# Need Help identifying some shipwreck wood



## Exuma (Sep 10, 2010)

Hello all! This is my first post and I hope I can post here some more. I love woodworking and using different woods.

I'm also a bit of a scavenger… lol. Which leads me to my main question.

Recently a Haitian Sloop shipwrecked itself on a beach near my home here in Exuma, Bahamas. Me being the scavenger I am.. I set out with sledgehammer, pry bar and sawsall in hand to see what kind of interesting wood I can find.

I found two very interesting pieces; one of which I am pretty sure of its identity but would appreciate some confirmation. However there is one piece that has me puzzled.









I am pretty sure this is Haitian Mahogany. It's just a small test block I cut from a 8foot long beam.









THIS is the one which I am not sure of. It is a very heavy and HARD wood. I originally thought it was lignum vitae or some other form of iron wood but when I cut it I was surprised by the colour of the core and the aroma (a sweet-ish aroma)

I'd appreciate any help i can get! thanks!


----------



## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

When I looked at the first photo, my first thought was mahogany of some sort.

The second photo, just by appearances, looks like the same as the first, but with these pieces containing more sapwood. However, from your description I take it they have different weight and aroma characteristics, so I guess that leaves me stumped.


----------



## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

By the way, I forgot to mention…. I hate you for living in the Bahamas.


----------



## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Welcome to Lumberjocks!

My initial impression was as Charlie's, the color and grain resemble various mahogany species.

Sorry I can't help…


----------



## Exuma (Sep 10, 2010)

Thanks for your responses. My initial reaction when I felt the weight of the wood was "mahogany or lignum vitae" and I know for a fact now it is not lignum vitae.

No matter what kind of wood it is… It will be beautiful when I use it on a project


----------



## Sawmillnc (Jan 14, 2010)

definitely mahog..


----------



## FatherHooligan (Mar 27, 2008)

If it was floating it wasn't lignum vitae as it is a very dense wood and I believe it either completely sinks or just barely floats.


----------



## Exuma (Sep 10, 2010)

@jusfine, thanks for the welcome. I personally have never seen mahog. look like that, although I suppose it could be a young mahogany.

@mark I'm very familiar with Lignum Vitae since it is the national tree of The Bahamas and it does indeed sink.


----------



## FatherHooligan (Mar 27, 2008)

I did not know where it grew! Thanks for the information.


----------



## CampD (Nov 8, 2008)

I'm still trying to get the fact the you live on the BEACH in the Bahama's!!!


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

I can vouch for Lignum Vitae being a sinker. Something about finishing some new deadeyes I had just made. working on the float beside my boat… I remember a wake rocking the float and some quiet little plopping sounds. They would have beaten a crescent wrench in a race to the bottom.

Paul M


----------



## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

Can't positively identify it, but it appears to be a piece of ship…

Just remember folks, half of all Atlantic hurricanes also cross Exuma's beach. I recommend you build your house out of that stuff and dig it in deep, Exuma.


----------



## Exuma (Sep 10, 2010)

@atom - Down here we tend to build our homes out of concrete. It did come from a ship, the boom from a haitian sloop to be exact.

@camp - Lol! I don't live on the beach. but close enough.

I think i've found a candidate for what the mystery wood is in the second photo. *drumroll* KAPOK. "The wood is a pinkish white to ashy brown in color, with a straight grain." - taken from http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/kapok.htm

I also asked the haitian man who works for me if he knew what kind of tree it is and he said "Kapob"


----------

