Unknown wood

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Got a load of this wood from a lady close to home. Don't know what it is but it is easy to cut unless the tools are dull then cuts are fuzzy. I used a water based varnish as a sealet and it made the wood look almost white, hard to see the spiraling on the body. This is about 4" high. Mitch

[Greg Just]

Nice job - A closeup of the wood or a picture of a log would help.

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Thanks Greg and I will try to remember to post a picture of a small log in the morning, dark and cold, and raining outside right now. Mitch

[Bernie Weishapl]

Nice job on the vase. Kinda reminds me of holly.

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Thanks Bernie. I don't think it is Holly, I am familiar with holly, I think it is willow like you suggested. Mitch

[Bob Hallowell]

Very nice, but if it's willow it will weigh next to nothing and come from an area that is alittle wet.

Bob

[Prashun Patel]

Looks like a hosta to me ;)

[Glenn Hodges]

Mitchell you do not list your address or the place the wood came from, this info is helpful. The light color of the wood is all I have to go by and I will vote holly. If I knew more about it I might change my mind.

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Thanks Bob
I am leaning towards this being willow too Bob. Being a bud vase and only 4"high and not hollowed out this thing is very light. The wet area? I am not sure. Thanks again, Mitch

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Thanks Shawn. Some guys you just can't stump, no matter how hard you try. Your going to get well Shawn, I promise. Mitch:D

[curtis rosche]

looks ike its sittin on oak

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

:oThanks Glen
Correct me if I am wrong, holly is in the evergreen family and is more of a shrub or bush. This is a large tree. I am from Pgh. Pa, western part. I am going to post a picture of a piece of this wood. I would of done this before but never imagined this would draw so much attention from you gentlemen. Thank you one and all. Mitch

[Nathan Hawkes]

There are definitely holly trees in addition to the smaller bushes, some of which are large, but it is not a huge tree by any stretch. They grow rather slowly; the very largest I've ever seen was about 20", and that split into multiple trunks at about chest height. Holly is VERY white inside, however. Even moreso than the pics seem to suggest.

[Geoff Hanha]

Holly Can grow as either a single trunked tree or a multi-stemmed slow growing, evergreen tree or shrub, up to 50 feet even 70 feet at times we have a lot of it in a woods close to a friends home. And hard grained wood except at the center, as white as ivory and is valued for turning and inlaying. It stains well, and is used in place of ebony for the black handles of tea-pots, second only to boxwood.
Its a great wood to turn. Geoff

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Thanks Nathan. Your experience with holly and mine are identical. I never knew they grew real large anyplace in the world but guess I may be wrong. Mitch

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Thanks for that. I never knew holly to grow that high. You say this holly is hard wood and still an evergreen? Don't understand that buddy. Going to post a picture of a piece of this wood right now. Thanks, Mitch

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

curtis rosche
Sitting on Sycamore Curtis. Thanks Mitch

[Jake Helmboldt]

Thanks for that. I never knew holly to grow that high. You say this holly is hard wood and still an evergreen? Don't understand that buddy. Going to post a picture of a piece of this wood right now. Thanks, Mitch

Don't confuse coniferous (softwoods) with evergreen. Most conifers are evergreen, but not all, and not all hardwoods are deciduous (dropping their leaves). Without more details there is no telling the species, though holly was my first thought as well. What does the bark look like?

[Art kraft]

Holly (Ilex Opaca) is a hardwood. If it is really important to identify this wood maybe I can help. A simple way is to dip a small piece in water and take a thin slice with a razor, any sharp cutting tool. Get a 10x lens and look at the end grain. Find TEXTBOOK OF WOOD TECHNOLOGY BY Panshin add De Zeeuw. McGraw Hill pub. I will try to post picture,but needs to be very clear. If you do a piece of Oak you can see how easy it is.