Hi there! I’ve been getting into woodworking over the past year or so after buying my first house and building up a little garage shop. I have a ton to learn but enjoying building cutting boards and other little things so far. My friends recently bought a property out in the country with a big barn woodshop that is full of wood of all shapes and sizes, which is pretty fun to rummage through. I just wish I knew more about wood types so I could tell what everything is. I brought home a few pieces last time I was there and was hoping someone could tell me what they are. Thanks in advance!
#1 Very heavy, maple burl??
#2 Also feels pretty dense, not dark enough for walnut though is it?
#3 Feels heavier than pine
Replies
I'm no expert when it comes to identifying wood through photographs but, I would guess as you indicated, Maple burl, Walnut, and possibly Pine. The one constant in your descriptions is the word "heavy". Is it possible the roof in the barn is leaking and that the wood is wet? I recently helped a friend with some wood he retrieved from a log cabin that had a leaky roof and, although the outside of the boards appeared to be dry, the inside was wet and the boards were heavy.
Just a thought.
Guessing chestnut on photo#3
Cherry burl, cherry, and unsure -- could be cherry with mostly sapwood.
I'm going to guess Maple burl, Walnut and Holly.
Number 2 could be Osage orange. I found a few slabs in a similar barn find that had a strikingly similar look. Easy to ID, just take a few shavings and see if it’s yellow.
Number 3 could be Douglas fir, since it looks like you’re in the PNW.
I appreciate all the responses, I know it's hard to say for sure but it gives me a place to start Googling. Thanks!
Just a thought on #3 .. leave it out in the sun and if it starts darkening, it might be cherry.
Great idea. Better yet, try it on all three. Leave half of each covered to keep light out, and the other half exposed. Cherry will darken considerably on the exposed parts after just a couple of days of bright sun.
Sand each first to remove surface oxidation. My bet is all three are cherry.
Late to the party, but the grain and color of the second picture looks a lot like a stack of back locust that I had in my shed. Heavier and harder than walnut or cherry.
I agree with 3steers about the black locust. If it were planed I might be more sure.
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