Black Palm?

[Ron McKinley]

A friend gave me this piece and it's really heavy and dense. He said it was Black Palm. It doesn't look anything like what has been described in another thread about worst woods to turn. Thanks.....Ron



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[David Walser]

It also doesn't look like any black palm I've ever seen before. But, then, I've always been bad at identifying wood -- even when it still has leaves on it!

[Kevin McPeek]

Thats definitely not black palm. Black locust maybe..?

[Jason Hallowell]

That's not palm of any kind. It looks like either mesquite or black losust to me.

[Ron McKinley]

I just went out and trued it up and cut tenons on both ends and it turns nicely so it can't be Black Palm. It doesn't turn like black locust—yet. I'll know more when I start shaping it. It's not mesquite as I've turned a lot of honey mesquite and screwbean mesquite. Guess it will just be "mystery wood" for a while.....Ron

[Rick Gifford]

No that is not Black Palm. It has fibers throughout, with a brittle grain in between.

Here is a pic:

http://www.bellforestproducts.com/images/squares/exoticslb/black_palm.jpg

[Ron McKinley]

The picture did not come through for me. Would like to see it so I can avoid it if it's as bad as every one says........Ron

[robert hainstock]

I'm just finishing a pen of black palm. It is very soft in the lite areas, and the black (Porkipine quills) are very hard. went to my 60 grit turning tool after a blowout. Hope you can see the pix in previous post now. log off and back on might work. :eek::eek::eek:
Bob

[Brian McInturff]

Speaking of Palm, they had a pile of Sapel palm(whatever Palms that line the streets here at the beach) and so I decided what the heck and cut me some blanks. I knew palms were in the grass family but man, I'm not sure I even want to put a good tool to it. If you put the light to it just right you can see shimmers of silica throughout it, and that's even in the middle. Guess I'm in for a heck'uva day tomorrow. Whoops, I'm hijacking this thread, sorry. Anyway, that's definitely not anything in the Palm family.

[Ron McKinley]

Now the picture comes up. Thanks......Ron

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ron it kinda looks like honey locust to me. Definitely not palm.

[Ron McKinley]

Could this be an ash? I've seen ash that looks like this but not nearly as heavy......Ron

[robert hainstock]

I found that my 60 grit turning tool works best, (to avoid tearout).
Bob

[Rick Gifford]

Here is the pic in case the photo link doesnt work again:

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[Glenn Hodges]

Your buddy was pulling your leg.

[Dick Strauss]

Red oak or honey locust???

[Kaptan J.W. Meek]

looks more like mesquite to me.. with the red/purpleish endgrain, and the yellowish face, I would guess mesquite.

[Rich Stewart]

Looks like some catalpa I had once. Bought it off ebay. Turned ok. Dusty. Sandpaper helped it alot.

[Ron McKinley]

I've never turned catalpa. Is that a heavy wood? This is heavier than oak or mesquite.......Ron

[Rich Stewart]

It's actually a very light wood.