Replies

1. 
   KeithNewton | Dec 30, 2007 06:12pm | #1

   Showing some bark from higher up the tree would help, and your location may also help. Showing the sapwood in your third photo is not as useful as seeing the other side of those would be.

   The photo resolution is not sharp enough to see clearly if there is an open pore along the annual ring. Are there any naked-eye open cells along that line?

   If you know the location where it was taken down, asking the home-owner what fruit it bore could also help.

1. 
   salvaged | Dec 30, 2007 09:54pm | #2

   Hi Keith, this was the only piece left it measured about 5ft. My location is Oakland CA, don't
   let the name fool you there are very few Oaks. We have so many non native species here it's
   mind blowing. To the naked eye yes open pores. Pictures are the best I can do.Usually if there arborist is around and I don't know he tells me, have not seen him around.Thanks
   Salvaged

1. 
   KeithNewton | Dec 30, 2007 10:17pm | #3

   You know, at first I wanted to think that it may be a fruit-wood, like one of the plumbs, or other cherry, not black, but those would all be even texture woods. My best guess without leaves, or were there any thorns? Honey Locust. You are too far from area of familiarity.

1. 
   salvaged | Dec 30, 2007 11:42pm | #4

   I looked around for small branches with leaves but did not find any. No thorns found either.
   I have 13 pieces stickered, 1"x6"x16" it's very beatiful, will see what happens.I'll keep working on it. I want to increase my knowledge on tree id.Salvaged

2. 
   mrbird90 | Dec 31, 2007 02:41am | #5

   If you lived in the eastern US I would say it looks a lot like a slab of ash I have in tne shop.

1. 
   saschafer | Dec 31, 2007 03:04am | #6

   The bark is definitely not ash. It looks like a fruit tree of some kind.

   -Steve

    

1. 
   saschafer | Dec 31, 2007 05:45am | #8

   Actually, I'll go out on a limb (pun intended) and guess from the bark that the tree is a Prunus (plum, cherry, peach, etc.).

   -Steve

    

3. 
   flairwoodworks | Dec 31, 2007 03:53am | #7

   That picture of the bark is sure interesting.  The texture is quite unusual.  Is the colour really as silver as it looks?

   I have no idea going by the bark, but the picture of the slab looks like walnut, going by the grain and colours.  I've got some wood I know to be walnut which stronly resembles your specimin.  No bark though.

   Chris @ flairwoodworks

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

4. 
   rpholland | Dec 31, 2007 06:18am | #9

   Take a look at hobbithouseinc.com this site has photos and descriptions of almost every wood on earth.

   Rob

1. 
   salvaged | Dec 31, 2007 07:48am | #10

   Thanks, great site. I believe the wood I have is Plum.Salvaged

1. 
   Joe Sullivan | Dec 31, 2007 08:02am | #11

   Yes, could very well be plum. My first reaction to the bark was that it was peach, but plum is probably a better match.Joe

1. 
   joinerswork | Dec 31, 2007 05:31pm | #12

   Joe,

   Don't know about peach, but plum isn't what I'd call an open pored wood.  Nor apple or cherry.  Anyone know what hackberry or elm bark looks like?

   Ray

1. 
   saschafer | Dec 31, 2007 07:01pm | #13

   "Anyone know what hackberry or elm bark looks like?"

   Yes.

   -Steve

    

2. 
   saschafer | Dec 31, 2007 07:05pm | #14

   Oh, you wanted to know, too!

   Hackberry bark is fairly light-colored gray, like beech. It's smooth when young, then develops "warts" as the tree gets older.

   Depending on the species, the appearance of elm bark is sort of in between white oak and white ash. It breaks up into thick, relatively long vertically-oriented ridges that sometimes intertwine like those of white ash.

   -Steve

    

3. 
   Joe Sullivan | Dec 31, 2007 11:18pm | #20

   You mentioned that peach is not open grained.  I'll take your word for it.  Must admit that while I have a small peach orchard and have cut and burned a bit now and then, I have never tried to work any.  However, that was the impression I got from the bark and the wood color, which are not reliable guides.

   On the other hand, I probably have a couple of hundred Hackberries on the property, unfortunately, and as many Elms of two species.  The bark really does not look to me like either of them.  But of course, I've been surprised before.

   J 

4. 
   joinerswork | Dec 31, 2007 11:50pm | #21

   Hi Joe,

   What I meant to say was I don't know about peach wood, but plum, apple and cherry I've seen are not open grained.

   The wood looks like elm or locust from the photos, maybe peach looks like that too?

   Ray

5. 
   Joe Sullivan | Jan 01, 2008 12:04am | #22

   There are several kinds of elm, of course.  It doesn't look lke the Cedar Elm or Americn Elm that grows around here, but about other types, I couldn't say.  I usually think of elm as havcing a more fissured bark, though.  I agree fully that the bark looks like some kinds of Locust.  Maybe that's what it is.

    

   J

2. 
   jquinn | Dec 31, 2007 07:46pm | #15

   doens't look anything like the plum trees I have cut, and one just last week (all damaged - so not going to cut down a good fruit tree).  not cherry or other fruitwood as far as I can see.  I've also cut a peach tree, and they're pretty close in color and grain to plum.

   Plum actually does have a orangish/purple heartwood, and its usually quite thick compared to sapwood.  its a relatively dense/closed grain wood too.

   Like someone else said, this could be a type of landscape/ornamental locust (definitely not black).

1. 
   salvaged | Dec 31, 2007 09:30pm | #18

   I will try and post some better pictures today. I'm not one for giving up
   to easy so I will keep working at this. I used this web site http://www.hobbithouseinc.com
   to try and make the match. First I thought it was Ash, Locust but after looking at the
   pictures of Plum that's where I came to my conclusion.Prunus spp. of the family Roasaceae, the rose family There are an estimated 400 memeber of the genus Prunus and none of them produce trees of a size substantial enough to warrant commercial lumber production, but the wood is tight-grained and colorful so is used by craftsmen for ornamental objects, particlarly turnings, and you can frequently find turning-sized chunks from specialty vendors. Best
   Salvaged

1. 
   salvaged | Dec 31, 2007 10:57pm | #19

   More pictures. Not much better than prior.Salvaged

   
2. 
   jquinn | Dec 31, 2007 07:47pm | #16

   link isn't working

5. 
   jquinn | Dec 31, 2007 07:51pm | #17

   if this were still Finewoodworking, the magazine staff would go out and get a wood expert like John Arno was.  They used to run short articles on different wood types in the magazines, and John Arno used to be on this page a lot when he was alive.

   amongst many other failings of the current magazine, they need to go out and get this real expertise again.  and not someone who just writes and article about oak and cherry "because no one else on the staff wanted the job."

6. 
   Dave45 | Jan 01, 2008 03:30am | #23

   IIRC, Oakland has a city arborist who could probably tell you what you have.  Of course, they may also want to know who cut the tree and when they cut it.  Some of these bay area cities get really testy about folks randomly whacking down "their" trees. - lol

1. 
   salvaged | Jan 01, 2008 03:54am | #24

   Good to know. The company that did the cutting is sometimes hired by the city.Thanks
   Salvaged