In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

What are these boards?? Very, very old

Discussion in 'The Sawyer Room' started by mywaynow, Jan 30, 2020.

  1. mywaynow

    mywaynow

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    I believe these boards are in excess of 250 years old. Northeast species. Never had finish on them and are from controlled environment storage. Boards are 1+ inches thick and I see widths of up to 24". The pics are after sanding off the grayed surface, but there is still some weathered color in the recesses.
    20200129_174507.jpeg 20200129_174456.jpeg
     
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  2. RabbleRouser

    RabbleRouser

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    Those pictures are not a lot to go on. Post some pictures of the end grain. Looks like a softwood...?
     
  3. mywaynow

    mywaynow

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    My original guess would have been pine. The grain just doesn't look like any pine. Growth rings are 1/8" light colored and 1/16" dark rings. I think there is a good chance these are Chestnut.
     
  4. RabbleRouser

    RabbleRouser

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    Being from a tree that was that old, to provide a 24" wide board, it might not look a lot like anything you'd recognize today. At a first glance Chestnut was the first thing to come to mind but I keep looking for the open/porous grain and don't see it. That's why I asked for picture of the endgrain. Chestnut is ring porous, like Oak but lighter and softer, not far off from Pine.
    Are those boards flat sawn? Quatersawn? Something in between?
    Probably won't be able to help without additional pictures.
     
  5. jo191145

    jo191145

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    My guess would be flatsawn chestnut too.
     
  6. mywaynow

    mywaynow

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    I had a small board planed today at a friends shop. He believes it is pine. I agree seeing the clean board. I will post a pic later.
     
  7. JustWood

    JustWood Guest

    I’d go with chestnut or butternut
     
  8. Ikeholt

    Ikeholt

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    Chestnut would be a great find, but my guess would be Tuliptree aka Yellow poplar.
     
  9. farmer steve

    farmer steve

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    Pitsawn? Which is basically flatsawn but can leave distictive marks on the wood.


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  10. jo191145

    jo191145

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    I would think a saw can leave distinctive marks no matter which way it’s sawn. I’m just looking at the lack of any defining grain patterns. It’s sort of blah looking as far as grain goes. Reminds me of a chestnut tree I split up. No real distinctive grain patterns to it. Never split an American chestnut tho. I do have an AC fireplace mantle tho from an antique telephone pole. While the exposed face is gorgeous from weathering and climbing spikes the top is rather blah too.
     
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  11. Ralphie Boy

    Ralphie Boy

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    Chestnut. My in-laws house in up-state New York was built in 1789 and it's full of chestnut that looks just like that. The beams under the main part of the house are 16" chestnut logs!
     
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