# turns nicely -- but what is it?



## duncsuss (Oct 1, 2013)

Can you help please? I don't know what type of wood this is, but I think I'd like to get some more ... it allowed me to turn my first finial, so that's a positive right there 

(For scale -- the diameter of the turned end is just under 3/4".)

[attachment=31927]
[attachment=31928]

and just for show ... the finial ...

[attachment=31929]

Thanks!


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Oct 1, 2013)

Do you know if it is exotic or domestic?


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## duncsuss (Oct 1, 2013)

Treecycle Hardwoods said:


> Do you know if it is exotic or domestic?



Well ... if I had to guess, I'd be inclined to say "exotic" but that's not a sure thing.


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## Kevin (Oct 1, 2013)

That end grain should make it easy to match. What's it smell like, and does it stain your hands at all?


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## duncsuss (Oct 1, 2013)

Kevin said:


> That end grain should make it easy to match. What's it smell like, and does it stain your hands at all?



No staining (after I shook off the shavings and dust).

I'm not sure about smell (I had a respirator mask on while I was working it.) I'll sniff at the pile of shavings when I get home from work ...


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## phinds (Oct 1, 2013)

I first thought silky oak when looking at the face/side grain but the end grain makes it very clear that I was wrong about that.

That is an outstandingly good shot of the end grain and as Kevin said, it should make it easy to ID. I'll see if I can find something similar, but nothing jumps to mind.

EDIT: well, nuts! I found a few that have somewhat similar end grain but I'm sure it's not any of them --- face grain is wrong

these include

etimoe
jatoba
mahogany (various kinds)
sipo --- the is the only one that seems like even a close possibility but I don't really think that's what it is.


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## Sprung (Oct 1, 2013)

I'm definitely not an expert, and I'm likely very wrong, but your pics remind me of the one piece of bubinga I've worked with and looking at Paul's site makes it look like it might be a match or close match? :i_dunno:

(Others are welcome to correct me if I'm wrong, which I probably am. I am just about the last person here you should probably ask for help with wood id!  )


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## duncsuss (Oct 1, 2013)

phinds said:


> I first thought silky oak when looking at the face/side grain but the end grain makes it very clear that I was wrong about that.
> 
> That is an outstandingly good shot of the end grain and as Kevin said, it should make it easy to ID. I'll see if I can find something similar, but nothing jumps to mind.



Appreciate your efforts ... I have a history of buying sticks when they're on "99 cent sale" at Rockler & Woodcraft, and remember I once bought a piece they'd labeled as "ebony" -- could this be it?


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## duncsuss (Oct 1, 2013)

Sprung said:


> ... but your pics remind me of the one piece of bubinga I've worked with and looking at Paul's site makes it look like it might be a match or close match? :i_dunno:



That's a great suggestion. The end grain on my piece is a little darker, but the pattern is pretty darned close.

(Also, the darkness may be due to the way my spindle gouge "burnishes" the endgrain after cutting through it, Paul's was probably sanded.)

Thanks!


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## Kevin (Oct 1, 2013)

No that's not like any ebony I have ever seen. I've seen that or a very similar end grain in my collection or somewhere else before - I'm looking through my books, samples, and websites a few minutes at a time between taking breaks from shuffling two very heavy table saws around trying to have another hernia. :hang1:


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## Kevin (Oct 1, 2013)

I missed your suggestion but I think you may have nailed it Sprung. It looks exactly like my image of bubinga eng grain. I'll grab my loupe and looks at some in hand but I think you nailed it.


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## phinds (Oct 1, 2013)

I have to agree that the end grain does look exactly like bubinga but I'm a bit unsure of it even so because of the extreme (in my experience of bubinga) flakiness of the face grain.

Even the color is reasonable for bubinga though, and I can't think what ELSE it might be.


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## Kevin (Oct 1, 2013)

phinds said:


> .... but I'm a bit unsure of it even so because of the extreme (in my experience of bubinga) flakiness of the face grain....



I had that exact same thought, but I was so convinced by the end grain I folded my tent. I'm glad you brought it up, but I still think it's bubinga unless it has a "platernal" end grain twin. 

What about teak?


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Oct 1, 2013)

When I first saw this this morning I thought it was Goncalo Alves but wasn't sure.... I finally had a chance to sit at a computer and look up some end grain images and I would think it could fit the bill.


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## phinds (Oct 1, 2013)

Treecycle Hardwoods said:


> When I first saw this this morning I thought it was Goncalo Alves but wasn't sure.... I finally had a chance to sit at a computer and look up some end grain images and I would think it could fit the bill.



I do see the similarity with goncalo alves in the end grain, but I think that's much less likely than bubinga (or even sipo) based on the combination of end grain, face grain, and overall look and color.


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## phinds (Oct 1, 2013)

goslin99 said:


> Looks like brown heart



What is "brown heart" ?


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## phinds (Oct 1, 2013)

goslin99 said:


> I think if purple heart and bubinga had a baby it should be called brown heart.
> 
> Haven't turned a lot of buninga, but the end grain is just like that but the side grain was one solid color. This looks like it has dark threads/stripes. Is that typical?



What is "brown heart" ?


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## duncsuss (Oct 1, 2013)

goslin99 said:


> Sorry Paul, I was kidding. I apologize, I know wood is no laughing matter.



Phew ... I was worried you'd identified a species that Paul had never encountered, do you have any idea what effect that could have on the universe? :wacko1:


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## Kevin (Oct 1, 2013)

goslin99 said:


> phinds said:
> 
> 
> > goslin99 said:
> ...



Everything is a laughing matter. Except the lack of a sense of humor - that's no laughing matter.


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## duncsuss (Oct 1, 2013)

Thanks everyone for your help.

I'm happy to settle on bubinga -- I got a box of assorted wood cut-offs a couple of years ago, bubinga was on the list of contents but I never knew which pieces were what :i_dunno:

Even if it isn't -- I love the way it sounds ... *"Bubinga! Yippee!"*


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## phinds (Oct 1, 2013)

duncsuss said:


> Even if it isn't -- I love the way it sounds ... *"Bubinga! Yippee!"*



Hm ... no, I think plain old bubinga only rates an "oh goodie". To get to a full-bore "Yippee" you have to have something like pomelle bubinga. Waterfall bubinga, on the other hand, rates a full "HOT DAMN!"


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## ButchC (Oct 1, 2013)

phinds said:


> duncsuss said:
> 
> 
> > Even if it isn't -- I love the way it sounds ... *"Bubinga! Yippee!"*
> ...



Mmmm....Bubinga.
[attachment=31944]


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## Kevin (Oct 1, 2013)

Butch that's torture.


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## ButchC (Oct 1, 2013)

Kevin said:


> Butch that's torture.



Not as much as planning to use them no less than 6 times, and not having the nerve to put a blade to them. 

Butch


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## Kevin (Oct 1, 2013)

ButchC said:


> Kevin said:
> 
> 
> > Butch that's torture.
> ...



Haha I can understand that. I have a lean-to shed full of book macthes and special boards that I have to figure out how to use. I guess many would like to have that problem though so I'm not complaining. That bub is beautiful.


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## Mike1950 (Oct 1, 2013)

ButchC said:


> phinds said:
> 
> 
> > duncsuss said:
> ...



I am quite sure that Paul would agree- those rate a "HOTTTT DAMN!!!!!"


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## Mike Jones (Oct 1, 2013)

Nice job on the finial!! these are way hard to get "right" and yours is lookin' good!


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## duncsuss (Oct 1, 2013)

Mike Jones said:


> Nice job on the finial!! these are way hard to get "right" and yours is lookin' good!



Thanks, Mike 

My turning club had Kurt Hertzog demonstrating and giving a workshop 2 weekends ago (9/21 and 22). He's a great teacher and gave us many tips on both design and actual turning of pieces, I'm pleased that some of it stuck!


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## ButchC (Oct 1, 2013)

duncsuss said:


> Mike Jones said:
> 
> 
> > Nice job on the finial!! these are way hard to get "right" and yours is lookin' good!
> ...



That finial looks great. Something that I've never turned before. Maybe oughta give that a try.

Butch


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## duncsuss (Oct 1, 2013)

ButchC said:


> That finial looks great. Something that I've never turned before. Maybe oughta give that a try.



Thanks.

The #1 item of advice Kurt gave was to pick your blank _very carefully_. The grain must be straight and perfectly parallel to the axis (easiest is to have it parallel to the sides of the blank, that way you don't have to start the piece turning off-center).

Even a degree or two off-axis will make it much weaker and likely to break when you get it thinned down.


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## ButchC (Oct 1, 2013)

duncsuss said:


> ButchC said:
> 
> 
> > That finial looks great. Something that I've never turned before. Maybe oughta give that a try.
> ...



That is a fabulous tip! Worth the price of admission.


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## duncsuss (Oct 1, 2013)

ButchC said:


> duncsuss said:
> 
> 
> > ButchC said:
> ...



My agent will be in touch to discuss settlement of the bill :rofl2:


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