I have no idea, that's why I am asking.

I just drilled into some wood, a baseboard. The area is
nowhere near anything that could leak, it is a closet in a
corner of the upstairs house. After drilling, the wood in the
bit seemed wet. So I thought, maybe rain. But it smells like
turpentine, or something very similar.

An old house, but the addition is not that old (I think). I
really have no idea what it could could be.

For a few months, there was a canister of propane sitting in
that corner. But I am careful and doubt that it leaked
anything. Not that it would smell like turpentine anyway.

There isn't anything over there... And turpentine is volatile
so it would not stick around for years?

If somebody left a can of turpentine in the wall, certainly
it would smell? Seems weird to me.

Thanks.

On Sunday, February 18, 2018 at 7:56:55 PM UTC-8, John Doe wrote:
I have no idea, that's why I am asking.

I just drilled into some wood, a baseboard.

Turpentine is distilled from softwoods; those softwoods can form a sap pocket (just
a crack in the tree, which filled with resin as part of the tree's 'healing' process).

So, maybe a hot drill bit went into a sap pocket and that's the aroma you
are enjoying.

Alcohol or brake fluid (glycerine) will soften/dissolve the residue
from the drill bit, if it matters.

On Sunday, February 18, 2018 at 9:56:55 PM UTC-6, John Doe wrote:
I have no idea, that's why I am asking.

I just drilled into some wood, a baseboard. The area is
nowhere near anything that could leak, it is a closet in a
corner of the upstairs house. After drilling, the wood in the
bit seemed wet. So I thought, maybe rain. But it smells like
turpentine, or something very similar.

An old house, but the addition is not that old (I think). I
really have no idea what it could could be.

For a few months, there was a canister of propane sitting in
that corner. But I am careful and doubt that it leaked
anything. Not that it would smell like turpentine anyway.

There isn't anything over there... And turpentine is volatile
so it would not stick around for years?

If somebody left a can of turpentine in the wall, certainly
it would smell? Seems weird to me.

Thanks.

As Whit3rd said, it could well be that you drilled into a sap pocket. If you drilled in an area that does not show too much. Drill a couple of other holes either side of the one you are talking about and see how large an are you are dealing with. Also, as Whit indicated, if the drill has any sticky residue, that is an almost certain indicator you are dealing with said sap pocket.

On Mon, 19 Feb 2018 03:56:53 John Doe wrote:

I just drilled into some wood, a baseboard. The area is
nowhere near anything that could leak, it is a closet in a
corner of the upstairs house. After drilling, the wood in the
bit seemed wet. So I thought, maybe rain. But it smells like
turpentine, or something very similar.

near a leaking rodent

John Doe on Mon, 19 Feb 2018 03:56:53
-0000 (UTC) typed in rec.woodworking the following:
I have no idea, that's why I am asking.

I just drilled into some wood, a baseboard. The area is
nowhere near anything that could leak, it is a closet in a
corner of the upstairs house. After drilling, the wood in the
bit seemed wet. So I thought, maybe rain. But it smells like
turpentine, or something very similar.

Even odds - the board is pine, and you hit a pitch pocket. Now
you've got the raw ingredient of Turpentine on your drill bit.

An old house, but the addition is not that old (I think). I
really have no idea what it could could be.

For a few months, there was a canister of propane sitting in
that corner. But I am careful and doubt that it leaked
anything. Not that it would smell like turpentine anyway.

There isn't anything over there... And turpentine is volatile
so it would not stick around for years?

If somebody left a can of turpentine in the wall, certainly
it would smell? Seems weird to me.

If they left a can in the wall, you "ought" to have notice
puncturing it with the drill.
--
pyotr filipivich
Next month's Panel: Graft - Boon or blessing?

Yes, the "sap pocket" explanation makes perfect sense,
especially since nothing else does.

It appeared to be moist wood, not liquid. Been there for
decades.

Learn something new every day. Now I know natural turpentine
smells like.

Thanks to the replies.

On 2/19/2018 11:59 AM, John Doe wrote:
Yes, the "sap pocket" explanation makes perfect sense,
especially since nothing else does.

It appeared to be moist wood, not liquid. Been there for
decades.

Learn something new every day. Now I know natural turpentine
smells like.

Thanks to the replies.

The scent of pine can hang around for a very long time whether there is a
pitch pocket or not. While doing a remodeling project a couple of years I
used some 2X4 lumber left over from demolition for blocking. The scent of
the wood was as fresh as I've come to expect from fresh lumber even though
it had spent 50+ years in the wall.