Thread: Help to identify timber

I'm thinking Cooktown Ironwood too, the live edge on the sapwood isn't quite right for pellita to my mind.

the definitive test for ironwood would be grind up a little bit of sapwood to powder, slip it in some mince, and feed it to the yapping dog down the road. If there's a godawful yodeling a bit later, followed by no more yapping ever again... It's ironwood. That sodium fluroacetate never loses potency.

ummm, yeah, don't use it for a chopping board either.

I thought cooktown iron wood has more dark streaks through it. I hear what you say about the live edge, but apparently it has been down for a long time.
As for hardness and weight, the forest red down here is no where near as dense as red mahog.

Originally Posted by rustynail

As for hardness and weight, the forest red down here is no where near as dense as red mahog.

You are right, just looked them up, although relatively close. Not sure what you call Forest Red, but dry camaldulensis is 910kg/m3 compared to pellita 950kg/m3

Thanks again for replies,
I don't want to try you're test John.G but iron wood would certainly describe the piece of timber it is very heavy and the grain is very tight and dark maybe make a box from it. I have tried to track down some more information on iornwood and can't find any pictures of the timber only the leaves flowers and bark of which I have no knowledge and Ideas where to find photos of the grain to compare.
Regards Rod.

I was being very tongue in cheek with the ironwood test, though it is something to keep in mind when sawing/sanding etc. I've had a few ironwood splinters over the years, mostly they festered quick and hot and painfull, but one once broke a piece off under the skin and resulted in a trip with the RFDS and put me down for a week. Be aware that it is quite a potent toxin, and that it doesn't disapate when dry.

for me the Orange color under the light says ironwood. I cut a lot of pellita and here it's either pink darkening to red or that real deep mahogany colour. That of course doesn't mean much as timber of the same species from different locations looks different. Similarly I've never seen dark streaks in ironwood, but I've got no doubt it gets them.

ironwood would stand out on density. 950 kg to the cube for pellita sounds right, locally here FRG will go around 1000 or so. Ironwood is going to be up near 1200 kg/ cube at 10% moisture... Volume of board and weight won't tell you what it is, but could well tell you what it's not.

Originally Posted by Rod Gilbert

Thanks again for replies,
I don't want to try you're test John.G but iron wood would certainly describe the piece of timber it is very heavy and the grain is very tight and dark maybe make a box from it. I have tried to track down some more information on iornwood and can't find any pictures of the timber only the leaves flowers and bark of which I have no knowledge and Ideas where to find photos of the grain to compare.
Regards Rod.

Glad I could be of help.

Cheers John.G & Cool Runnings,
I have done a couple of searches and couldn't find anything in the way of pictures of board but a lot was said about the toxicity of the wood and about splinters and the weight being so high was one thing I thought I could try to get an idea if it was possibly ironwood seeing it is quite apart from most other timbers in weight 1200kg m3.
Regards Rod.

Being from the deep south, my expieience with cook town iron wood is extremely limited.
Also, on refering to the books, I see that forest red weighs more than red mahog. Yet in our nick of the woods it's the other way about. Dont you love timber?

How right you are Rustynail,
Identical species grown in different areas totally different appearance, two trees same type grown side by side different grain patterns aren't we lucky to work in such a mystical medium that can surprise at every turn enjoy you're woodwork.
Regards Rod.

Originally Posted by Rod Gilbert

How right you are Rustynail,
Identical species grown in different areas totally different appearance, two trees same type grown side by side different grain patterns aren't we lucky to work in such a mystical medium that can surprise at every turn enjoy you're woodwork.
Regards Rod.

And that is what makes woodworking so enjoyable and challenging. We all see different applications for the pieces we gat to play with.