The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Tree, Plant and Wood I.D. => Topic started by: pigman on April 28, 2010, 07:30:05 PM

Title: unknown logs
Post by: pigman on April 28, 2010, 07:30:05 PM
A tree service guy brought me these nice logs to saw last week. Can anyone tell me what kind of tree they were from? Please, no one tell me they came from a crooked tree. ;)



(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10432/rough_logs_op.jpg)
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: Tom on April 28, 2010, 08:11:38 PM
The heartwood looks a bit like Hickory but the bark could also fit an old mulberry or even a black willow.  Both of the latter could also have a heartwood configuration like that. 

That's just a guess, cause I don't know. :)
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: Radar67 on April 28, 2010, 09:05:40 PM
It's notsweetgum!  ;D
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: WDH on April 28, 2010, 09:17:24 PM
Could be elm.
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: pigman on April 28, 2010, 09:33:14 PM
Radar is correct for sure. I will get a picture of some of the wood tomorrow if I remember.
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: WDH on April 28, 2010, 09:35:20 PM
If it is elm, it will have noticeable wavy bands in the latewood.  A closer pic of the bark would be nice.  They are a little crooked :) .
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: pigman on April 28, 2010, 09:40:41 PM
QuoteThey are a little crooked
Yes they were, but the boards came out nice and straight. ;D
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: Ron Wenrich on April 29, 2010, 05:26:44 AM
I'm leaning towards an ornamental elm, either Chinese or Siberian. 
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: Gary_C on April 29, 2010, 05:50:50 AM
It would have to be an elm to be that ugly. You going to make ugly sticks with that wood?  :)

Could be a rock elm. Would make some good handles. Hope you sawed some thicker than one inch.  ;D
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: WDH on April 29, 2010, 10:45:31 AM
One man's elm is another man's elm  ;D.
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: pigman on April 29, 2010, 01:46:39 PM
Some bark and a small scrap board I planed.



(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10432/bark_op.jpg)

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10432/board_op.jpg)
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: metalspinner on April 29, 2010, 09:58:10 PM
That wood looks like elm to me.
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: Ironwood on May 01, 2010, 10:48:17 PM
I thought elm too, but that bark is odd for elm. Perhaps an upper?

Ironwood
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: WDH on May 03, 2010, 08:01:51 PM
Very elmy as you can see the wavy pattern of the latewood pores in the outer portion of each growth ring.
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: pigman on May 03, 2010, 08:06:19 PM
A picture of the end grain.


(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10432/end_grain_op.jpg)
After talking to the tree service guy that brought the logs, Ron is half right. ;)
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: WDH on May 03, 2010, 08:37:38 PM
Uh oh.  That is not classic elm.  Back to the drawing board.  Is the wood hard like hickory?  It really looks like pecan from the end grain, but that is definitely not pecan bark. 
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: pigman on May 03, 2010, 09:37:27 PM
The logs sawed about like red oak. Definitely not hickory or pecan.
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: HOOF-ER on May 03, 2010, 10:31:15 PM
Looks like what I call a red elm. Have some stacked up to saw.
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: LeeB on May 04, 2010, 01:15:05 AM
The wood kinda looks like honey locust.
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: SwampDonkey on May 04, 2010, 04:05:08 AM
Those upper sections look like a walnut (not black), but butternut is a real possibility. I'm seeing gray and brown interlacing in that sawed section. Looks like a lustre to the end grain shot as well. As far as looking at those rings from that first image, I've seen a number or species show that wavy edge to a ring, including butternut. The waviness of elm is in the late wood poor pattern across the ring, not so much the edge. I think we can rule out any hard elms as the early wood pores are very faint in those species. It's not American elm because the late wood pores are easily visible with their ribbon pattern in that species.

Bob, ya shouldn't wink in these tests cause it tells me you know already. :D :D
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: Holmes on May 04, 2010, 06:54:41 AM
Could it be chinese chestnut?  Holmes
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: WDH on May 04, 2010, 09:53:37 AM
By golly, my Dear Holmes, I think that you have got it  8).
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: pigman on May 04, 2010, 12:56:02 PM
As Sherlock Holmes would say " it is elementary my dear Watson". ;D
The tree service person said it was chinese chestnut, but I never complely trust those guys. ;)
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: SwampDonkey on May 04, 2010, 03:40:14 PM
There ya  go, I can go with that I suppose. ;)
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: WDH on May 05, 2010, 12:47:37 AM
Absolutely no doubt about it.
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: SwampDonkey on May 05, 2010, 04:01:03 AM
I'll have to show ya an upper on butternut. :D
Title: Re: unknown logs
Post by: SwampDonkey on May 05, 2010, 03:12:53 PM
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_butternit-bolt.jpg)

Butternut here, is a more ash gray color, but similar bark pattern. The squirrels have been using this as a perch to shell spruce cones. :D  The tree grew on a sugar maple ridge on back of the farm.