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I used to pick chunks of wood, 3 X 3 X 12" or so pieces of wood out of the scrap bin at the shop I worked at. They were used under bundles of steel bars coming in to be sawed up, and turned into forgings. I'd see flame, and grab it. I found Maple, Sycamore, Cherry and even Walnut, the Walnut wasn't flamed, but I'm making a neck out of it for a Walnut/Alaskan Yellow Cedar violin.

This chunk is an enigma. Very nice flames. Very distinctive dark/light grain. Then the smell. I though maybe it was White Oak or something, but not after I sliced it. I thought something like hickory too. But it is Very fragrant. Peppery. Kind of like P. O. Cedar, but not as funky.

I measured it out and weighed it. 7 X 7 X 12 cm chunk comes out to .55 s.g.

Any ideas on what it is. I'm going to make a canister like thing for a gift out of it. It would be nice to say what it is!

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Why be normal?

Have you measured the density? And does the scrap bin you got it from only have North American woods, or are exotics mixed in there too?

It's obviously ring-porous, so that narrows the search. The quartersawn surface really does look like white oak. I wonder if it could be some particular species of oak that isn't commonly sold as lumber. I haven't smelled all of them

Yeah, the density is .55
The grain is very straight and even. Doesn't have flecks like oak either, only the light color.
Most of the trucks came in from Ohio.

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Why be normal?

Ash?

i though of that. Does it have a strong smell when cut?

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What's the smell when cut?

It really looks like figured Ash of some kind to me with the end grain.

It’s gotta be 20+ years since I’ve worked with it so I have no memory of what it smells like. I did a quick search and found white ash being used as incense.

That looks like ash,
harvested from the mountains in Florida.
That piece looks to be harvested on a full moon.
Sorry, I'm trying to quit smoking cigs,
and I'm feeling a little silly.
Alan

I think that Ash is what it is. I turned it round, and it looks like a baseball bat out of curly stock.

Incense? I can see that! It smells sweet and peppery. Makes my nose run like Port Orford Cedar, but a little different smell.

Alan, I don't remember quiting. That was 40 years ago! Don't miss it.

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Why be normal?

in the same boat...nicotine is rather addictive, neh?

and too boot most manufacturers some how modify it with a freed ion to make it go to your brain real quick, which makes switching to vaping (not the evil thing the MSM is making it out to be) rather difficult...just not the same effect, though close

and yeah, that's Ash AFAIC

I quit smoking 18 years ago! Now to quit drinking...as much..

Not sure what .55 s g means, but it looks like Paulownia, especially the end grain. Paulownia is a very light weight wood like cedar or cypress.

Ed

Specific gravity. Basically density relative to water (woods above 1 will sink). .55 is equivalent to 550kg/m3 or 34lbs/ft3, so kind of medium density like mahogany.
I just failed to read the original post thoroughly enough before I asked about density in my previous post

If you sand it you could probably get a better idea of what it is.

Reading this reminded me to go get a cold beer. Thanks!

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-Marcus
http://www.bailieguitars.com
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Looks like ash to me.

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Guitar Maker and Purveyor of the World's Finest Tonewoods
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A lot like the sweet spot on a baseball bat. I'll have to use a good pore filler that won't kill the flame. Still a lot of work to do.

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I have 2 more pieces to turn. And finishing to do. Finishing always takes longer than anything else. I have to do something to make it really show off the wood. Violin pegs after this. The most I've run a lathe since retiring!

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Why be normal?