I bought those slabs in Sarasota County so there may be some connection to Florida grown woods.

I realize the term "flame" can be used for practically any wood that has figure. When I asked the sales rep about the wood, she told me it was very rare and it could be a year before they see it again, if ever. That they were selling it for $11/bd.ft. made me wonder about the "rare" status but I loved the figure so I bought it.

Any ideas?

[David Utterback]

The outer heartwood on the poly finished piece looks similar to black cherry. I wonder if the deep staining of the older heartwood could have been caused by some temporary growing conditions. There is little sap wood, though, compared with what we see here farther north. Not much help with my guesses.

[Pat Barry]

That is very pretty stuff whatever it is.

[Steve Schoene]

I can't speak to the id of that attractiv wood, but I know who can. The USDA Forest Product Labs will identify it for you if you send it to their long standing service. Here is the url that gives the info on how to do it. It's a free service as long as you are a private US citizen.

https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/research/centers/woodanatomy/wood_idfactsheet.php

[Andrew Gibson]

Golden Flamboyant, Copper Pod, Flame tree, Yellow Poinciana,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peltophorum_pterocarpum
https://www.south-florida-plant-guide.com/peltophorum.html
They are in bloom for a month or so and starting to taper off up here.
Yours was a small one, or maybe a branch. There are some really big ones in St Pete.
The bench you posted was built by Kirk Moss, I helped cut the slab.

[Julie Moriarty]

I can't speak to the id of that attractive wood, but I know who can. The USDA Forest Product Labs will identify it for you if you send it to their long standing service. Here is the url that gives the info on how to do it. It's a free service as long as you are a private US citizen.

https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/research/centers/woodanatomy/wood_idfactsheet.php
Thanks, Steve. I'll let you know how that goes.


Golden Flamboyant, Copper Pod, Flame tree, Yellow Poinciana,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peltophorum_pterocarpum
https://www.south-florida-plant-guide.com/peltophorum.html
They are in bloom for a month or so and starting to taper off up here.
Yours was a small one, or maybe a branch. There are some really big ones in St Pete.
The bench you posted was built by Kirk Moss, I helped cut the slab.
Andrew,

I did a Google image search for all the common names that came up under Peltophorum pterocarpum and none of them looked like what I have. I also ran across an enlarged image of the bench you helped Kirk Moss build and realized it's not the same wood. Advantage Lumber has slabs like that but I can't remember the name they use. It's different than what they call Flamewood.

Before I commit these gorgeous slabs to a life as an island top, I kinda need to know this isn't something I won't later kick myself for not using in a guitar.

[Barry Richardson]

Eucalyptus is also a possibility, looks similar to some I've seen, and much of it has that mottled flame figure. there are many eucalyptus here in the US so narrowing down the specific one might be hard.... Coolibah maybe.

[John K Jordan]

Accurately identifying a species from a photo of a board is notoriously inaccurate. You might get some nice guesses.

Check the end grain. Section 7 here has info: http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-identification-guide/ Knowing if it is diffuse porous or ring porous may eliminate a lot of guesses. For endgrain pictures of exotics check the link at the bottom of this page: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/_anatomy/growth%20rings/_growth%20rings.htm

Also, cut a small piece if possible, measure and weigh to get the density, another clue. Most rosewoods have a distinctive and not unpleasant smell, easily distinguishable from woods such cherry. The second board looks similar to cherry but then a lot of specific pieces of other species do as well. If it is cherry the smell should give it away.

Here is a discussion on rosewoods that might be useful: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/_discussion_rosewoods.htm
This page has some info about density and characteristics of Dalbergia cochinchinensis: http://www.wood-database.com/siamese-rosewood/

Here is a page on Hobbithouseinc with pictures of Siam Rosewood. http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/rosewood,%20siam.htm It appears the sapwood has far more contrast with the heartwood than your board, similar to cocobolo.

I suspect "flame wood" is a name assigned for marketing purposes.

[Andrew Gibson]

Is it about the density of mahogany and smell like Vicks Vap-O-Rub?
Still looks like golden flamboyant to me. Here's another pic of golden flamboyant for reference.



Thanks, Steve. I'll let you know how that goes.


Andrew,

I did a Google image search for all the common names that came up under Peltophorum pterocarpum and none of them looked like what I have. I also ran across an enlarged image of the bench you helped Kirk Moss build and realized it's not the same wood. Advantage Lumber has slabs like that but I can't remember the name they use. It's different than what they call Flamewood.

Before I commit these gorgeous slabs to a life as an island top, I kinda need to know this isn't something I won't later kick myself for not using in a guitar.

[Julie Moriarty]

Is it about the density of mahogany and smell like Vicks Vap-O-Rub?
Still looks like golden flamboyant to me. Here's another pic of golden flamboyant for reference.

It's more dense than mahogany and kind of a sweet smell. Of the woods I have on hand here, Koa is the closest to it as far as grain structure, cell pore density and weight.

[Julie Moriarty]

I was chipping off some pieces to send out and took some pictures along the way.
http://julimorcreations.com/Images/LiveEdgeIsland/LEI_002.jpg

The yard I bought this from had already debarked the slabs so this is all I have of the edges.
http://julimorcreations.com/Images/LiveEdgeIsland/LEI_003.jpg

[Bill McNiel]

Julie-given the uncertainty, why don't we just go with "Stunning"?

[Julie Moriarty]

It sure is pretty, Bill. I agree with you there.

I haven't figured out what it is yet but I did find out today how gnarly it is. I said earlier in this thread it kind of reminds me of Koa. I ran a newly sharpened jack plane over it and it tears up just like Koa. :( No edge tools for these slabs. I just hope when I'm flattening them the router bit doesn't tear the wood up.

[Bill McNiel]

It sure is pretty, Bill. I agree with you there.

I haven't figured out what it is yet but I did find out today how gnarly it is. I said earlier in this thread it kind of reminds me of Koa. I ran a newly sharpened jack plane over it and it tears up just like Koa. :( No edge tools for these slabs. I just hope when I'm flattening them the router bit doesn't tear the wood up.

Julie - FWIW, I have had really good results with the Magnate 2706 Bottom Cleaning bit and light (1/16") passes on gnarly slabs like hard maple burl.