# Help me ID this super old growth exotic lumber



## Palaswood (Sep 12, 2016)

This was given to me by an old time woodworker who purchased some land in Norco, CA simply because it had a huge cache of old-growth lumber on it. The guy told me that the story goes the wood came over as ballast on sailing ships over 200 years ago from India. He said its rosewood, but the feathered grain resembles a mahogany. This wood is VERY heavy and hard, and the outside was dark gray and weathered, obviously a very old timber.


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## Kevin (Sep 12, 2016)

Indian junks often used track or tie ballast because railroad supplies were so plentiful near ports. Steel track or heavy ties would be laid down as a foundation and the crate goods stacked upon them. That doesn't look like any species I ever saw a tie cut from but that doesn't mean anything. 

Just for grins let us have the exact measurement and weight.


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## barry richardson (Sep 12, 2016)

All I can tell is that it is neither rosewood, nor mahogany.....


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## barry richardson (Sep 12, 2016)

I acquired some old dunnage that looked a lot like that, it came from somewhere in Asia. it is hard and heavy as well. In my research I decided it was Apitong. Used a lot for the beds of trucks and railroad cars. Is it somewhat resinous with a kinda unpleasant resinous smell?

Reactions: Informative 1


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## phinds (Sep 12, 2016)

The end grain looks like eucalyptus and nothing about it suggest "super old growth". Face grain doesn't look like any eucalyptus I recall. We really need better pics, especially of the end grain

Oh, and I agree completley w/ Barry that there is no way this is a rosewood or anything from the mahogany family.


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## Mike1950 (Sep 12, 2016)

Kempas?


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## phinds (Sep 12, 2016)

Mike1950 said:


> Kempas?


Nope. No chance. Not with that end grain.


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## Palaswood (Sep 12, 2016)

Not resinous at all and there isnt much of a smell. I knew it wasnt rosewood as soon as he told me it was, but I didnt want to argue with the guy. Eucalyptus is what my first inclination was @phinds. I can say from the density its not mahogany, the interlocked grain i feel is a good clue. Asian dunnage maybe. You know how stories get butchered over time. Ill get some razor cut pics of the end grain.


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## Kevin (Sep 12, 2016)

Palaswood said:


> ballast on sailing ships over 200 years ago from India



Well I latched on to the Indian junk reference because that's a very specific detail unlikely to become "accidentally" interjected into the history of that tract of land in CA. It might not help ID the wood, but if it's accurate my bet is it will tie in to the feasibility of the wood having been involved in the railroad industry in India and purchased (or "requisitioned lol") as ballast by a shipping company.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Palaswood (Sep 12, 2016)

Some shots not as close up. I don't have the piece with me but I'll get some close up end grain pics today, and get it measured and weighed. Thanks dudes.


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## phinds (Sep 12, 2016)

Still not a really clear end grain shot but what I do see reinforces my belief that it's a eucalyptus. Check out the actual end grain against:

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/_anatomy/diffuse porous/eucalypts/_eucalypts.htm

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Palaswood (Sep 12, 2016)

I was just reading that page paul lol - I have seen lots of eucalyptus, and the end grain is a dead giveaway. Also, the wood lacks a strong odor (unlike the leaves of the tree) so that's another clue. As I said, as soon as my eye saw this wood in person, my brain went "eucalyptus". I have two more sticks to put up from the same guy. one is a cream colored and one is an awesome golden oak of some type (perhaps golden oak lol). I made a little box with it last year. Think it could be Jarrah? (those were from my instagram page so I did adjust the contrast/saturation etc, but its pretty darn close to the actual hue after finishing)


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## phinds (Sep 12, 2016)

That box could be any number of woods and with only those pics I wouldn't even make a guess. I can tell you it's not redheart or padauk or bloodwood but you probably already know that and of course in any case that doesn't help much in figuring out what it IS.


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## Palaswood (Sep 12, 2016)

@phinds @barry richardson @Kevin 
This is zoomed in and with the flash after sanding to 800 grit. Color is off due to flash, its much more red.


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## phinds (Sep 12, 2016)

Nice pics. Definitely, I'd say eucalyptus but which one I doubt you'll ever know.


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## Palaswood (Sep 12, 2016)

thanks! I wanted to get good pics of the end-grain, so I *pored* over it for some time.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 3


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## phinds (Sep 12, 2016)

Palaswood said:


> thanks! I wanted to get good pics of the end-grain, so I *pored* over it for some time.


You do realize, I hope, that any pun not originated by me is by default awful.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 3


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## Palaswood (Sep 12, 2016)

Woodworkers and puns go together like two boards and some glue.


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## bench1holio (Sep 12, 2016)

Looks alot like Red Ironbark to me!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Palaswood (Sep 13, 2016)

bench1holio said:


> Looks alot like Red Ironbark to me!


I have some actually, in log form (firewood shake). Its not quite the same thing, but i'll take a closer look.


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