tree identification help needed

[massmans]

I recently visited the local city tree dump, and found what I thought was some nice pieces of walnut. Know that I have cut up, turned, and sanded, it doesn't seem to be walnut. It has a dark brown center like early growth walnut but outer parts looks like a maple species. I live in central Missouri if that helps with narrowing done the possible choices.

I have uploaded pictures to my website so that I can get some help with identify the tree species. The log ends are anchorsealed, so the coloring is off a bit.

http://www.massmans.org/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=95
If you click on the thumbnails you can get a larger view. From there you can click again to get a 800x600 view of the picture.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Steve Massman

 

[n7bsn]

Looks to me like it might be English Walnut
Do a Google Image search and check, the images look close
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=english+walnut&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2

TTFN
Ralph

 

[massmans]

I am also leaning towards english walnut, after looking at the google image search. I also found some ebay auctions that are very similar to the wood i have.

If anyone think it may be a different species let me know.

Thanks
Steve Massman

 

[Garmar]

Could be one of the Hickory species. Bark looks about right as well as the wood itself. Hickory grows plentiful in Mo.

 

[dkulze]

my vote's maple. Lots of maple has colors up the center. it usually accompanies some level of rot, as does the piece you've pictured. And the rays and tearout match well for soft maple.

I wouldn't vote any darkened heartwood species because the dark wood doesn't appear to be deliniated by lighter sapwood.

Dietrich

 

[Rob Wallace]

I agree with maple....

I agree with Dietrich's assessment - probably a maple (a soft maple...??? )

It does not match any walnut that I've seen, i.e. with the lighter colored sapwood, and progressively darker heartwood.

The bark, pale color of the heartwood, and fairly low contrasting figure also argues for it being a maple

Also, the central black spalting is identical to that I have observed in Amur maple (Acer ginnala).

Can you tell if the wood is ring porous or diffuse porous (look at the end grain)?

Rob

 

[Bill Pottorf]

Check the grain of the sapwood. Is it interlaced or interlocked. If so, it is probably Elm. Looks like some of the Elms from around our area. It also may be Pecan or Hickory if not interlaced. Definitely not Black Walnut. Not familiar with the difference for English Walnut.

Bill

 

[MichaelMouse]

'Nother vote for soft maple. Fast-growing one, too, if the bowl's in the >8" range as it appears.

The interior of soft maples goes to dark, often with hundreds of tiny cracks that can ruin your day, Smells like well-cured tobacco when you take a handful of the dark shavings to your nose. The sapwood will mellow into a browner version, though short of the heart color when it starts to ferment, producing a rich, wine-like aroma.

Bill, grain's like no elm I've ever seen, and I'm betting the odor would have been mentioned as a characteristic if it were!

 

[Mr. Don]

Trees

As the years pass and the trees in domestic landscapings mature, it is increasingly difficult to accurately identify them. What with new hybrids, imports, etc.....I find it vital to just sort them by general type (Maple, Oak, etc.) and leave it at that. If you really want to get picky, visit your local nursery or state college botany dept. for better I.D...... :cool2:

 

[waltben]

Looks like a hickory to me

I'm still not done turning the branch pieces off a monster pecan (pecan's a hickory) tree that the owner got over 700 board feet of 5/4 boards from the trunk. Pecan has the same dark heartwood and light sap wood as yours does, is coarse grained sort of like oak, and has even more color. See what I mean at: http://www.abhats.com/149 b.JPG

Hickory has many subspecies in the family though, and I can't tell you which this one is. The wood turns nicely and spalts very well - gets a bit punky if you let it go too far.

 

[Griesbach]

I just cut a piece exactly like the one shown in the first photo of your link on our property in Northern Wisconsin on Sunday. I'm going to say it's Maple and also go so far as to say it's the hard (sugar) variety. Barks too tight for the soft Maple. Lots of Maple in you part of the country.

 

[Ken Grunke]

I'm with Cyril, a definite Maple. No sign of the zig-zag pattern seen in the interlocking grain of Elm, and just off the top of my head Hickory is ring-porous while Maple is diffuse-porous.
This wood just has that Maple look to it. Another distinguishing feature of Maple is the tiny ray plates seen on a radial surface, little squarish blocks for lack of a better description.
See my sig for some useful links on wood ID.

 

[massmans]

Seems to be a large group stating it is a maple. It does look like a maple in the sapwood. I didnt really notice much of a smell when turning it. It does have a very tight grain like other maple I have turned.

thanks for all the help.
Steve Massman

 

[MichaelMouse]

Difference between hard and soft maple, in my mind, is in the ability to make a thumbnail impression along the grain.

Though hard maple does eventually go to darker heartwood, the size is generally less, the color more gray-green, while the sapwood is less gray than most softs. Yours shows grayish, though it may only be the picture color balance.

 

[Gretch Flo]

Hard or soft maple

I'd vote for soft maple. In the bowl the annular rings look very wide apart. Am I wrong? Gretch

 

[massmans]

I'd vote for soft maple. In the bowl the annular rings look very wide apart. Am I wrong? Gretch

You're correct the rings are wide apart. I am pretty sure it is a maple species.


Thanks for all the help.
Steve Massman