Identify these woods

[poolhound]

I picked up a bunch blanks last year and have just started to go through and catalog what I have. I started with a box of pen blanks and most are labeled or I know what they are. Can anybody tell what these three are?

The one on the left I am 95% sure is Lacewood although its a lot darker than I have seen before in board form. The center one is a spalted something but not sure how to tell what. If you look at the last pic you will see that 2 of the blanks have a little heartwood in them. The ones on the right are a puzzle. if you look at the end grain it seems 'spotty' this might lead me to think its some form of Mahogany or in a similar family. Anybody got anything more definitive? I have yet to go through a box of larger blanks and will post some more wood puzzles later.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Jon, pic 1 looks like Lacewood. Pic 3 looks like Palm. I don't recognize Pic 2 - the heartwood looks like purpleheart to me, but I've never seen purpleheart's sapwood (whatever it is, the spalting is awesome!)

[poolhound]

Jon, pic 1 looks like Lacewood. Pic 3 looks like Palm. I don't recognize Pic 2 - the heartwood looks like purpleheart to me, but I've never seen purpleheart's sapwood (whatever it is, the spalting is awesome!)

Thanks Bill, I think you are dead on with Palm. Its not purpleheart the color is way more browns than purple. Its hard to tell if all the spalted blanks are from the same batch. As I have looked at them again I think there are 3 different lots based on the size they are cut. Its really hard with spalting as they all look very similar. having searched a bit more I think the bulk may well be spalted tamarind. If you would like a couple let me know as I have 25 of them.

[joedad]

The middle one might be Spalted Tamarind

[leehljp]

Top left: Beefwood flat sawn http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-...beefwood/#pics
Could be lace but the grain and darker color immediately made me think of beefwood

Bottom - definitely purple heart.

Top right is palm.

[onedash]

leopardwood, ??, palm aer my guesses

[poolhound]

Onedash I think you nailed it with Leopardwood. Same look as lacewood but darker and pics are much closer than the beefwood - sorry Hank. Still not sure about the purple heart, I think the lighting does not show it but I have some known purpleheart blanks and if I put them side by side you would see there is a huge difference. I think everybody wins the "name that Palm" contest.

I guess I need to go make something with this stash. I will be going through the big box of blanks later today and will post some pics so we can continue to play "Name that Wood.!"

[leehljp]

I didn't realize the wood in the center top pict and second pict were the same. Computer screens sure made the bottom look purple, but with your comparison description, I had to take a second look. Yep, Tamarind does have purplish heartwood.

http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/tamarind/

"Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a deep reddish brown, sometimes with a purplish hue—heartwood portions of Tamarind tend to be narrow and are usually only present in older and larger trees. The pale yellow sapwood is very wide and sharply demarcated from the heartwood. Spalting and other discoloration are very common in the sapwood, and the majority of the Tamarind available in the United States is spalted sapwood."

I had a friend that had some persimmon with solid black center. That black is like the Tamarind - in that it is only present in older and larger trees.

[poolhound]

Computer screens sure made the bottom look purple, but with your comparison description, I had to take a second look.

Between the lighting, capabilities of the camera, their internal image processing, and the end computer screen its a wonder we can tell the accuracy of any color. As I do a lot of graphics and photo work I use a device to calibrate my screens. They work pretty well, however being able to calibrate a printer so it will print the same as you see on the screen is a whole other level of problem...

[poolhound]

Here is the large box of turning blanks and stock turned out on the kitchen table. I am pretty sure about most but there are a few questionable ones. Unless you can tell from this group shot I will be posting some pics of those later. Here is where I think I stand right now.

1. Looks like Walnut but feels quite light, could be just very very dry.
2. Large stash of Purpleheart in various sizes
3. Looks like a burl of some kind but no idea how to tell what
4. Spalted Tamarind
5. Koa
6. Small acrylic block
7. Bunch of dyed blanks
8. Bunch of SpectraPly blanks
9. Probably Ash
10. Some kind of Maple, possibly curly
11. Mahogany od some variety
12. 99% sure its Padauk
13. Mystery, Tigerwood maybe but some parts have very little to know pattern
14. 99% Tigerwood
15. Walnut but again slightly lighter than I would expect
16. Palm, obviously where those pen blanks were cut from
17. Another Mystery wood. has similar heft and density to the Purpleheart but you can see the fresh planed color is a dark brown, nothing like the Purpleheart.
18. Leopard/Lacewood, again when those smaller blanks came from
19. based on my 6th grade reading level I think I can be sure this is Ironwood and the 2 blocks sitting on top look pretty much the same.
20. NOT labeled but I realized I had missed the block of Brazilian Cherry sitting behind No4.3x3x12 and quite heavy/dense, seems to shout Pepper Mill.

[onedash]

University of Wisconsin used to allow residents to send in two (free) samples (small shavings) of wood a year for Identification. I think it was geared more toward living trees in your yard but if you really gotta know what it is check the local university. I doubt any of them are free any more. It's amazing what some of these little pieces of wood cost now. I used to buy lots of lyptus. Now it's more expensive then mahogany.

[poolhound]

University of Wisconsin used to allow residents to send in two (free) samples (small shavings) of wood a year for Identification. I think it was geared more toward living trees in your yard but if you really gotta know what it is check the local university. I doubt any of them are free any more. It's amazing what some of these little pieces of wood cost now. I used to buy lots of lyptus. Now it's more expensive then mahogany.

I have heard of that service although I am not too worried its more the puzzle of just figuring out what you have when you buy one of these "Mystery Box" type deals. It also helps when I complete a project especially if it might be a for sale item and I can say its a XXXX pen, bowl etc.