Wood ID

[Shawn Curry]

Spotted some free roadside Black Locust yesterday on my lunch break. I didn't have a truck, so I did the only logical thing you could do. I grabbed as much as I could fit in the car..


Took off early from work, so I could go back with a truck and get more. When I got back, there were 3 other pickups there, and all the BL was already loaded up...

Ended up with a load of 2 kinds of "mystery" wood, one of which was Ailanthus . Not really sure on the other one. The bark was not attached, but one of the other guys there loading up his truck said that it came from these rounds.

It doesn't smell too good - a bit like poplar. Splits like wet poplar too - really stringy, and it gives up water like a sponge when the axe hits it. Any idea?

 

[Applesister]

I did that once with bales of hay and I couldn't get the seeds out of the upholstery. I don't know really but all the stuff in the poplar stinky group is cottonwood and willow and Box Elder.
I know that's not helpful. Im thinking you would already know this.

 

[Applesister]

The wood looks brittle. Box elder?

 

[Shawn Curry]

I've never split any box elder, but I think it's red in the middle when its wet? I think I read that on other tree I'd threads.

Thing is, I don't even know for sure if this bark actually goes with it. I was told that by one of the guys loading the other pickups. They were trying to figure out what it was too.

I guess there isn't really enough there to worry about whether I should keep it. I think that whole load will go over to my buddy's house. He was looking for some garbage wood for campfires.

 

[NordicSplitter]

Something tells me maybe Poplar.