I have a block of extremely dense, hard, tight-grained yellow wood
that I'm using for small handtools (cigar shave, spoke shave) and
not sure what it is. Guessing it's one of the two above but not sure.
Characteristics I've noticed a
1. the wood is extremely dry when turned produces fine, splinter-like
shavings but no spirals or curlies.
2. the color is truly yellow with a hint of orange and is not
getting darker over time.
3. when sawn, it produces a fine dust that is yellow bordering on ochre.
4. when sawn or turned, it smells very sweet -- almost like coconut.

Anyone have experience with a wood like this and knows what it is?

Thanks,
Gary

Gary Greenberg wrote:

I have a block of extremely dense, hard, tight-grained yellow wood
that I'm using for small handtools (cigar shave, spoke shave) and
not sure what it is. Guessing it's one of the two above but not sure.
Characteristics I've noticed a
1. the wood is extremely dry when turned produces fine, splinter-like
shavings but no spirals or curlies.
2. the color is truly yellow with a hint of orange and is not
getting darker over time.
3. when sawn, it produces a fine dust that is yellow bordering on ochre.
4. when sawn or turned, it smells very sweet -- almost like coconut.

Anyone have experience with a wood like this and knows what it is?

Thanks,
Gary


From my limited experience with both, I would guess you were dealing with
Osage Orange, or as they call it down here, Bodock.

Deb

I can't say what you've got, but the yellow heart I've cut has a very bitter
smell and the osage does change color after it's cut.

Bob making sawdust in Salem Or.

Bois d'Arc perhaps?

RB

Gary Greenberg wrote:
I have a block of extremely dense, hard, tight-grained yellow wood
that I'm using for small handtools (cigar shave, spoke shave) and
not sure what it is. Guessing it's one of the two above but not sure.
Characteristics I've noticed a
1. the wood is extremely dry when turned produces fine, splinter-like
shavings but no spirals or curlies.
2. the color is truly yellow with a hint of orange and is not
getting darker over time.
3. when sawn, it produces a fine dust that is yellow bordering on ochre.
4. when sawn or turned, it smells very sweet -- almost like coconut.

Anyone have experience with a wood like this and knows what it is?

Thanks,
Gary

"Gary Greenberg" wrote:
I have a block of extremely dense, hard, tight-grained yellow wood
that I'm using for small handtools (cigar shave, spoke shave) and
not sure what it is. Guessing it's one of the two above but not sure.
Characteristics I've noticed a
1. the wood is extremely dry when turned produces fine, splinter-like
shavings but no spirals or curlies.
2. the color is truly yellow with a hint of orange and is not
getting darker over time.
3. when sawn, it produces a fine dust that is yellow bordering on ochre.
4. when sawn or turned, it smells very sweet -- almost like coconut.

Anyone have experience with a wood like this and knows what it is?

Excerpts from:
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortn...edgeapple.html

The yellow-green fruit are commonly call "hedge apples." They are produced
by the Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera). Other common plant names include
hedge apple, bodark, bois d'arc, and bowwood ... The "hedge apple" is an
aggregate fruit composed of numerous one-seeded druplets. The Osage-orange
is a member of the Mulberry or Moraceae Family. Other cultivated members of
this family include the mulberry and fig.

The wood of the Osage-orange is golden yellow or bright orange when first
cut, but turns brown on exposure. The wood is extremely hard, heavy, tough,
and durable. It also shrinks or swells very little compared to the wood of
other trees. The wood is used for fence posts, insulator pins, treenails,
furniture, and archery bows. In fact, many archers consider the wood of the
Osage-orange to be the world's finest wood for bows. (The name bodark is
from the French bois d'arc mean "bow wood.") Also, a bright yellow dye can
be extracted from the wood.

However, the fruit may cause death in ruminants by lodging in the esophagus
and preventing eructation or release of ruminal gases.

Coconut smell can be typical of satinwood. East indian, if I remember
correctly.

John Martin
John Martin

JMartin957 schreef
Coconut smell can be typical of satinwood.
East Indian, if I remember correctly.

+ + +
West Indian, according to Constantine
PvR