Wood ID

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RHH1974

New Member
Oct 16, 2011
6
Ulster County NY
Hi folks, this is my first post but I have been a long time lurker and have found you all to be a wealth of information. This will be my second year heating with wood and really my first year actively scrounging. I was given wood from Irene that I initially thought could have been ash, however I think it may be tulip poplar from all of the discussions. My question is, does either have a darker heartwood? The rounds that I have are all in the 16 to 20 inch range and there is probably a 10 inch center that is much darker than the rest of the wood. I know pictures would help I just didn't take any before I split the rounds. I may be getting a few more pieces from that same tree and I will post pictures.
 
Tulip will be much whiter saw dust, and turns brown quickly on fresh cuts. Very easy on the saw looks like you are pouring a bucket of water out the back of your saw. Lighter in weight to. When splitting it doesnt have that loud crack that ash will give.
 
This is just merely a guess, but from your description, Im gonna guess hickory. Leaves similar to ash, but has the heartwood you speak of. Ash does not. The tulip I have seen does not either, although I have very little experience with it. How does it split? If it's stringy as all get out, its probably hickory, and you want all you can get if so.
 
Bocefus78 said:
This is just merely a guess, but from your description, Im gonna guess hickory. Leaves similar to ash, but has the heartwood you speak of. Ash does not. The tulip I have seen does not either, although I have very little experience with it. How does it split? If it's stringy as all get out, its probably hickory, and you want all you can get if so.

Hickory will make you turn your head when splitting...lol You will never forget it! I always think wheres my helmet!
 
Black walnut, maybe?
 
For me - Tulip is a light soft wood. Splits extremely easy and has dark marble in a very white type wood. Not a defined inner circle of dark wood. The splits feel light.

You may still have some sort of ash tree.
 
The heartwood of a tulip tree can be dark-ish, but is usually mostly green with some streaks of black and/or purple sometimes. The leaves aren't really anything like and ash....more maple-y than anything.

IDing wood without a picture is anyone's guess....
 
No tulip poplar around here but here is some white ash.

DennisCook4-4-09c.jpg
 
Here are some photos of the wood in question
 

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Bocefus78 Has the answer Pignut Hickory!
 
Also looks like an ash variety to me, but I have very little hickory experience.
 
Are you sure it is all the same? The one split showing the bark in the third picture looks like Pignut Hickory, but the bark in the second picture doesn't. I think most of the wood (darker heartwood with a thick whitish sapwood) looks like hickory.
 
RHH said:
Here are some photos of the wood in question

Not sure if this helps.
 

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If you have a moisture meter, give us a green reading.
 
Yeah, that's ASH and a good score.

Definately NOT tulip Poplar. Split it and enjoy.
 
Thanks everyone! The pictures are all the same tree. There is some other wood in the pile in the one picture though. Good to know it was well worth the energy of getting it home! MM reading on a fresh split is 38%.
 
RHH said:
Thanks everyone! The pictures are all the same tree. There is some other wood in the pile in the one picture though. Good to know it was well worth the energy of getting it home! MM reading on a fresh split is 38%.
38% of fresh split pretty much confirms ash.
 
smokinjay said:
Bocefus78 Has the answer Pignut Hickory!
Not White Ash, for sure. I'm not sure how the splits of the other Ashes look, but that wide sapwood and darker heartwood looks just like the Pignut I recently split. Bark does, too...
 
Woody Stover said:
smokinjay said:
Bocefus78 Has the answer Pignut Hickory!
Not White Ash, for sure. I'm not sure how the splits of the other Ashes look, but that wide sapwood and darker heartwood looks just like the Pignut I recently split. Bark does, too...

Yep yep, I have never seen any ash with a dark center. The tail tail ash grain is also not present. Some times it just is what it isnt. Oh and it also looks like pignut lol.
 
smokinjay said:
Woody Stover said:
smokinjay said:
Bocefus78 Has the answer Pignut Hickory!
Not White Ash, for sure. I'm not sure how the splits of the other Ashes look, but that wide sapwood and darker heartwood looks just like the Pignut I recently split. Bark does, too...

Yep yep, I have never seen any ash with a dark center. The tail tail ash grain is also not present. Some times it just is what it isnt. Oh and it also looks like pignut lol.
Green ash has that darker center and am sure thats what it is, you guys dont have green ash in your area?
 
"The heartwood is a light brown color, though darker shades can also be seen, which is sometimes sold as Olive Ash. Green Ash tends to be a bit darker in color than the White Ash ." This is a quote from the site wood data base.
 
oldspark said:
"The heartwood is a light brown color, though darker shades can also be seen, which is sometimes sold as Olive Ash. Green Ash tends to be a bit darker in color than the White Ash ." This is a quote from the site wood data base.


Lots of ash cross cut and milling. Center core can be darker in green ash. I have lots of green ash on my lawn. Op's is no where close to Indiana's ash, but matchs very well to our pignut.
 

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