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Got a bunch of OLD wood, paneled cupboard doors, raised panels, planks, shutters, etc. I can certainly tell when I find Sitka. But this stuff was in a garage attick for up to 30 years, and is dry. Some of it is feather light. Haven't cut it up to do strength tests. I suspect that'll reveal the men from the boys

What are the telltale signs it's pine? Or spruce? Type of spruce? Gotta know, cause I got a boatload of the stuff.

Terry,

One cut on the saw should tell you, if it is pine you should smell that sweet pine aroma. Another sign is that pine will typically show flecks on the edge grain. These flecks will usually run parallel to the grain. Spruce is whiter in general, again you will need to open a board to see this to get away from the patina of old wood. Usually wood like this would be pine unless it is associated with a boatbuilder or a door and window company. Pine was/is used in many more different wood products than spruce. But you never know....you may have hit the jackpot!

I hope it turns out well for you.

Shane

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Canada

Like Shane said, the smell is a big factor. In my limited experience, I have almost never found pine with really tight(10 or more) grain lines per inch. I have however found a good bit of spruce with those characteristics. Nothing beats sorting through a nice stash of wood! I bet you find some suitable brace material in that pile of wood. If it is old & stable, has super tight grain, and is light as a feather, keep it. Good Luck!

terry , you being in Penna and sitka is from the pacific NW you can bet you have somthing other than sitka. Most indigenous woods around pa were white pine , chestnut, oak and Maple. I have see some western red fir but this was something that was often mail order.
john hall
blues creek guitars

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

yep, I've been doing the fleck test, and smell was the biggest one, so I thought. You gotta peel through a few layers to get through the "dust" smell.

The Addy spruce I got from John Hall, some carpathian, etc has some smell too. Reduced and ever so slightly different bouquet. I hope I hit the jackpot!

The sitka was a certainty. B/C it stood out. Some of the stuff that did have a little smell had such great grain and weight that it gets put into it's own pile labeled with a question mark on it

Todd it's been a while since I chewed on wood, but yeah, the domestic stuff's probably okay except for the cat pee and bat poop, etc ....

I can see the stares now - at the local used building materials emporium - with me chewing on old screen doors like a cooped up hound dog .

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Don't swallow though…

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

and just for the record....

If you're trying to discern between Nicarauguan and Mexiccan cocobolo, NEVER put that in your mouth. Or any other exotic wood. That could be like chewing on poison ivy to some people. Even deadly (Anaphylactic shock a possiility here??)

Pat, you're hilarious!
BTW some of this stuff has over 50 grains per inch!! I am serious! Most 20 to 30 category though. Lots of it is from OLD trees, there's hardly any radius on even the widest boards

huh? 30 to 50 grains per inch? yeah... I'd like some of that please, but not to worry, I won't be eating it. Even though I am a beaver I find dry wood not to my liking. Just too chewy and the sap can stain your teeth....

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust