Can someone identify this wood species?

So, I was slicing up some firewood into kindling on my, ahem, bandsaw. I came across this stuff.

And here, sanded a bit with a few, still wet, coats of BLO.


It’s extremely dense, heavy and close-grained.
I’m thinking it would make some nice live edge name signs etc.

And, some other firewood slices with really nice, figured grain crying out to be made into something.

One piece looked so much like a bottle I just had to make yet another wine sign.


Have to think of something to do with these.

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I might be able to guess with a little background info. Do you know anything about where it came from? Has it sat in the sun for a long time? I ask the second bit because it can change the color significantly depending on the environment. Color through your camera to my screen and into my eyes could also be drastically different from reality. Any additional info could really help narrow things down.

I’d guess So. California. But, not a clue on firewood sources here.

At a guess, yes.

Sorry to be so unhelpful, appreciate your interest.

Hard to tell just from pics but it could be desert ironwood if it’s very dense. The first test to point you in this direction would be to see if it sinks in water.
https://www.wood-database.com/desert-ironwood/

I’m not sure what it is, sorry. You could probably replicate the same look with mahogany or sapele which are the 2 woods that it reminds me of.

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sapele would be my guess based on the second picture showing the grain and chatoyance.

Unless the firewood is sourced from southern Africa, Sapele is unlikely.

Curly maple would be my guess.

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I’ve cut and split a forgetable number of cords of eucalyptus over the years and the look and description sure looks like that, especially the last picture.
I can’t believe you used a bandsaw, tsk, tsk.

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I muddied up my question by including pics of what I guess is eucalyptus, @MikeG is correct I believe.

The first two pics in the thread are what I’m wondering about, here they are again

The first is a rip cut, lightly sanded and oiled. The second is the barkless exterior, very convoluted and fissured. Just curious what it is.

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Not at all Griff. Here’s a few shots of a chunk I have drying in the yard, but I doen’t know the subspecies and there are a lot in SoCal:


I really like this endgrain:

Just wet with plain old H2O to hightlight the grain:

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I’ll be interested to see what you make of it. Or is just for burning?

I haven’t been able to see what’s inside that piece yet, but I will eventually…
If my feeds and speeds are correct I’m hoping for no buring :wink:

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I have some wood exactly like that!! Mine is a curly cherry. The grain runs four directions!! amazing chatoyance and reflections. Hard to mill without tearout unless you have a helical set up.
This doesn’t mean that is what you have but it is exactly the same grain structure and it is a red hue.

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Welcome to the forum Ray!
I cut the example piece above myself, so I’m certain of the type. I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you make with the Curly Cherry. I’ll venture to guess it’ll look stunning!

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IMG_0912
I made this coffee table some years ago with the cherry; however, the remaining boards are earmarked for a stunning Oak and Cherry frame and panel fireplace mantle (ala Norm Mc)
The cherry can be quite striking.

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Thanks for the input! Beautiful table.

From a brief search it seems “curly cherry” is an East coast species. I wonder how it would end up in firewood SoCal?

almost looks like tiger wood?