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Help with Lumber ID?

1K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  jopo 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I was driving to work in San Diego this morning when I came across this tree that was freshly cut into logs. I turned around, parked and grabbed a few pieces. I've never see spalting in the "wild" before…only at wood sellers so that was fun. Sadly, it looks like this whole tree was infested by something hungry…beetles? Ants - saw lots of them living in it. Ok question time. Does anyone know what kind of tree it is? It was planted alongside a suburban road. Also, what do you think about bringing this wood home to play with. Are the evil wood eating creatures going to spread in my workshop. A lot of the wood is too rotten and soft to work with but I'm likely to cut into it just to see what's there. I love looking into logs and maybe I'll make some spoons if the wood is decent.

Sorry but no leaves to photograph for ID help.
Wood Trunk Plant Grass Bedrock


Wood Bedrock Trunk Formation Landscape


Brown Bedrock Tints and shades Beige Wood


Brown Wood Bedrock Formation Landscape
 

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#4 ·
Alder. 100%.

Kill bugs before bringing into shop.

- TheFridge
Kill bugs before bringing into shop. I guess that would be wise. I have Timbor (plenty of termites around here) but I dont' really like using chemicals. Oh well, prob to lazy to build some mini hot box.
I'm somewhat curious to microwave a slice. Nothing to loose cept a bit of wood. Good way to find nails too :)
But Mr Fridge…the Alder line…you gotta come up with a new one. It would be nice to know what kind of wood this is not only for me to learn more about wood types but to poss understand what bugs are eating this and if I can lure them out with peanut M&M's or something.
 
#6 ·
I don't know why, but that really made me chuckle ^^^

I think he is correct, it is alder, which actually looks very similar to cherry, except for the bark. It is quite pleasant to work with and is the type of wood that is very easy to make look like other species of wood. It used to be the poor mans cherry, but surprisingly enough, it now costs more than cherry due to supply and demand. Seems to be a fad around my part of the world.

About the only way I know of to get rid of the bugs for sure, is heat. Slab it and cook it. Surely your wife won't mind if you leave it in the oven for a week.
 
#9 ·
Uhm.. it's a holey and spalty type. Of alder.

- TheFridge
The Alder joke was actually find of…funny and possibly even right. Don't know why I or anyone else may have ever doubted your Alder cries.
Thanks guys.
Killing time. I'll probably try to cut it into smaller chunks first, see if there's any good solid wood and if so, make some planks, and then heat them over my outdoor fire grill. Mmm beetles.
 
#11 ·
just an update…bbq make this wood check pretty badly. I'd be ok with warping but the checking is making the pieces almost too small for spoons. I have no idea what I'm doing re cooking the bugs in the bbq but I suppose that 175 - 200º was a bit hot.
 
#13 ·
Bit hot there jopo :)
The center of the wood wants to be about 60º for 30 mins or so.

On the plus side those small spoons will be critter free.

- MikeB_UK
Yeah I certainly cooked it higher then I was trying. I'll need to prop the lid open a bit more next time. If I get some success, I'll post a pic of the wood. The spalted "Alder?" or Alder!...is pretty.
 
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