Difficult Wood ID

FIshing_Fool · Mar 9, 2015

What the F is this wood I scrounged? I got it from a tree service they were probably laughing as I loaded it. When I slam my axe or maul into this it bounces off like its solid steel. I can peel off the edges but they are too skinny so I need to pound a wedge through it which is also very difficult. Even pieces with no knots are a bear to split. If there is any tougher wood out there I don't want to meet it.

Note I'm in the pacific north west so you gurus from the east this is an extra challenge.

Jags · Mar 9, 2015

Bark screams some type of pine. Interior looks like a wind blown yard tree.

FIshing_Fool said:
If there is any tougher wood out there I don't want to meet it.

Be assured - there is:

Ashful · Mar 9, 2015

Lol... Looks like every Elm I've ever split, Jags!

Ashful · Mar 9, 2015

Could it be Red Mulberry, Fool? That's tough, and has very similar bark.

Jags · Mar 9, 2015

Joful said:
Lol... Looks like every Elm I've ever split, Jags!

Every 22 ton splitter on the planet that has ever seen that picture squirts a little hydraulic fluid in fear. ;lol

Jags · Mar 9, 2015

Joful said:
Could it be Red Mulberry, Fool?

Hmmm...You might be on to something there:
(Image from google)

Morus_rubra,_Red_mulberry,_bark,I_JLK1123.jpg

mstoelton · Mar 9, 2015

I don't think its Mulberry. Freshly split mulberry is bright yellow inside.

FIshing_Fool · Mar 9, 2015

I don't think its pine for two reasons. It doesn't smell like pine and every softwood I've split the axe will stick into the wood even if it won't split.I do have experience with a few varities of pine.

Like I said my axe is repelled by this wood on most strikes. Bounces off like I hit an anvil. Your right the centre rings are not centered on the round which could be due to a wind blown crooked tree but would that make it so the axe won't even stick into it?

I've had very stringy poplar that wouldn't split without a wedge but the axe burried into the wood each strike I've never had a round repel the axe like this stuff. Its like it has a force field.

Jags · Mar 9, 2015

FIshing_Fool said:
but would that make it so the axe won't even stick into it?

You would be amazed at how the characteristics of a tree can change from a wind blown tree to one that grew in the woods.

midwestcoast · Mar 9, 2015

Waiting on some of our West Coast members for a positive ID, but Mulberry it ain't.

For what it's worth, looks like a pine or fir to me. Killed by beetles or borers. Woodpeckers had a field day.

FIshing_Fool · Mar 9, 2015

I've seen enough fir to know this isn't fir - and pine usually has a white hart wood not this orange color.

I know there are lots of varieties of pine - not sure if there are different fir trees - but douglas fir this is not.

Ashful · Mar 9, 2015

mstoelton said:
I don't think its Mulberry. Freshly split mulberry is bright yellow inside.

Perhaps you're thinking white mulberry? The end grain of red mulberry looks exactly like his first photo.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1425918795.888886.jpg

midwestcoast · Mar 9, 2015

Joful said:
Perhaps you're thinking white mulberry? The end grain of red mulberry looks exactly like his first photo.

But the bark looks nothing like either Red or White. Unlikely to find Red Mulberry in the PNW as it's an understory tree native to eastern half of US & not that far north either. Folks from west of the Rockies are probably too busy laughing at out attempts to chime in here ;lol

FIshing_Fool · Mar 9, 2015

I'm in a very mild climate - people grow palm trees here so I'm sure mullberry is possible even if its not a native tree. It was from a tree services lot in 5 foot lengths so I assume this came out of somebodys yard. I'm no expert but to me this looks more like some sort of fruit wood then pine or fir.

Fingers crossed it is mullberry - but keep the suggestions coming. It will be a couple years at least before I can provide feedback on how it burns.

Ashful · Mar 9, 2015

midwestcoast said:
But the bark looks nothing like either Red or White. Unlikely to find Red Mulberry in the PNW as it's an understory tree native to eastern half of US & not that far north either. Folks from west of the Rockies are probably too busy laughing at out attempts to chime in here

Actually, the bark looks exactly like the Red Mulberry tree I had in my back yard until two years ago. That, along with the fact that the maul just bounced off it, is what had me thinking that direction. You might be right on the native / unlikely left coast thing, tho.

midwestcoast · Mar 9, 2015

Is that dried pitch (white) oozing from the cut face of round on left in Pic 3?

midwestcoast · Mar 9, 2015

Mulberry can be a bear to split, that's for sure.

FIshing_Fool · Mar 9, 2015

Good question I'm not sure if that is pitch. That did jog my memory though - only a couple rounds when I whack it with the axe some yellow watery liquid emerged. The wood is green for sure if it was dead standing I don't thhink it was dead for long.

Clyde S. Dale · Mar 9, 2015

Wow, no idea. When I think of hard to split, I think sweet gum, elm and sycamore. East Coast trees of course. Curious to hear what this is.

BillinTX · Mar 9, 2015

Jags said:
Every 22 ton splitter on the planted that has ever seen that picture squirts a little hydraulic fluid in fear.

The first wood I split with my 22 ton Huskee was elm.
It didn't piss but it did grunt a little.

Hogwildz · Mar 9, 2015

Jags said:
Every 22 ton splitter on the planted that has ever seen that picture squirts a little hydraulic fluid in fear.

He said squirts.... hehe haha

Wisneaky · Mar 9, 2015

Looks like a western white pine.

Lake Girl · Mar 10, 2015

By no means an expert but pine gets my vote ... this may be of help (or not) ;lol

http://www.naturallywood.com/wood-products/softwood-species
http://www.naturallywood.com/wood-products/hardwood-species

Edit: BC specific...

nrford · Mar 10, 2015

Some type of pine for sure.

j7art2 · Mar 10, 2015

Pine.

To give you an idea about some pine species, my 27 ton splitter splits box elder and elm easier than knotty pine. You're going to need a bigger boat.

Difficult Wood ID

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