Identify my 🪵

[Stigmorgan]

So I've been given a few branches, I've no idea what they are, one of them is a little different in colour (possibly from nearer the top?) but I'm told they are all from the same plant/tree/Bush, The wood is very creamy.

 

[dickm]

Ash? Good for making tool handles.

 

[Adam W.]

Sycamore.

 

[Tanglefoot20]

Holly maybe.....
Hope after closer look I’d say Ash... too rough for holly

 

[Stigmorgan]

Def not Holly, the perimeter of our field is all Holly and the bark is very different, a friend thinks laburnum?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Sycamore.

 

[mikej460]

Definitely not ash and I agree with Phil it looks like sycamore - felled by a beaver

 

[Stigmorgan]

Definitely not ash and I agree with Phil it looks like sycamore - felled by a beaver

Whilst my friend does look a little beaver-like I promise he used a hatchet not his gnashers

 

[Old.bodger]

A clean cross section would be interesting. You mention laburnum - that will be very obvious from cross section.

 

[Bristol_Rob]

A clean cross section would be interesting. You mention laburnum - that will be very obvious from cross section.View attachment 122328

Intriguing cross-section - you can see the tension.

 

[Stigmorgan]

A clean cross section would be interesting. You mention laburnum - that will be very obvious from cross section.View attachment 122328

Definately not this, the sapwood on this is the colour of the heartwood on what I have, also there is very little/no sapwood between the heartwood and bark of what I have

 

[Tris]

Willow. Probably salix caprea, there should be a bit of stringiness to the bast layer below the bark if it is.

 

[Daniel.l]

Doesn't look like sycamore willow as mentioned above. Is the bark easy to peel off? There are many different types of willow

 

[stuart little]

Horse chestnut?

 

[Woodbee2]

No idea! We need a photo to see the colour when cut. Don’t forget to seal the cut ends with paint, PVE, or wax so it dries SLOWLY! OR cut it in half length ways....you’ll then be able to see the colour and grain.

 

[KimG]

Tough call from the bark alone, it has a Holly like look to it (well, the first one does anyway), but also Sycamore, Ash tends to have a sort of mosaic pattern on the smooth young bark, but gets fissured with age. I wouldn't want to say for certain without a good look at the timber itself but I reckon Sycamore is the most likely.

 

[niall Y]

How about Laurel of some sort? I cut some branches from my own garden and set it aside for turning. I made a very crude club from a section of this for use with a froe. it;s a bit "Fred Flintstone" but puts a smile on my face every time I use it
At the risk of stating the bl*****g obvious it would help if your friend could remember what sort of leaf the tree/bush, had..........Niall

 

[Suffolkboy]

Always difficult from a picture but I'm going to vote sycamore.

 

[Stigmorgan]

Thanks guys, I'll cut a piece off and halve it through the heart tomorrow and post pics but the prevailing opinion seems to be sycamore so far.

 

[Stigmorgan]

No idea! We need a photo to see the colour when cut. Don’t forget to seal the cut ends with paint, PVE, or wax so it dries SLOWLY! OR cut it in half length ways....you’ll then be able to see the colour and grain.

It was cut quite a while (5 to 6 weeks) before he gave it to me and not a single crack in sight but once I have it cut up ready to use I will be sealing the ends.