Thread: Timber Identification Assistance

They're both Tas Oak. There will always be variations in density within a tree, but you'll probably find that the recycled stuff is much harder and denser than new.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

They're both Tas Oak. There will always be variations in density within a tree, but you'll probably find that the recycled stuff is much harder and denser than new.

Thank you. That's great to hear. I already have a couple of large boards of Tas Oak put aside that I haven't touched as well, so I have plenty of stock for ebonising. (Enough for a lifetime.) I'll snip off a bit tomorrow and repeat the test.
I've got some Tas Blackwood soaking, but the Tas Oak came up beautiful and black in no time at all, without having to resort to stains or dyes. This is every bit as black as stain. I cut a strip of 2mm veneer for testing. Finished with 2 coats of wipe-on poly. I didn't sand except on the belt before ebonising, so the surface is a bit rough. Pic below.

If anyone disagrees and thinks it's something besides Tas Oak, please say so, but elanjacobs, (Elan, is it?), sounded pretty positive.

How deep does the ebonising penetrate into the timber ?

cheers
Arron

Originally Posted by Arron

How deep does the ebonising penetrate into the timber ?

cheers
Arron

My eyes are bad, but about 0.1mm to 0.2mm is my guess. More on the end-grain.
I think that a longer soaking time would improve penetration. This is 2 hours' worth: -

Edit: Pic 2 shows the Blackwood next to the Tas Oak. Didn't go nearly as dark with the same soaking time.

It looks like blackbutt to me (E. pilularis). Hard to be definitive but the colour and gum veination suggests blackbutt more to me than Tas oak.

My 2c

Originally Posted by pampelmuse

It looks like blackbutt to me (E. pilularis). Hard to be definitive but the colour and gum veination suggests blackbutt more to me than Tas oak.
My 2c

Thanks for the input, pampelmuse. The more opinions the better.

Since I know that the pieces from the 2 x 1 go nice and black in the ebonising solution, I can do tests with a piece of the 4 x 2 and the other Tas Oak I have here and see if they react the same. I don't have any Blackbutt here to do a comparison of it as well, but I'll try to get a bit.

Hmmm. A bit of research on Blackbutt and it is a likely contender, so I'd better get some.

From timber.net.au: -

Blackbutt is one of the most common species of hardwood commercially available from the coastal forests of New South Wales.

and

Blackbutt grows in the coastal forests of New South Wales from Bega on the south coast up to Maryborough in Queensland.

and

Heartwood: pale brown, sometimes with a slight pinkish tinge

Finally:
Common uses: Poles, sleepers, flooring, building framework, cladding, lining boards, joinery, furniture, decking.

Two Blackbutt pics below. It does look similar to me. (Distinguishing timbers is not my strong point, though.)

Sliced up about 2 dozen pieces of Tassie Oak on thursday and also have a side table and bookcase of it (with respect to E Jacobs ) and it looks nothing like like the photos of what you have.
My vote is also B.butt

Steve

Originally Posted by kamusur

Sliced up about 2 dozen pieces of Tassie Oak on thursday and also have a side table and bookcase of it (with respect to E Jacobs ) and it looks nothing like like the photos of what you have.
My vote is also B.butt

Steve

Thanks Steve. That's 2 votes for Blackbutt.
I'm not actually convinced that both the 2 x 1 and the 4 x 2 are the same timber, either. When soaked in the ebonising solution, the 2 x 1 goes darker and does it much quicker than the 4 x 2. The 4 x 2 is a fair bit redder, as well. Might just be variations within a species, too.

Any other opinions. So far, the score is 2 votes for Blackbutt, 1 vote for Tas Oak.

If I can be reasonably sure what it is, I'll go out and buy some, to use for ebonising for tyres, seats etc on models.