Please help me identify this wood.

[Ryan Sparreboom]

All I know of this wood is that it came from a lady who was selling me some mahogany boards. They were from her woodworker father who has passed away. She knew little else about the wood. It was in the same lot but is obviosly very different. It is very heavy and dense. It is also quite difficult to cut and drill into.

The piece is 3 3/8" x 2" x 53". (2.48 bf) It weighs 12 lbs. (4.8 lbs / bf)

As you can see, the grain on the face and edge is very straight and linear. The end grain looks like straws and is very tight. Similar to mahogany I guess, but much heavier wood.

The color in the pics is accurate, when wetted, the color does not change but just gets darker and shows the grain more.

A type of mahogany? Something else? Thanks.

Overall:

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj158/Boomr99/P1010991.jpg

Face:
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj158/Boomr99/P1010993.jpg

Edge:

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj158/Boomr99/P1010995.jpg

End:

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj158/Boomr99/P1010997.jpg

Color comparison to a spruce 2x4 (planed).

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj158/Boomr99/P1010999.jpg

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ryan,

I could be way out in left field but it almost looks and sounds like padauk to me. I have turned smaller pieces for bottlestoppers and pens. :confused:

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ryan,

Check out this link. Near the bottom of the page is a "plank" about the same dimension and weight as yours.

In searching for information for padauk, I found information indicating it often starts out as reddish-brown and will turn brown over time.

http://www.exoticwoodgroup.com/order_padauk.htm

Good luck!

[Ryan Sparreboom]

Ken, you may very well be right. The weight / dimension sure matches. The grain is similar as well.

It was also suggested to me it may be Jatoba? Grain and weight similar to that also. But the jatoba I've worked with (very little) was a MUCH different color.

Any other thoughts?

[Roger Everett]

Got some 5/4 out in the shop that looks exactly a match. It's Brazilian Cherry also known as Jatoba -- heavy and hard.
Roger

[John Eaton]

Looks like Jatoba to me. If it was padauk, a little sanding or planing would restore the "pinkish/reddish" hue if you want to field test.

-- John

[Brent Smith]

Jatoba. I just went down to the shop and compared it to several boards I have.

[Peter Quinn]

another guess at jatoba based on weight and color, and those little dark streaks that appear in one pic.

[Ed Sallee]

I just finished a box out of Jotoba. Here's a picture of the end grain and here's a picture of what I have left over. Looks like a match to me. Hope that helps....
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/evsallee/DSC05844.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/evsallee/DSC05845.jpg

[David DeCristoforo]

That's 'Snotpadouk". I have worked with a lot of paduok and that ain't it. Jatoba is as good a guess as any. Around 1985, a friend and I were importing some hardwood from Honduras. Working with the local sawmills was a learning experience. There were tons of different woods laying around and more often than not when we asked what this or that wood was, the millman would say "Oh, that's granadillo". There must be a million woods that they call "granadillo". My friend and I became convinced that "granadillo" was Spanish for "Who the hell knows?....." Anyway, I can tell you with certainty that your wood is not padouk.

[Mike Cutler]

Ryan

Jatoba.

Jatoba can run the gamut in color. I have some that is a very golden amber color, with blackish streaks and highlights that catch the light and sparkles. Some is very red, some is a cinnamon brown color.

The grain can be a tight straight grain and it can also have all sorts of swirls and patterns.

Nice wood, tough to work with, a little unpredictable coming out the back of the blade, but is takes a finish very well. I cuss it and love it at the same time.;)

[Ryan Sparreboom]

Sounds like the concensus is Jatoba. And from comparing to Ed Sallee's pics.... I would say it's a "dead ringer" (tree pun intended, ha ha).
I'll call it decided then.
Thanks everyone!

I'm using it for the legs and handle on a small box with birdseye maple and it looks great so far. I'll post pics when done.

[Alex Shanku]

I disagree and say cumaru.

[Jack Briggs]

I say jatoba. Here's a sample with the same bees-wing figure as in Ryan's piece:

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/jatoba/jatoba,%20mottled%20s100%20q60%20web.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Looks like bubinga to me...but jatoba might also be a good choice.

[Kevin McBride]

...an awful lot like a wood that we use at the factory where I work, called Brazilian Lyptus. It is a very dense, hard wood. I made some chair pieces out it, for a chair I made for my father-in-law.

The Lyptus when drilled and counter-sunk would splinter quite easily unless unless done so at a lower speed...sorta brittle like when worked with a course saw blade as well.

[Steve Clardy]

To me, that looks like donotknow wood. :D