# ???Mystery Wood??? (updated picture)



## Jmhoff10500 (Jan 16, 2010)

So here's the story behind my awesome find:

My dad originally found it in a barn he was demolishing 15 years ago. It came from a large crate that we know is an import from another country, but we dont know what country. I found it today among my other old pieces of wood and thought i would cut it up to see what could be done with it. The plank was covered in a very hard paint on every side and it is  8"x7/8"x3 feet and is very heavy. The wood ranges from very very dark blacks to very constant and thin veins of almost purple/brown/red. If it helps in identifying it, i ruined a $40 dollar sanding belt because it clogged it. The picture definitely does not do it justice and i don't know what it is, any ideas?

(we thought of a couple possibilities like Honduras mahogany, some kind of ironwood, or something that the government was experimenting with:biggrin


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## gvanweerd (Jan 16, 2010)

Lignum vitae, maybe?


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## mrcook4570 (Jan 16, 2010)

It looks like purpleheart, except that I have not experienced clogged sandpaper from purpleheart.

If it is purpleheart, place the freshly sanded side in direct sunlight for a couple of hours.  It will turn deep purple.


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## B727phixer (Jan 16, 2010)

Jonathan,
You should  send some my way and I will do a complete evaluation!:biggrin:
looks interesting but I have no guesses!:frown:


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## Jmhoff10500 (Jan 16, 2010)

I would have guesses purple heart too but there was an edge that didn't have paint on it that looked like a dark Mahogony, and i dont think purple heart has ever been used for shipping... The hue that the wood has isnt purpleheart but more of a very deep reddish color...


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## jthompson1995 (Jan 16, 2010)

It may be some kind of rosewood. If you're lucky it could be brazilian rosewood. Did it smell like a rosewood when you were sanding it (think of cocobolo's smell)? If it is, you could sell it for guitar making/luthiery and make back more than enough for your lost sanding belt.


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## Jmhoff10500 (Jan 16, 2010)

I have a cold right now so the combo of stuffed nose and a face mask kind of dulled the smell... Could anyone identify it if I sent you a piece?


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## nava1uni (Jan 16, 2010)

I can tell you right now that everyone will want a blank to help in the identification.


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## Karin Voorhis (Jan 16, 2010)

nava1uni said:


> I can tell you right now that everyone will want a blank to help in the identification.



Yes I see that coming too! Good call


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## Jmhoff10500 (Jan 16, 2010)

I'd be fine sending out a blank to a couple people if you think you might have any idea about what it might be and have to make something out of it to be sure...:biggrin:


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## parnelli_97 (Jan 16, 2010)

Go to your library, mine had a few books on identifying lumber. They were in the woodworking section. (right next to how to make a bird feeder lol)


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## jimm1 (Jan 16, 2010)

I first thought it might be in the locust family, but if this has been in a barn for 15 years and who knows how long before that, You can rule that out.  Lucust is not that durable. You mention "shipping". Many older pallets that came from Brazil, were made with Purpleheart, so you may have something there. The clogged sander though, questions the purpleheart. I'll take a stab at this being Australian Mahogany. It's durable and can get very "red" in color.


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## thewishman (Jan 17, 2010)

Jmhoff10500 said:


> dont think purple heart has ever been used for shipping


  I've got some purpleheart from a pallet - used to ship hardwood flooring.


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## greggas (Jan 17, 2010)

If the color is true on my monitor then I am pretty sure it is purple heart.  Has the same color, grain pattern, is very dense and purple heart turns black when exposed to UV light over time.


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## RAdams (Jan 17, 2010)

yup, my guess would also be the heart of Purpleness. I have gotten 4 by 4 posts of purpleheart from shipping materials, so that fits.  The clogged belt is weird though. Then again, I am sure none of the p-heart i have dealt with was anywhere that old so ancient stuff might clog a belt.. I dunno.


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## Jmhoff10500 (Jan 17, 2010)

Well, whatever it is, does anyone want some for cheap?
If so, ill cut some up and post it in the classifieds...


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## KenBrasier (Jan 17, 2010)

It looks like Apitong to me.  Apitong is typically from SE Asia and Philippines.  It is used a lot in shipping crates where strenght is important, is also used as flooring in semi trailers and as nailing strips on flatbed semi trailers.  If it is Apitong it is dense, oily, redish-brown is very durable and gives off an obnoxious smell when sanded, even worse when burned.  OK, thats my guess and 2 cents worth.


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## Len Shreck (Jan 17, 2010)

It says in the post that "The plank was covered in a very hard paint on every side" maybe the paint its self is what clogged up the sanding belt? One way you might be able to find out the type of wood is if you can find an exotic wood sales site on the web that you can actually talk with someone they might be able to identify it if you send them a sample. I would see what it looks like if you cut it, just cut a small piece off and see if it has a smell from the fresh cut and you may also be able to see a diff color. If I remember from some of the things my Grandfather told me, he was in the timber business and also had a sawmill that some paints used on materials that was shipped would soak into the wood more then a "normal" paint would, I am not sure if I am remembering correctly or not. The first thing that popped into my mind when I seen the pic was "that's a big piece of Purpleheart". Depending what you want for a piece of it I would be interested in a piece, all though I just won 81 blanks of Purpleheart on eBay for like 5.00 or 9.00 I think. PM me if you are interested in selling or trading a piece. That's my 1 1/2 cents worth. Thanks Len


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## Jmhoff10500 (Jan 17, 2010)

I'll tell you what... This wood is starting to look more like ebony every second... Does purpleheart ever get that dark? I'm pretty sure it's not ebony but at this point we might as well call it pink ivory...  Len, you have some very good points, I'll have to test out the cutting method and sand it a bit more to see if it clogs up another pad( this time I'll use a handheld instead of my 24" cabinet sander...)


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## Jmhoff10500 (Jan 17, 2010)

Oh!! And does anyone know an exotic woods dealer that would be willing to help out?


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## Len Shreck (Jan 17, 2010)

I found a lot of places by Googleing Exotic wood suppliers here is one that says they can get/find just about any wood. They are in NC if they cant help just Google it. This is the site...www.cormarkint.com/home.html


Cormark International
181 Reems Creek Road (#7)
Weaverville, NC 28787

Phone: (828) 658- 8455
Fax: (828) 645-8364 
Hope it helps, and did ya figure out what you want for some of it? It might be better to find out what you have so your not selling yourself short. Please keep me updated. Thanks Len


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## Jmhoff10500 (Jan 17, 2010)

Yeah, thanks! I'll be sure to update you!


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## dankc908 (Jan 17, 2010)

Jmhoff10500 said:


> I would have guesses purple heart too but there was an edge that didn't have paint on it that looked like a dark Mahogony, and i dont think purple heart has ever been used for shipping... The hue that the wood has isnt purpleheart but more of a very deep reddish color...



I still go with purpleheart and it HAS been used for shipping and for making pallets due to its' hardness.  It is quite plentiful in Central/South America.  As regards the grain, I have some 'Curly Purpleheart' whose grain defies definition.  Purpleheart's color can go from 'the ridiculous to the sublime'.

Just a guess here.  Lots of luck!

Dan


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## Chief Hill (Jan 17, 2010)

From the pic it really does look like purple heart.


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## greggas (Jan 17, 2010)

older purple heart will turn black very quickly in the right conditions


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## Steve Busey (Jan 17, 2010)

Hard to tell under that paint, but let me add: *THAT PAINT MAY CONTAIN LEAD* - be careful sanding that and breathing the dust. Best to do any sanding or planing outdoors!

Having said that, the grain sure looks a lot like purpleheart.


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## Freethinker (Jan 17, 2010)

jimm1 said:


> I first thought it might be in the locust family, but if this has been in a barn for 15 years and who knows how long before that, You can rule that out.  Lucust is not that durable. .



??!?

I beg to differ, sir.

In this part of the country, locust was (back in the days when fences were everywhere) the wood most often used for fence posts.......because it *is* amazingly durable and resistant to rot.

Black locust can last well in excess of 70 years in the ground without painting or chemical treatment. It's very strong, shock resistant and stable. I cannot imagine a wood that would last longer in a barn. 

I don't think the wood pictured is black locust though...one way to test would be to get a black light and check.....black locust is species Robinia Pseudoacacia and is fluorescent and will show it when exposed to black light.


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## TellicoTurning (Jan 17, 2010)

Go to hobbit house and look at the pictures there...

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics

you might find something that will help with the ID... I found Santos Mahogany that might be close... only close but looks a lot like your wood. 

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/mahogany, santos.htm


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## Jmhoff10500 (Jan 17, 2010)

I never realized how purple that looked in the first picture till i looked at it again and said to my self that i had to get another one because that is nothing what it looks like now. Here is an updated picture and im kind of leaning towards the east Indian rosewood idea, but we will see. hopefully i can send it out to a couple "professionals" to get it evaluated...


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## Nate Davey (Jan 17, 2010)

looks a little like a piece of Palawan I have


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## ZanderPommo (Jan 18, 2010)

i think making a pen out of it will help a ton in figuring out what it is


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## dontheturner (Jan 18, 2010)

As you are aware, I am in Thailand. My Thai Wife was sitting behind me, at the other computer, and I just said, Tim, what wood is this.  She turned around in her chair, looked at your shot - enlarged, and said that is Thai Ching Chan.   my thoughts, exactly.  there you go..    dontheturner.


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## TellicoTurning (Jan 18, 2010)

Jmhoff10500 said:


> I never realized how purple that looked in the first picture till i looked at it again and said to my self that i had to get another one because that is nothing what it looks like now. Here is an updated picture and im kind of leaning towards the east Indian rosewood idea, but we will see. hopefully i can send it out to a couple "professionals" to get it evaluated...
> 
> View attachment 22929



East India rosewood was my first thought when I saw the picture... even before I read your post...


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## cbatzi01 (Jan 18, 2010)

I agree with Chuck, my thought was east indian rosewood, or maybe tamoboti.  

Good luck!
Chris


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## DurocShark (Jan 19, 2010)

Looks like blue mahoe to me...


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