Wood ID.... cherry?

[Reckless]

I was told this is cherry. It has a very sweet smell to it and its a light honey golden. I read that its a medium burn and SPARKS like fireworks.

 

[Applesister]

No its not Black Cherry. looks like locust. Cherry does not spark, its excellent burning and very clean. It dries good. You can go weeks without cleaning out your stove. Burns down to almost nothing.
If its locust..which is what it looks like I believe that does spark.

 

[Reckless]

No its not Black Cherry. looks like locust. Cherry does not spark, its excellent burning and very clean. It dries good. You can go weeks without cleaning out your stove. Burns down to almost nothing.
If its locust..which is what it looks like I believe that does spark.

"Cherry or Black Cherry also burn at medium heat level, though do not burn quite as well as the other hardwoods. Cherry wood does not smoke much but sparks a moderate amount. This is an excellent choice if aroma is important to you in firewood. "

I've read this on a couple sites. Does locust have a very sweet smell and lighter than comparable oak split?

 

[Jon1270]

I'm thinkin' sassafras.

 

[Jon1270]

Does locust have a very sweet smell and lighter than comparable oak split?

Locust has a distinct smell, but I wouldn't call it sweet. A green split of locust is a bit lighter than a similar-size green piece of oak, because oak has a higher initial moisture content, but once it's dry, their weights will be very similar.

Anyhow, what you've got there definitely isn't cherry.

 

[Jon1270]

"Cherry or Black Cherry also burn at medium heat level, though do not burn quite as well as the other hardwoods.

Also, this was written by someone who's not so good at describing things. Cherry burns very, very well. What I suspect they meant, but failed to convey, is that cherry is only so-so in terms of heating value for a given volume, i.e. a cherry fire will either be cooler than or not last as long as (depending on how you set the air) an otherwise similar oak or ash or locust fire.

 

[Reckless]

Locust has a distinct smell, but I wouldn't call it sweet. A green split of locust is a bit lighter than a similar-size green piece of oak, because oak has a higher initial moisture content, but once it's dry, their weights will be very similar.

Anyhow, what you've got there definitely isn't cherry.

Trust me I would want it to be locust over cherry all day!! Another thing I forgot to mention is the dust from the bark is a very fine red powder that gunks up everything when mixed with the bar oil

 

[Jon1270]

Trust me I would want it to be locust over cherry all day!!

I still think it's sassafras. Which, like cherry, is only middling in the heat department but smells good. Take a look at the pics here.

The locust ID just doesn't fit. The bark is wrong for honeylocust, and the color is wrong for black locust.

 

[Reckless]

I still think it's sassafras. Which, like cherry, is only middling in the heat department but smells good. Take a look at the pics here.

The locust ID just doesn't fit. The bark is wrong for honeylocust, and the color is wrong for black locust.

The smell is an odd one, but I don't know if I would call it rootbeer...... I will take another smell in a little bit tho

 

[lukem]

Black locust.

 

[USMC80]

I still think it's sassafras. Which, like cherry, is only middling in the heat department but smells good. Take a look at the pics here.

The locust ID just doesn't fit. The bark is wrong for honeylocust, and the color is wrong for black locust.

I concur

 

[Applesister]

I guess its up to you Reckless. Does that sweet smell you describe smell like rootbeer?
Im cutting up a black birch right now. Theres no mistaking that smell. Birch beer...pure heaven...and shes a juicy one.

 

[Jon1270]

This is one of those times when looking at the end grain with a magnifier can help a lot.

Here's (broken link removed to http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/sassafras/) at 10X. Note that many of the pores, particularly in the rings of earlywood, are completely open and clean.

And here's black locust. Notice that all the pores, except in the younger sapwood, are clogged with tyloses.

(broken image removed)

 

[Flatbedford]

I'd say Black Locust.

 

[Reckless]

particularly in the rings of earlywood

That would be the outer most rings correct?

Edit: Just a thought.... If this were locust wouldn't I find those pods containing seeds around still? Or would those be gone by now?

 

[Reckless]

This is one of those times when looking at the end grain with a magnifier can help a lot.

Here's (broken link removed to http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/sassafras/) at 10X. Note that many of the pores, particularly in the rings of earlywood, are completely open and clean.

Its sassafras I guess. The smell has calmed a lot now and smells less like bar oil and more like a cream soda and the end grain looks like the above with the naked eye. Thanks all!!

 

[lukem]

That is the tightest grained sasafrass I've ever seen.

 

[Reckless]

 

[PA. Woodsman]

I also vote for Sassy, epecially when he says "sweet smell". Black Locust smells like old cow dung to me lol!

 

[Flatbedford]

Or dirt. Its a very earthy smell. Makes me think of a nice warm house on a cold night.

 

[bogydave]

Sassafras is my guess
Pictures sure tough to tell definitely, bark does have a locust look to it but
the wood grain isn't quit right for locust.

 

[Jon1270]

That would be the outer most rings correct?

Nope, you're thinking of sapwood. Earlywood is the part of each ring that forms early in the growing season, i.e. right about now if you're in the northern hemisphere. In many woods (though not all), the earlywood tends to have the most, largest pores packed closest together. The wood that forms later in the season is called 'latewood,' and tends to have fewer/smaller pores.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Definitely could be sassafras. I love cutting it! Most of it here does not grow straight but if so, it can make good fence posts. Heating value is a bit on the low side.

 

[WellSeasoned]

Id say sassafras too. That stuff sparks like the 4th of july when burned. Thats what gives it away to me. Bark does have that black locust look though. Also when splitting black locust, a thin piece would resemble cardboard I noticed.

 

[Joey]

Sassafras, burned a good bit of it a few years ago. Should be super easy to split and very lightweight. It does smell nice. I would take Cherry over Sassafras anyday.