# Need an ID



## Karda (Nov 20, 2019)

Hi,I was given some wood, scraps from another turner. The first one is an exotic no to much over an inch in diameter and 8 inches long.The other is 2.5 thick and over a square foot in size and very light


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## phinds (Nov 20, 2019)

FIrst one is definitely bocote.

Second looks like some kind of cedar. Probably. Maybe. Hell, I don't know, it's the middle of the damn night and I'm asleep. Some people sleepwalk. I sleep-identify.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 4


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## Mr. Peet (Nov 20, 2019)

I agree with the first, the second, not enough to go on. SPF???


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## Karda (Nov 20, 2019)

ok thaks I thought I'd ask


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## Karl_TN (Nov 20, 2019)

The second lighter colored piece looks like curly maple.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Mike1950 (Nov 20, 2019)

Karl_TN said:


> The second lighter colored piece looks like curly maple.


i agree


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## Karda (Nov 20, 2019)

I thought it might be red maple but it is lighter than it should be for its size.Also the growth rings are very far appart. Thaks I like to know what I am turning.


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## Mr. Peet (Nov 20, 2019)

Karda said:


> I thought it might be red maple but it is lighter than it should be for its size.Also the growth rings are very far appart. Thaks I like to know what I am turning.



I understand the maple thought, but you started the post by saying it was very light. I assumed weight.

Let's try again. On the second piece with curl, what are the dimensions (to at least the nearest 1/16th) and the weight (to the nearest once). Then we shall have another go at it.


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## Karda (Nov 20, 2019)

I already cut the blank, it measures 9 15/16 in diameter and 1/1516 thick weighs 770 grams


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## Mr. Peet (Nov 21, 2019)

Karda said:


> I already cut the blank, it measures 9 15/16 in diameter and 1/1516 thick weighs 770 grams



Ok, so we assume it is 9 & 15/16ths by 9 & 15/16ths by 1 & 15/16ths, or 191.33569 cubic inches. So your wood works out to 15.33 pounds per cubic foot.

This is very light. So should we assume your blank is round at 9 & 15/16ths is better (150.275 cu.in.). This works out to 19.52 pounds per cubic foot. So that discounts any local maple and most local woods. Still going with *Spruce*, pine or fir, SPF.

Might want to check my math...


@phinds


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## Karda (Nov 21, 2019)

ok thanks


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## phinds (Nov 21, 2019)

Karda said:


> ok thanks


That doesn't answer Mark's question. "So should we assume your blank is round?"


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## Karda (Nov 21, 2019)

diameter usually means round

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Mr. Peet (Nov 21, 2019)

Karda said:


> diameter usually means round



Yes, often the word is referring to a round object, but not always. Thus my asking. Thank you Karda for confirming. Hope we were of some help.

Below is a general definition from:

Merriam Webster's

di·am·e·ter | \ dī-ˈa-mə-tər \

*Definition of diameter*

1 mathematics *: *a chord (see chord entry 3 sense 2) passing through the center of a figure or body

2 mathematics *: *the length of a straight line through the center of an object or space 
_the diameter of a circle dug a hole nearly four feet in diameter_

3 physics *: *a unit of enlargement used with a number to indicate magnification by a lens or optical system _an object one millimeter wide magnified 40 diameters appears 40 millimeters wide_


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## Nubsnstubs (Nov 21, 2019)

Karda said:


> diameter usually means round


Ooohh, I detect someone who is feeling feisty. ...... Jerry (in Tucson)


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## Mr. Peet (Nov 22, 2019)

Nubsnstubs said:


> Ooohh, I detect someone who is feeling feisty. ...... Jerry (in Tucson)



I think it is just a case that he had an idea in his head that did not clearly show itself in word form, thus my additional questioning. I think it is more common in married couples....

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Karda (Nov 30, 2019)

I saw a video on Utube, the bowl blank looked exactly the red and light wood sample i posted. The only difference was shape. Even the dust he got when turning was like what I got, a fine pink dust. It is Eastern Red Cedar


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## Mr. Peet (Nov 30, 2019)

Karda said:


> I saw a video on Utube, the bowl blank looked exactly the red and light wood sample i posted. The only difference was shape. Even the dust he got when turning was like what I got, a fine pink dust. It is Eastern Red Cedar



That does not makes sense for a few reasons. ERC density runs about 33 lbs. per cubic foot. The color you have shown is way off. The growth ring development from earlywood to late wood is off. ERC has a really strong smell, like many of the juniper family. 

Maybe you meant Western red ceder? That ranks at 23 lbs. per cubic foot, much closer to the 19.5 we got earlier. Plus the earlywood to late wood shift looks better too, as does the color.


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## Karda (Dec 1, 2019)

here are picture of the bowl I turned, it has no odor, at least no cedar odor. its not as red as western red cedar I have seen


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 1, 2019)

Karda said:


> here are picture of the bowl I turned, it has no odor, at least no cedar odor. its not as red as western red cedar I have seen
> 
> View attachment 174676
> 
> View attachment 174677



Mike, that bowl looks great. I wish you could upload pictures so when clicked on, they would enlarge, to allow a closer look. No smell, that is really odd, I would think that lessons the chance of being in the juniper family, but the color could match.

As for color, 'western red cedar', _Thuja plicata_, is often a dull brown with red highlights / hues. The real reds and purples are 'incense ceder', rocky mountain juniper and a bunch of other junipers.

Those growth rings are large, about 21 or so of them over 9.75" inches, averages rings over 7/16ths". That is big, fast growth. Douglas-fir could match growth rings, color, lack of smell but not weight. Cryptomeria / sugi matches well for growth rings, weight, ok for color, but has a strong odor.

*Do you have a picture of the end grain before the bowl blank was cut round?* Wonder if the growth rings were rounded at all, hinting to possible tree diameter. Seeing 21 years growth, no pith, basically 10 inches wide as presented in post 11/20/19, double (remember no pith) gives 20 diameter tree, plus pith, some sapwood and bark, tells me we may have had a 24" DBH tree to start. This also limits juniper possibilities.

Hinoki cypress comes to mind, but again, smell...


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## Karda (Dec 1, 2019)

here are pics of the end grain, would a sanded piece help. The first pic is a close up of transition from red to white grain


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 1, 2019)

Karda said:


> here are pics of the end grain, would a sanded piece help. The first pic is a close up of transition from red to white grain
> 
> View attachment 174688
> 
> View attachment 174689



No, those are good. Can you tell me how tall / long the second picture is, top to bottom?


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## Nubsnstubs (Dec 1, 2019)

Mr. Peet said:


> No, those are good. Can you tell me how tall / long the second picture is, top to bottom?



Boy, Mike, these guys sure are particular, aren't they?? hehehehe........ Jerry (in Tucson)


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## Karda (Dec 1, 2019)

Hi, the piece measured 1/1516 x 11"


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 1, 2019)

Karda said:


> Hi, the piece measured 1/1516 x 11"



11 inches, Thanks Mike. That tells me that the tree was well over 2 feet DBH for sure. Being the rings are not concentric, I would not try reconstructing a mock diameter using calipers. 

I'm half temped to ask you to put some shavings in a clean zip-lock bag, so I can stop in and see, and smell them. I'm sure the bowl will be finished soon if not already. Haven't been to Elmira in a while.


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## Karda (Dec 1, 2019)

I can do that, I don't have anytjhing left to turn but i have a piece left that I can sand or cut up. I could spindle turn a piece. do you live that close to me. i live in Elmira NY


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 1, 2019)

Karda said:


> I can do that, I don't have anytjhing left to turn but i have a piece left that I can sand or cut up. I could spindle turn a piece. do you live that close to me. i live in Elmira NY



No, but drive to Cortland about once a month. See Binghamton had a 20 car pile up... Still freezing rain here.


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## Karda (Dec 1, 2019)

any time you want to stop let me know. not suprised about the pile up, it is getting bad every where very icy


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## phinds (Dec 1, 2019)

Karda said:


> any time you want to stop let me know


Nah, he never stops. He's like the energizer bunny ... he just keeps goin' and goin'


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## Karda (Dec 1, 2019)

wish I had some of that energy


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 2, 2019)

Karda said:


> wish I had some of that energy



Me too....


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## Karda (Dec 2, 2019)

he must be a youngun


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