Sending wood out for identification

[kevin nee]

Hello, This past weekend-end I purchased a batch of very old stock from a man that was moving. Mostly Mahogany. I could see the grain and identify it. There is one piece 28x54x2 that he said was Mahogany. It is rough sawn with numbers painted on the ends and sides, and is much heavier than the Mahogany. Also much darker in color. I have read here in the past that there is a place you can send a sample and get wood identification. If anyone knows this address please send it along.

[John K Jordan]

Hello, This past weekend-end I purchased a batch of very old stock from a man that was moving. Mostly Mahogany. I could see the grain and identify it. There is one piece 28x54x2 that he said was Mahogany. It is rough sawn with numbers painted on the ends and sides, and is much heavier than the Mahogany. Also much darker in color. I have read here in the past that there is a place you can send a sample and get wood identification. If anyone knows this address please send it along.

Kevin,

Look at the "Still stumped" box at the bottom of section 7 on this page:
http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-identification-guide/

I sent a sample once as a test and they confirmed my ID. It took about a week and they replied simply "elm". They may not even be that specific on some species, I don't know.

Another thing to do is read that article and try examining the end grain yourself.
If the wood is heavier than you expect for mahogany, you can also carefully measure and weigh the board (or a sample cut from it) and compare the density to the numbers listed for typical mahogany.

If you like mail a small sample to me and I be glad to see how it compares species I have in my collection. All that is needed is about a 1/2"-3/4" square and perhaps 1/4" thick or so, enough to hold without slicing my fingers while shaving the end grain clean with a razor blade.

JKJ

[robert baccus]

Check out " Hobbitt house" wood ID on google--He has every wood with many pics and end grain shots. He? also will probably help you personally, a great guy.

[John K Jordan]

Check out " Hobbitt house" wood ID on google--He has every wood with many pics and end grain shots. He? also will probably help you personally, a great guy.

This web site is on my "go-to" list. Paul Hines is certainly a great guy and obviously personally interested in wood. I don't think there is a resource anywhere with more photos and information about various types of wood.

To make it easier to find, here's a link: http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/
A new user might even start here: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/index2.htm

As for Mahogany, this is interesting, about some of the confusion around various woods called "mahogany":
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/_discussion_mahogany.htm

On Cuban Mahogany (the "good" stuff, unobtainable): http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/mahogany,%20cuban.htm
On Honduran Mahogany: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/mahogany,%20honduran.htm
A note he makes: Cuban Manogany (Swietenia mahagani) cannot be distinguished from Honduran mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) outside of a well equipped wood science lab.

On African Mahogany: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/mahogany,%20african.htm

HobbitHouse is a great resource, especially to see the tremendous variety of color and figure possible within a single species. So many different species can look similar too. After spending some time on this site I don't believe some of the names others have written on pieces of wood in my own stock. I a number of pieces labeled "mahogany" and "african mahogany" and they are all different. I recently bought from a dealer a plank of 8/4 wood labeled "walnut" that turned out to be East Indian Rosewood. Another time I bought some huge pieces labeled "claro walnut", a couple so heavy I had trouble lifting them. When I cut into one later and examined the end grain under the microscope I realized they were Cocobolo...

I think those who look at a photo of a face of a board and are immediately "sure" of the type of wood might pause if they browsed a few pages on HobbitHouse

JKJ