Wood ID please

[Raym]

I'm working on a couple of pepper grinders and running low on 12/4 maple. found these bunks in the shop that obviously came with a shipment of something. Thought I would rough out to see what it was. Heavy and dense. No oder at all. I pretty sure its not hickory. My guess is ash??


 

 




 

[Don P]

Looks like it could be beech

[Raym]

No, I have turned a lot of beech. pretty sure its not that

[moodnacreek]

The end grain sure looks like ash.

[cutterboy]

It could be ash but the color is not quite right. I would have agreed with Don on beech but Raym says no. I don't know.

[Old Greenhorn]

I'll bet you 25 cents of cold hard American cash that this is Ash.

[rooster 58]

The ash I'm familiar with has grain similar to oak, with open grain and pores

[jpassardi]

My first thought was ash, not to say it couldn't be something else that looks similar.

[doc henderson]

cottonwood looks like that, and they use it for pallets.

[KEC]

I'll bet a half dollar of cold cash that it ain't cottonwood or beech. Cottonwood is closed grain and beech has tiny specks. I'll bet a dollar that it is ash given the color and open grain.

[wetdog]

Looks like Hackberry 

[KEC]

I'll play it safe and not argue; it might be hackberry. Considering that it's for a pepper grinder it may not matter too much. No state inspector on the job, is there?

[Don P]

Once I'm working it, my nose is a big part of wood ID, it also looks like it could be hickory... but what does it smell like?

[GAB]

Could it be basswood?
If it is dry, I do not think heavy and dense are proper descriptive adjectives for basswood.
GAB

[doc henderson]

cottonwood had a bit of smell when milled and is not that dense.  many do not use it.  It is growing on me for a light wood, with no prominent grain.  works good for engraving.  

[KEC]

I think the color is a bit light/white for hickory. Basswood has closed grain. I'm still gravitating toward ash or hackberry. If you have a piece that you can sacrifice, drill into it or make a fresh cut and sniff it. Ash has a nice, nutty smell.

[SwampDonkey]

Thin earlywood says birch, a diffuse pore wood, no prominent rays. The photo is overexposed making the wood white looking. Increasing contrast makes it even more birch like. Birch does not turn glass smooth like maple because of larger pores across the ring that are even hard to see by eye, let alone a compressed jpeg.

[SwampDonkey]

Here's some white ash

[SwampDonkey]

Ash, walnut, birch - top to bottom.

[Raym]

I pulled out the loop to get a closer look at the end grain. The look of that and with all of the high stakes being wagered, I think the verdict is indeed ash. It should be interesting drilling through the end grain. Ill post pictures when complete.

[SwampDonkey]

with all of the high stakes being wagered, I think the verdict is indeed ash.

:D :D :D  Are you going to be rich?

[Raym]

While drilling out the center, I did get the mild aroma of ash. So ash it is....BTW this is some hard ash wood! I was only able to saw ash once (while I had my mill) so was uncertain of what this was so thanks for the feedback. Here is a pic of the final product. (Ash on the right, mahogany on the left) Merry Christmas.

 

 

[KEC]

Nice work !

[SwampDonkey]

Great stuff.

I've had some dry ash make the planer whine and groan. Didn't matter kilned or air dried, she was a hard feed through. :D