Help identifying old rough cut

oldroughchester · March 22, 2013, 12:47:55 AM

Hey everyone, I'm a noob and have zero knowledge of wood or how to identify it, so please forgive my ignorance. I have some old boards, they vary in length from around 6 ft to about 12 ft in length, they are 12 inches wide and about 4 inches thick. These boards have been laying on the ground, in the dirt, under an old log structure on my property, some sort of smokehouse or something which is believed to be chestnut. I took one of the boards to a local cabinet maker today and he told me he thought they were chestnut but he couldn't say for sure. He sent me to another place, American Hardwoods, and they could not tell me for sure either, all they could tell me was the board was definitely a "nut". I am wondering if you guys and gals could possibly help me identify these boards. I will attach some pics, but I am not sure what features I need to get a pic of to help identify them. The boards have saw marks on them, they are fairly heavy and extremely solid given the fact that they have been laying in dirt for who knows how long. There isn't any rot to my knowledge nor termite damage. These boards are very solid and I have several of them. I am also interested in the value of such boards if they are chestnut or something else. Also, maybe someone can confirm that the smokehouse is chestnut or not. I will attach a pic of that also, but will have to get better ones probably. TIA everyone and thanks for lettin me join your community.

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oldroughchester · March 22, 2013, 01:27:38 AM

Here is a pic of the smokehouse I was talking about.

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beenthere · March 22, 2013, 01:55:36 AM

oldroughchester
Welcome to the Forestry Forum.
You will enjoy this forum, and we look forward to learning some things together. So pull up a stump and join in.

For pics, follow the handy guide in the "Behind The Forum" board found on the Home page. Pics here go into a gallery that you set up in your profile, and then use the "Click Here to Add Photos to Post" button below the posting window (in blue). Not difficult to do, but it keeps the photos on site.
Nice smokehouse.

Here is the link to get to "Behind the Forum" pic posting help.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,61788.0.html

oldroughchester · March 22, 2013, 02:58:55 AM

OK will do, appreciate the tip. Thanks, the old place has tons of character but it has sure been a project. We are almost done with it.

WDH · March 22, 2013, 08:13:38 AM

Yes, you need to set up a Gallery and upload pics to it. then you can add the pics to your post.

My first impression is hickory, not chestnut. Chestnut does not have a wide band of white sapwood. It would help if you took a razor knife or a razor blade and made a clean slice cut on the endgrain. Then take a close-up pic of the growth rings in the slice.

thecfarm · March 22, 2013, 08:18:24 AM

Quote from: oldroughchester on March 22, 2013, 02:58:55 AM
the old place has tons of character but it has sure been a project. We are almost done with it.

Welcome to the forum. You talk about the old place,start another thread about "the old place" We would like to hear about that too.

Axe Handle Hound · March 22, 2013, 08:24:15 AM

Having a clean slice like WDH says would be great and it would also help to know what geopgraphy you're in.

Dodgy Loner · March 22, 2013, 09:49:45 AM

Definitely not chestnut. Hickory is a good guess with the appearance of the heartwood/sapwood. Hard elm is another possibility.

oldroughchester · March 22, 2013, 04:12:24 PM

Thanks everyone for the responses. I will get a slice and take a close up of it, and I will start a gallery. My place is in N Central Alabama, about 2 miles S of the Tn sate line. We bought it because my wife fell in love with the place the minute she pulled into the driveway. We have small kids and thought what a wonderful place to raise a couple of kids so we bought it and have been working on it for what seems like forever but we're about ready to move in. I have tried to research it but there is very little information on the property. Lots of people stop in because they drive by and just either want to take some pictures or they are bringing someone who isn't from our area by just to see it. lol, I could have sold the place about 30 times and have a list of about 5 or 6 people who have said whenever we get ready to selll give them a shot, but we'll never sell it. I want it to remain in my family forever. I really appreciate the hospitality on this board, much different from some of the other boards I have been on.