Wood ID

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Wilhelm911

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Jan 27, 2013
68
Eastern Pennsylvania
Picked up some pieces that the road crew left. Super heavy stuff, I needed a buddy to help with the piece in the left. Any ideas? I can get a split picture later today.
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Well not that I have ever had any but it seems the consensus around here is that the wood with the red streaks running through it is Box Elder? Although I don't recall any rounds as big as those, so just a wild guess.
 
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I'm not an expert, and often ask for help but, I see a lot of that type bark down here with that "X" pattern and they tell me it is Locust., but nice find!
 
that's not locust... locust has a similar pattern to the bark, but it is far more coarse...... the bark is also about an inch and a thick.... the wood color is kind of "yellowy" with no red splotches...

I have no idea what it is.
 
Well not that I have ever had any but it seems the consensus around here is that the wood with the red streaks running through it is Box Elder? Although I don't recall any rounds as big as those, so just a wild guess.

I took down a box elder a couple weeks age with similar characteristics, that red inside is typical. It certainly will get that big too, 3 of us had a hard time lifting the stump into the chip truck after we ripped it i half.
 
Box elder
 
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Yup. Box elder.
 
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perfect example of Box Elder
 
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All I saw was the poison ivy - at least it looked like it to me.

I've had it so bad that even looking at a pic of it makes me cringe. Rip those vines off before you buck it!!!
 
I'd love to mill one of those box elder logs.....that is some beautiful wood!

I bet it would look rather cedar-like in a board.... I will never come across it in my woods as I'm a good 4-500 miles out of it's range. I've got a bunch of awesome sawlogs on my land but I can't figure our how to get them down.... 20"+ white and red oak... dead straight for about 30'... trouble is, they're on this useless little triangle (about 50'X100') I own... bordered by road and power lines on all 3 sides... one of these days....
 
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That stuff can bring good money as bowl blanks & carving stock.I seen chunks 3 x 8 x 16 with that firey reddish pink go for $30-50 each occasionally.
 
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My thought too Scotty. That is amazing wood. What is Box Elder's range? Have never seen any. Does it grow in Southern Ontario?

Mulberry...hedge...osage orange...now Box elder. What IS hedge, by the way? To me hedge = privet, and I KNOW that isn't the sunject of everyone's discussion.
 
My thought too Scotty. That is amazing wood. What is Box Elder's range? Have never seen any. Does it grow in Southern Ontario?

Mulberry...hedge...osage orange...now Box elder. What IS hedge, by the way? To me hedge = privet, and I KNOW that isn't the sunject of everyone's discussion.
Hedge is a lot like locust. The ones I have seen didn't get much bigger than 8 to 10" in diameter, but I imagine it gets alot bigger than that......
 
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Box elder it is! Some really beautiful colors inside this wood!

Yes there was poison, and I'm highly allergic too. Hope I covered up enough.

Thanks everyone!

View attachment 95352
Hey Guy's, I've cut a lot of stuff down here, Scotty, you know where I'm at! I thought I recognized the bark and guessed wrong:oops: OOPS... anyway, I will be the first to admit I only know some basic woods, Oak's, Gum, and a few others, My question is, does this stuff grow in Southern NJ, I'll be honest, I have never seen it now that the pictures show it split. That's very pretty......
 
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Hey Guy's, I've cut a lot of stuff down here, Scotty, you know where I'm at! I thought I recognized the bark and guessed wrong:oops: OOPS... anyway, I will be the first to admit I only know some basic woods, Oak's, Gum, and a few others, My question is, does this stuff grow in Southern NJ, I'll be honest, I have never seen it now that the pictures show it split. That's very pretty......
I've seen several range charts that say it's down your way. Moreso torwards the central part of your state......
 
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Hedge is a lot like locust. The ones I have seen didn't get much bigger than 8 to 10" in diameter, but I imagine it gets alot bigger than that......


I can show you some ancient 2-3 footers on cousin's farm in NW Missouri,Andrew & Nodaway county area.....Most were cut for posts a century ago & resprouted.Look around & every farm in the area has decades old hedge posts of varying diameter.Not too many steel tee posts,creosoted doug fir or pine/cedar to be found.
 
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I can show you some ancient 2-3 footers on cousin's farm in NW Missouri,Andrew & Nodaway county area.....Most were cut for posts a century ago & resprouted.Look around & every farm in the area has decades old hedge posts of varying diameter.Not too many steel tee posts,creosoted doug fir or pine/cedar to be found.
I wish we had it like that in this area. I've only ever cut one down....it was a standing dead, and I first had mistaken it for locust. But I burned that little bit this past winter.....that stuff was amazing. Smelled like clean coal when burning.......

I only ever see it in small form (I'm guessing resprouts or what-not) on old fencerows.....
 
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My thought too Scotty. That is amazing wood. What is Box Elder's range? Have never seen any. Does it grow in Southern Ontario?

Mulberry...hedge...osage orange...now Box elder. What IS hedge, by the way? To me hedge = privet, and I KNOW that isn't the sunject of everyone's discussion.

This is somewhat off topic but Hedge and Osage Orange are the same. They do get big. This one is on my parents land in North MS.
 

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OK. I saw some cutting boards made from osage orange when I was in NC. Beautiful wood.

Thanks.

Bought a Brazilian cherry cutting board..very nice, but I wish I had gone for the osage orange...
 
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