# Submerdged Log Identification.....



## Eric Wallace (Feb 23, 2014)

I bought a piece of property and built a home. The property had an old farm pond. I wanted to enlarge the pond and while doing so the excavator brought up an old log. I have no idea what kind of wood it is or how long it has been submerged. What I do know is that is has a dark maroon color and is so hard that my chainsaw acts like I am cutting a piece of stone. It has a slightly sweet smell and one person suggested it might be cherry but the growth rings are fairly widely spread and suggest a faster growing wood......I think. Any suggestions? (I can't see a way to post the picture from my desktop in this post??


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2014)

Keep it in the water until you mill it!

The aroma probably has nothing to do with the species but the algae. My wild guess based on your location is hedge as y'all call it, but it could be virtually any species. PLEASE let us see it when you have it milled . . .


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2014)

Eric Wallace said:


> (I can't see a way to post the picture from my desktop in this post??



Click "More Options" and you'll see the upload image options. Please resize your images to 1000 or less before uploading. You can also use a service like photobucket and just insert the link. 

Let us know if you need help.


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## Eric Wallace (Feb 23, 2014)

OK, so I am a novice at all of this. You are suggesting I find a local mill and have it "milled" By that you mean I should have it cut into board of some certain size or into the largest pieces I can?


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2014)

Yes. but first things first, can you take a chainsaw to it and cut off about a 6 inch cookie? A cookie is just a short piece cut off the end. We want to try and identify the species first and also determine the condition of the wood. If the log was in good shape wneh it went for a swim it will be in good shape now most likely. It isn't punky (soft) anywhere on the outside?


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## Eric Wallace (Feb 23, 2014)

Here are some images:)

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 2


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2014)

Ohhhh walnut! It's going to produce beautiful lumber for yuou Eric. Find a mill and have it milled into 4/4, 6/4 and some 8/4 lumber. Nice find. :-)


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2014)

Is it pretty short or is the photo decieving? Closer look shows it's a little small diamter to get all those sizes I'd just mill it into 4/4.


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## Eric Wallace (Feb 23, 2014)

Kevin said:


> Yes. but first things first, can you take a chainsaw to it and cut off about a 6 inch cookie? A cookie is just a short piece cut off the end. We want to try and identify the species first and also determine the condition of the wood. If the log was in good shape wneh it went for a swim it will be in good shape now most likely. It isn't punky (soft) anywhere on the outside?



I would have to look a little harder but I know for sure there are some spots that look like they had rot. The log is about 20 to 30 feet long and maybe 18 inches or so at the base. The smaller pic was from a branched piece (I think), that is about 5 feet long and about 8 inches wide.


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2014)

Those punky places will just be sap deep. Walnut heartwood is nearly impervious to rot from being submerged.


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## Eric Wallace (Feb 23, 2014)

Kevin said:


> Ohhhh walnut! It's going to produce beautiful lumber for yuou Eric. Find a mill and have it milled into 4/4, 6/4 and some 8/4 lumber. Nice find. :-)



OK cool! Thanks for the help! I've done very little wood working (if you can even call it that, I've made my own fire place mantle and some shelving around it), but maybe this is the thing to get me more into it. 

Thanks again!

Reactions: Agree 2


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## davduckman2010 (Feb 23, 2014)

kevin I think that 30 footer would dry better down in texas what do you think

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2014)

You're welcome keep us updated.


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## Eric Wallace (Feb 23, 2014)

Being a novice is there anything I need to ensure I ask or do once I find a mill?


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## davduckman2010 (Feb 23, 2014)

v


Eric Wallace said:


> OK cool! Thanks for the help! I've done very little wood working (if you can even call it that, I've made my own fire place mantle and some shelving around it), but maybe this is the thing to get me more into it.
> 
> Thanks again!


 very nice find eric cogrates duck


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2014)

Duck you have the best ideas for drying wood that I've ever heard. :-)


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## davduckman2010 (Feb 23, 2014)




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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2014)

Eric Wallace said:


> Being a novice is there anything I need to ensure I ask or do once I find a mill?



@Daren has a mill finding link *on his website* that might help. And if you're close to Lovington maybe you can talk him into milling it (he'll kill for that but he never comes around anymore so he won't know I sent you lol).


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## Eric Wallace (Feb 23, 2014)

OK, thanks! I'll check it out. (To think, I almost cut it up for firewood.) Yikes.


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2014)

Sacrilege Alert: It does make great firewood.


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## Schroedc (Feb 23, 2014)

Kevin said:


> Sacrilege Alert: It does make great firewood.



That's one way to dry it out but not the one I'd choose :)


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## woodtickgreg (Feb 23, 2014)

Great find, love me some walnut. As soon as you said a sweet smell when cut I was already thinking walnut. And who would push a walnut tree into a pond?


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## Eric Wallace (Feb 23, 2014)

woodtickgreg said:


> Great find, love me some walnut. As soon as you said a sweet smell when cut I was already thinking walnut. And who would push a walnut tree into a pond?



The pond has woods and trees around much of it. I suspect the tree fell in at some point.

Reactions: Like 1


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