On 20 Jan 2006 07:04:04 -0800, "arw01"
wrote:

they sure don't look like the white oak board I have for a later
project:

Don't think it's white oak. Both red and white oaks have pores, but
white oak pores are blocked up.

Could be red oak (most likely) but it could also be chestnut or elm.
It's hard to tell from the end grain photo. If the rays are visible
then it's oak. These rays look a little skinny for oak though, but still
too visible for chestnut or elm.

I'd incline towards "some weird red oak". There are an awful lot of oaks
out there that aren't Q. alba or Q. rubra. They also hybridise easily,
so you can find local variants that just don't appear anywhere else.

Shoudl make a fine bench. Finishing is a it of a lottery with red oak,
some is great, some looks dull and ugly. Shouldn't be a problem for a
bench though.