Thread: What do I have and why so much ?

+1 to the apitong suggestion. I think the endgrain in particular is similar.

Mahogany would be my first guess but it also looks like a chuck of Walnut. Either way wear a mask when sanding and shaping.

Originally Posted by Cangooner

That looks exactly like a pile of boards I got from a friend when he moved several years ago. I never did identify it for certain. The stuff I had came from the decking that made up the floor of rail boxcars. Seems a terrible waste of what turned out to be beautiful wood. I too thought it was mahogany at first, but can't imagine they would use something that expensive for decking. So I like the suggestion of an alternate mahogany-like hardwood. I found it a bit splintery to work with, and just in case it had the same potential dangers as mahogany (I heard its dust could be pretty nasty stuff), I always made sure to use a mask when working it.

I made a table out of it and will attach a couple of pics. It has been quite a while, but I think this was finished with tung oil.

Attachment 272557

Attachment 272558

looks like Teak. Teak, teak, teak.

Originally Posted by MisterClean

Mahogany would be my first guess but it also looks like a chuck of Walnut. Either way wear a mask when sanding and shaping.

Whatever it is MrClean is correct:

Toxic Woods - Shave Library

The toxic thing is why I was concerned in the first place. Hate to cut up a hazmat sandwich on new butcher block and go hiking in the wilderness :<0) The breathing thing I got covered. Two respirators hanging on the power switches.

I am in the Teak camp too Harry. Thinking exotic Philippine type from somewhere weird where they think it's trash wood. Sure is colorful.

I've seen pallets with bananas on it that looks like rough cut mahogany. They had the original Chiquita Banana Slip Sheet stapled to it.

Aloha!

I'm not a woodmeister by any stretch of the imagination. But I do have a record cabinet that my aunt shipped to my grandfather from China in the 50's when she was over there on some sort of teacher exchange gig for her Masters degree. This is a big cabinet and it must have cost her a fortune to ship to the US even back in the 50s.

The cabinet is Mahogany. The inside looks just like your raw wood samples. But Teak also looks like Mahagany to me (depending on the type of Teak as it can range from honey to darker brown).

So my guess would be Mahogany as 1st guess, Teak as 2nd.

-Zip

Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

looks like Teak. Teak, teak, teak.

Oh great. Now I feel worse about being separated from my stockpile!

Man! You could make a LOT of brush-handles using that table!

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Whatever it is MrClean is correct:

Toxic Woods - Shave Library

Every time I see those lists, it makes me look at my favourite wood to work with, Yew, and it is tricky and deadly, but so beautiful.