Mystery wood

[pencheff]

I've only been turning for a couple months and have started experimenting with segmented turning. I'm using just about anything I have around the shop to practice on. So far I've been working with cherry, maple and red oak. These two are my latest effort are about half done.

What is this lumber?

The material in the first picture was salvaged from an old bed frame that was a hand-me-down from the in-laws. At first I thought it was mahogany but it is just so darned light in weight and splinters like the devil when crosscut that I'm now thinking it's something else.

The material in the second pic is really fragrant and also fairly light and very easy to work. Spanish cedar maybe?

 

[Mark Mandell]

Dred,

Appears to be what is commonly referred to as Philippine Mahogony, most of which is actually "Meranti", but is a name applied to about 5 or 6 varieties of stuff logged out of SE Asia. Soft and splintery about describes it to a "T" (or perhaps a "P") 😀

M

 

[Griesbach]

Nice work work only a couple months experience and with a difficult wood. You're on your way! 😛

 

[Ted]

Dred,

Appears to be what is commonly referred to as Philippine Mahogony, most of which is actually "Meranti", but is a name applied to about 5 or 6 varieties of stuff logged out of SE Asia. Soft and splintery about describes it to a "T" (or perhaps a "P") 😀

M

The soft, splintery stuff is known as "Luan" here in England, used in "cheap" joinery, Some "Meranti" is, in fact, quite hard.

By the way,I'm new to this forum, I've had a look around and I like what I see, think I'll stick around for a while!

 

[pencheff]

Well here are the two mystery wood bowls finished with Deft semi gloss.

They aren't the same species and no one has taken a stab at identifying the second one. Any ideas?

 

[Richard Baker]

Greg,
The second one could very well be cedar (aromatic, soft, light weight), but I don't get good enough resolution in the picture to do more than guess.
Nice work. Keep it up.

 

[Matt Meadows]

It could be either honduran mahogany or spanish cedar--- the two can be hard to tell. In my experience, the mahogany is more orange in color when freshly sanded, spanish cedar tends to vary a bit from darker to lighter and isn't quite as orange. Both are fairly soft woods and splinter easily. Both are pretty weather/water resistant, and have distinct odors.

I have a figured stick of spanish cedar at the shop, was dunnage on a pallet at a local hardwood store. Not quite sure what to do with it. Pens, maybe?