Mystery Timber (to me anyway)

[Makeitgo]

Hi All

Been looking for a bit of hardwood to make a chair leg out of and found this in a skip. It's pretty weighty and I can't make a mark in it with my thumb nail, so guessing hardwood.

It's 2" x 3' and 40" long, has a 29mm x 8mm recess and is an offcut I'm guessing. Matter of interest, anyone know what this sort of stock is usually used for?

Cheers






Cheers

 

[catlad]

Is it not something off a pallet?

 

[Charlie George]

Is it not something off a pallet?

Just about to post the same

 

[securespark]

That end grain looks like softwood to me, not that I'm a woodworker.

 

[Makeitgo]

Cheers all, no defo not pallet wood. It looks pretty seasoned and is hard and heavy. I know what you mean about the end grain securespark. That shot makes it look like it's a fast grower, but the other end looks quite fine. I might cut off the cracked bit and see how much it springs before it snaps etc.

 

[noseall]

Cheers all, no defo not pallet wood.

It is. Probably Indian origin. See it all the time with stone shipments from the Subcontinent.

 

[blup]

Some pines can be as hard as hardwoods. The length 40” is consistent with the dimensions of a pallet and it’s rough sawn. If the bit you’re cutting out is straight and split free it might work. Try sanding and staining a test piece.

 

[mrrusty]

looks like a bit of oak to me with that radial grain

 

[Munroast]

pallets (esp foreign ones) can sometimes be made out of hard woods

The end grain here is confusing, I think we are looking at marks from the saw,, grain centre looks bottom right ? Looks european
sand the end grain down to smooth (240g or higher) and get a good close up

But are these medullery Rays ? (oak) you say its very heavy ?

 

[Deluks]

I got some similar out of a skip outside a window suppliers yard, to make some workbench legs. I seem to recall markings indicating South America.

 

[aveatry]

Those flecks, are they called lights which is what you get with oak

 

[Munroast]

These fleks / rays / lights are a beautiful part of oak, true name is "Medullary Rays" they help the tree move water across the grain!
here is a table I made a while ago and you can clearly see this feature in the Oak & Teak leg

 

[mrrusty]

show off

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

These fleks / rays / lights are a beautiful part of oak, true name is "Medullary Rays" they help the tree move water across the grain!
here is a table I made a while ago and you can clearly see this feature in the Oak & Teak leg
View attachment 416731

Just looks like a load of banged together pallets to me.

Seriously, that's lovely.

 

[Koolpc]

Looks like oak to meet too...