# Can anyone help me identify this lumber?



## eldaneo (Jul 4, 2012)




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## Acercanto (Jul 9, 2013)

I would have to guess Elm or Walnut. It depends on how accurate the coloring of the photo is. If it's really as yellow as the picture looks, then Elm. If it's more brown, probably Walnut. 

Acer


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## Treeguysrule (Jan 1, 2014)

I'm thinking locust


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## Logger (Nov 26, 2009)

Maybe mullberry, or locust.


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

Locust was my first impression too. Is it ridiculously hard? Lol


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Woods that color include black locust (very hard) and staghorn sumac (very soft). Can you get a cleanup-up-end-grain pic ?


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## Acercanto (Jul 9, 2013)

Ooh, hadn't thought of Locust.


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## eldaneo (Jul 4, 2012)

Thanks for all the help! I'll get some other shots on here and the end grain.


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## eldaneo (Jul 4, 2012)

*Here are more photos of the actual logs*


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

Definitely black locust.


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## Treeguysrule (Jan 1, 2014)

Still looks like locust to me


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## cuerodoc (Jan 27, 2012)

Ok--I'll be the odd guy out---from what I've seen I'd pick elm. Especially if it has a kind of sweetish scent when freshly cut. Looks a lot like the elm that I've cut before--and the color fades some with drying.


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## Acercanto (Jul 9, 2013)

Definitely not Locust. Cambium is way too thick of a cambium, and the bark is not thick enough. I'd go with Elm, or Mulberry.

Acer


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## gmcsmoke (Feb 6, 2011)

I'm leaning elm. bark is not right for locust


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

I'm thinking Mulberry, too.


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## Treeguysrule (Jan 1, 2014)

Well this has been fun, and I think the color of that lumber looks very much like the locust I have worked with. The bark and thick sapwood does not. The color also looks a lot like the mulberry I have seen, including the wide sapwood, though I never sliced any to see the inside. The bark looks more like the elm I have seen, and I have cut only one down, and did not slice or work with any of the wood. So may more details are need from the wood cutter to see how it was to work with. The locust was very hard, lots of saw dust, no chips when cutting, and smells very bad, smell even worse if you try and burn it. Any details on the wood you guys know about might be helpful.


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## Logger (Nov 26, 2009)

Seeing the bark I say black locust.


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## PSDkevin (Dec 18, 2010)

Well I'm not all that good at tree/wood ID but it really doesn't look like locust to me at all. Really to me it looks like Mescal bean or what some people call Texas mountain laurel. I have some samples that look exactly like that. Is the wood slightly waxy when you cut it?


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Eldaneo, if you send me a small piece, I can probably ID it for you.


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## Treeguysrule (Jan 1, 2014)

If we all get a piece, we could all take another stab at it


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Treeguysrule said:


> If we all get a piece, we could all take another stab at it


Yeah, but I probably have a few more samples to compare it to than you do :smile:


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## Jim West Pa (Jul 27, 2010)

Just curious. Why has no one asked what area you and the wood in question are from ? Wouldn't knowing the geographic location aid in identifying it ?


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Jim West Pa said:


> Just curious. Why has no one asked what area you and the wood in question are from ? Wouldn't knowing the geographic location aid in identifying it ?


Excellent point. That information is rarely of any help to me because I'm ignorant about such but I'll bet it would be a help to our sawyers.


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

I'm backing off the Mulberry guess. All the Mulberry I've seen turns russett red after a short exposure to air/sunlight. I'm not familiar enough with Locust to know.

I do have a small Mulberry log about the size of those pictured and the bark looks right but not the color if it has been exposed for any length of time.

I'll wait to see what Phinds says after receiving a sample. (BTW, Phinds. I reference your site OFTEN)


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Eldaneo, since you have the raw logs, did you cut this (these) tree/trees yourself. Are there still live trees where these logs came from. Can you provide a picture of the tree(s) with the leaves still attached? Or just a picture of the leaves?

Wood identity issues are most easily solved when live tree photos are provided.

George


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## pahern (Jan 21, 2014)

Locust 100%


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## Tim Greenwood (Jan 23, 2014)

Agree with pahern....100% Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) .........lovely timber! What are you going to make or do with it?


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## router worker (Jan 30, 2014)

That my friend is red elm, one definite way to tell is spit it preferably with a log splitter and see if it stringy. Your wandering what I mean if it red elm and you split it you will know what stringy means. The dryer the stringier


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## router worker (Jan 30, 2014)

Red elm isn't dry till the bark is off it. You see these trees standing, with all the bark off. When they die elm disease they loose there bark it takes about 7 years to loose it and fall


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