couple of wood ID's please

[Sgian Dubh]

ok - I set my colour setting on the cameraphone for indoor lighting, and I gave a quick wipe with danish oil

and of a split peice I made up a sample - with and without danish oil

by the way - a couple of 'the other camp' are saying parana pine so that is the most popular so far

Those images are better and the grain pattern and colouring suggest one of the Acer spp, eg a maple such as Acer saccharum (hard maple), or Acer rubrum (soft maple). It's possible these north American hardwoods were imported then as the UK's forests were much depleted after the 1st world War. This is unlike the north American forests which were still being developed as a source of timber even as recently as the 1920's. Another likely candidate, already mentioned by others, and native to the UK is Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore or sycamore plane).

The greys and browns and other discolouration is probably mineral staining, which is quite common in all the maples. Slainte.

 

[Wanlock Dod]

I'd make a tentative vote for sycamore, but I've never used any parana pine, so it's hard to say.

how do I find out for sure ?

Weigh the pieces and calculate their densities, if you're in luck then the two woods will be sufficiently different in density for it to be apparent

Parana pine: 0.54 g/ml
Sycamore: 0.61
Soft Maple: 0.55 or 0.63

The densities above (from Porter) suggest that it might not be a very clear cut thing done that way though.

Cheers,

Dod

 

[Tusses]

I'd make a tentative vote for sycamore, but I've never used any parana pine, so it's hard to say.

how do I find out for sure ?

Weigh the pieces and calculate their densities, if you're in luck then the two woods will be sufficiently different in density for it to be apparent

Parana pine: 0.54 g/ml
Sycamore: 0.61
Soft Maple: 0.55 or 0.63

The densities above (from Porter) suggest that it might not be a very clear cut thing done that way though.

Cheers,

Dod

I guess it would depend on moisture content too !

 

[skipdiver]

Looks like parana to me too.Used mainly for stairmaking when i was but a boy,though don't see a lot of it now.Was also used for window boards and most merchants would stock it a few years back.It comes in many colours and grain patterns.I got a lot of this when i removed a 1960's staircase and used it for the rails and stiles on a kitchen i made for my niece.

Of course,i could be completely wrong.

 

[bob_c]

Doesnt look like any sycamore or maple ive ever used,and i use alot of it.

 

[Tusses]

I am more trying to get an idea of the 'value' of the wood - should I keep it for that special project, or just make something out of it and be done with it !

One person has suggested that you cant get parana any more and to use it wisely. but someone else says its takes paint well :shock:

 

[davegw]

I am more trying to get an idea of the 'value' of the wood - should I keep it for that special project, or just make something out of it and be done with it !

Tusses, I'd say the value of it is whatever you think it is - especially as it's reclaimed, it's likely to be stable, and if you think it works well why not use it in a piece of furniture? As a turner a lot of the wood I use would be described as scrap by a cabinet maker and that goes both way's

One person has suggested that you cant get parana any more and to use it wisely. but someone else says its takes paint well

These aren't mutually exclusive?

 

[Mr T]

Hi

I have broken up a couple of wardrobes made in this wood. Which, I think, was popular between the wars, stained to look a bit like walnut, I have not thought of it being piranha pine. It seems a bit too soft for PP and not colourful enough. Another restorer said he thought it was Cypress wood from the south of the US. I've just googled cypress wood and I'm not sure.

Anyway thats another option, Cypress wood.

Chris

 

[BradNaylor]

I'm confused.

The second batch of photos definitely look like maple, so I would guess that it is sycamore.

The third batch of photos look totally different. Is it the same wood?

The first photo in the original post could be almost anything - I would have guesses tulipwood except that I'm sure it wasn't around in this country in those days.

Perhaps the wardrobe was made up out of various different timbers -whatever the maker had to hand - and then stained all the same colour.

Of course, no-one would dream of doing that these days....




:lol:

 

[Richard Findley]

Hi Guys,

I'm on the side of the pirana pine guys. Works well but is pretty much impossible to get these days. It's from South America and is not a true Pine as such....

.... the only thing about it is that it does have quite a distinctive smell when worked!

Hope this helps,

Richard

 

[Tusses]

The second batch of photos definitely look like maple, so I would guess that it is sycamore.

The third batch of photos look totally different. Is it the same wood?

same peice of wood for the big bit.

the small sample was taken from the other side of the wardrobe.

between the second and third set of photo's I changed the lighting setting on my camera to florescent from auto.

Also on the second set I wiped with white spirit so it wouldn't stay on the wood.

the third set I used danish oil.

 

[bob_c]

I agre with Dans sugestion of tulipwod or poplar.

 

[joiner_sim]

pine?

 

[sooty]

I have a bowl I turned in Parana Pine and it looks nothing like the photo's of this wood?

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Doesnt look like any sycamore or maple ive ever used,and i use alot of it.

It is certainly hard to be certain Bob, and there seems to be pictures of different woods supplied by Tusses. However, even though none of the shots are particularly good, mostly being rather out of focus and somewhat overexposed, the images in post 13, one of which is reproduced below seem quite reminiscent of maples.

The colour isn't what you'd normally expect, but I have seen quite a bit of discoloured maple used mostly for either secondary wood or for upholstery frames. Certainly the fineness of the grain, the lack of wooliness and other characteristics are maple like.

I've made my best guess based on what I can see, within the limitations of the images quality, and without the benefit of actually being able to hold, weigh and get up close to the pieces in question.

Hell, in the end it could be parana pine, but that doesn't seem right, or even poplar-- unlikely from what I can tell, but there ya go, ha, ha. Slainte.

 

[DMD]

My attempt is Alder for the first and pear the second, used more in those times i think. If i could smell them going through the bandsaw i would be more sure

 

[bob_c]

Doesnt look like any sycamore or maple ive ever used,and i use alot of it.

It is certainly hard to be certain Bob, and there seems to be pictures of different woods supplied by Tusses. However, even though none of the shots are particularly good, mostly being rather out of focus and somewhat overexposed, the images in post 13, one of which is reproduced below seem quite reminiscent of maples.

The colour isn't what you'd normally expect, but I have seen quite a bit of discoloured maple used mostly for either secondary wood or for upholstery frames. Certainly the fineness of the grain, the lack of wooliness and other characteristics are maple like.

I've made my best guess based on what I can see, within the limitations of the images quality, and without the benefit of actually being able to hold, weigh and get up close to the pieces in question.

Hell, in the end it could be parana pine, but that doesn't seem right, or even poplar-- unlikely from what I can tell, but there ya go, ha, ha. Slainte.

One other feature is the figuring is going the wrong way for maple or sycamore from what i can see from the growth rings.Its certainly slab sawn stock of something.Or possibly crotch cut ?

 

[Sgian Dubh]

One other feature is the figuring is going the wrong way for maple or sycamore from what i can see from the growth rings.Its certainly slab sawn stock of something.Or possibly crotch cut ?

That's interesting you say that Bob. Evidently it does look one of the maples like to me, and I'm struggling to see what you're seeing where "figuring is going the wrong way for maple or sycamore".

Can you explain that a bit better for me so we're looking at, and questioning, the same features? Slainte.

 

[BradNaylor]

Interestingly, this is the shot that sold it to me as maple or sycamore;

The others could be almost anything!

Does it matter?

Dan

 

[Tusses]

dan - that is the same bit of board as the one in the above picture just upside down. the one above is wiped with whit spirits.

as it isn't easily identifyable , it doesnt matter any more - I will just make something out of it !

you watch - I'll make a jewelary box or something and sell it for a tenner only to find it's really rare and expensive wood !

these bits came of the same wardrobe if it's any help