Another wood ID

[Reckless]

Sorry for spaming but Im a noob. These were some scary leaners that I had to take down. Notched the first smaller tree half way then notched and cut the second and stood back (it was a tense 3 minutes and for a couple seconds I thought I was gonna be SOL with 2 widow makers on my property) luckly they did exactly the right thing and fell in the right direction exactly as planned

 

[basod]

Maple

 

[gzecc]

Very hard to tell with the lighting and the shadow. Looks like Box Elder to me, but maybe not.

 

[Reckless]

Very hard to tell with the lighting and the shadow. Looks like Box Elder to me, but maybe not.

Too much sunlight? :D

 

[gzecc]

Too much sunlight? :D

Actually in one of the picture yes, the colors of the heart wood are washed out. The picture of the bark definitely has shadows on it.

 

[Reckless]

Actually in one of the picture yes, the colors of the heart wood are washed out. The picture of the bark definitely has shadows on it.

Noted. Like I said Im a nub

 

[Jags]

Yep, Maple, with the beginning of spalting.

 

[Reckless]

Yep, Maple, with the beginning of spalting.

Whats spalting?

 

[lukem]

Whats spalting?

Discoloration of wood caused by fungus/moisture. Coveted stuff for bowl turners and other woodworkers.

 

[Reckless]

Discoloration of wood caused by fungus/moisture. Coveted stuff for bowl turners and other woodworkers.

Ohhh well too late, only thing getting it now is my fire place

 

[Applesister]

Spalting is the black lines that seperate the fungus eaten wood from the healthy wood. I just cut up some Red maples that had the dark taupe colored heartwood. Looks very much like Red maple but could be silver maple too. Good firewood.

 

[bogydave]

Maple ,
not hard maple but good fire wood

 

[Reckless]

Maple ,
not hard maple but good fire wood

Really? It splits hard, how can you tell if its soft or hard maple? I thought the flat bark trees were soft.....

 

[bogydave]

The wood grain in the split looked wrong for hard maple, but i could be wrong.
Pictures are tough for wood ID

 

[Jags]

I do believe it to be soft maple. Probably silver maple.

 

[nrford]

Soft maple. And that is mineral stain from the ambrosia beetle not "spalting"

 

[Ralphie Boy]

That splotch in the center says Box elder, which is maple.... well sort of..... Shoulder season wood and burns like paper when dry. Splish splash a little water on the center of a round and see if the splotch turns a bit red, if so, for sure box elder.

 

[nrford]

That bark doesn't even come close to Box Elder Ralph.

 

[basod]

Soft maple. And that is mineral stain from the ambrosia beetle not "spalting"

I was going to say spalting as well - thanks for learnin' me something today

 

[Woody Stover]

I just cut up some Red maples that had the dark taupe colored heartwood. Looks very much like Red maple but could be silver maple too. Good firewood.

Yeah, I'm goin' with Red also. I got some Silver yesterday; Seems there was a more distinct border between the sapwood and the heart, and the scaly bark was more pronounced and bigger scales...

 

[Jags]

Soft maple. And that is mineral stain from the ambrosia beetle not "spalting"

What is the defining characteristic that differentiates mineral stain from spalting?

 

[lukem]

If by mineral stain, you are talking about a foreign object (metal) getting in the wood and causing a stain, those usually have more of a blue or black "spot" look to them that is more isolated (although it goes a good distance up and down the tree) in my experience. I'm not saying it isn't one, just never seen on that big before.

 

[Jags]

If by mineral stain, you are talking about a foreign object (metal) getting in the wood and causing a stain, those usually have more of a blue or black "spot" look to them that is more isolated (although it goes a good distance up and down the tree) in my experience. I'm not saying it isn't one, just never seen on that big before.

No - this was in ref. to the ambrosia beetle. How to tell spalting from the beetle mineral stain? I am oh too familiar with the stains from metal.

 

[Reckless]

No - this was in ref. to the ambrosia beetle. How to tell spalting from the beetle mineral stain? I am oh too familiar with the stains from metal.

Would I notice holes and such if it were from beatles? This was a decently solid younger tree and had a little punk towards the lower half (and I mean a very little). Although the pics i posted where greyish/brown further up the tree had a redish pink hue (just finished splitting the smaller rounds).

 

[Jags]

Would I notice holes and such if it were from beatles? This was a decently solid younger tree and had a little punk towards the lower half (and I mean a very little). Although the pics i posted where greyish/brown further up the tree had a redish pink hue (just finished splitting the smaller rounds).

Dunno- reaching out to nrford on this one myself. (a former saw mill owner and lumber inspector).