Wood ID needed

[dive30kodiak]

Found this log settled up on the beach the other day. It was a beast, no doubt water logged, but small for the weight. I decided to dry it a bit, saw off each end and rip it down the middle. The grain pattern is very unusual from the typical species I collect. Any guesses?? I m planning on making some book matched boards out of it and making something unique and exceptional.

 

[zzr7ky]

Aqua-

I haven't a clue! Do you have some time for projects when Spring break up occurs? All the best,

Mike

 

[Battenkiller]

The pattern looks like "spalting" from a fungus attacking the wood. I've seen it a lot in maple, and it's very desirable figure to find. Should make an interesting looking whatever. The wood looks like spruce except for the dark color. Could be just stained from being waterlogged?

 

[JerseyWreckDiver]

I'm not familiar with Pacific Northwest woods save for my own woodworking but it looks like a pine to me. If you can get a CLEAR/WELL FOCUSED close up of the grain and the end grain (preferably after shaving an area with a razor knife) I might be able to tell you more.

Or send me a small chunk in the mail...

And... if it was water logged, I hope you have coated the ends with wax/paint and are drying it rrrrreeeeaaaalllllly slowly...

Sweat find though.

 

[Jags]

I'm gonna guess spalted maple, but the water logged part could really throw a guy off.

 

[Wood Duck]

In SW Alaska, you probably have only a few realistic choices. If the rivers are bringing your wood from the interior, then you're looking at White or Black Spruce, White Birch, or Cottonwood. or alder, but that looks too large for alaskan alder. So, my guess is a waterlogged birch. If you get driftwood fram farther south, there are a few other choices, notably Sitka Spruce which is pretty common on Kodiak and south of Anchorage. I really can't think of too many other trees of that size that grow anywhere near you (although I am not sure exactly where in SW Alaska you are). Of course that log could be from anywhere around the pacific, so there are endless possibilities.

 

[gzecc]

Its probably not but the coloring looks like seasoned black birch I get sometimes in my area, northern NJ. Again, its probably not but it does resemble it.

 

[smokinj]

no clue but its cool....

 

[dive30kodiak]

You guys are AWESOME!!

Kodiak, Alaska is an amazing island with 19k miles of shoreline. The Pacific brings in oodles of drift wood all year long! An endless supply! There are really only a few of us that utilize the renewable resource. Some people cringe when the thought of having to burn driftwood comes into mind, but I have found that with a little extra work ( selecting beaches with larger rocks, not sand , and letting them weather in the pounding rain for a year or so before bucking, splitting and drying for use. I bring most logs home 8 feet long unless they are too large of diameter ) I have about 12-15 cords of drift wood cycling through the shed.. Most everything is under a fresh blanket of snow now. Time to just sit back, relax and wait for the snow to melt! And talk to some really incredible folks about wood!! I hope you all enjoy the photos.. I hand planed half of that log in question today and sanded it down with 60 grit. Strangely enough it sanded smoother at 90 degree angles to the grain, unlike cedar and other softwoods. it didn't smell like anything I had worked with before either. Red oak came to mind, but I didn't think hardwoods floated very well.. It was light colored until I wiped it down with raw linseed oil. Then the grain really reached out and grabbed me. A truly beautiful piece. I've got it drying slowly in a semi-humid room with a circulating fan. I figure it will take 6 months at least! I wish I had a supplier of wax, I would totally coat it with wax! Linseed oil should do the trick by aiding in the drying process.. As far as burning driftwood goes, My trailer is a 1976, the Jotul Combifire 4 has been here ever since. I purchased the place in 07 and just cleaned the stack for the first time a few weeks ago! I'd say it's burning pretty clean, but I keep her cranked up to 400-500*F..
Look forward to chatting with you all some more..

ps. I threw in a couple of the woodshed.. it's made entirely out of scrap material, ie pallets and recycled roof membrane.. ( i did purchase a box of 16d fasteners )