Gnarly Wood ID, Please

[dougand3]

Neighbor had 1/4 cord of rounds on a trailer in front of his house with FREE WOOD sign. What the heck, I'll try some. Whew doggies...even 1 foot long, 1 foot diameter rounds are murder with a 12# maul. Gnarly, gnarly, gnarly. What is it? T hanks, Doug

 

[Wood Duck]

It looks like Red Maple to me, although the dark center is a little too dark. Any tree with a lot of branches, such as shade trees and yard trees, can be very gnarly.

 

[geoxman]

silver maple is my vote-good score!

 

[jackatc1]

Soft Maple.

 

[chuckie5fingers]

I was kinda thinking pine but I guess it could be a maple. What does it smell like?

 

[DexterDay]

Never seen Silver with Dark Heart Wood...

Im thinkin Red Maple too.

If it was out in the middle of his yard (stand alone) its gonna be a lot harder than a straight growing tree in the woods/forest.

 

[dougand3]

Smell? I can't call it anything specific but "fresh". Splitting wise - it's 10x harder than southern pine. Those half rounds above? There aren't getting smaller. LOL. This acts like some sweetgum I once tried and said no thanks.

 

[chuckie5fingers]

Thats why I though about pine, it can be difficult to split.
pine to me smells like the lumber center at lowes or menards. LOL
Smell can be an important identifier for the woods we scrounge.
chuck

 

[webby3650]

It's not Silver Maple and not pine for sure. My vote is for Cottonwood. Very tough to split unless it sits around for awhile. The dark streak in the center and the bark tell it all!

 

[woodsmaster]

If it was cotton wood it would probably stink. I vote for some kind of maple. Bark don't look right to me for cottenwood.

 

[ScotO]

Wood looks like red maple but bark doesn't. I'm thinking maybe a type of hickory...

 

[smokinj]

Wood looks like red maple but bark doesn't. I'm thinking maybe a type of hickory...

Ding ding ding! Pignut!