Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

[Toppa]

I've recently joined a carving club that started locally, and the guy running it was given this wood, but doesn't know what it is (and neither did the giver):







My suggestion was that it was a tree that had been fed turmeric.....

(It looks more vibrant in the flesh.)

[Toppa]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

Oh, sorry, pics are huge.

Forgot to resize, and don't think I can edit them on tinypic as I don't have an account (imageshack started charging since I last used it).
Will sign up at tinypic and change the links for smaller versions when I get a chance.

[Dicky]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

Sort of looks like staghorn sumac. If cut with the grain does it have an oak-like grain pattern?

[scooter]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

I've worked wood from a fig tree that was decidedly yellow...

That's my guess.

S~

[Toppa]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

Sort of looks like staghorn sumac. If cut with the grain does it have an oak-like grain pattern?

I'm not sure, will check at the next meeting.

[Buffalo Bif]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

giant bodark, osage orange. that would be hard as rock

[Coker]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

I think it came from a shade tree, no really I agree with Bif it looks a lot like Osage orange.

[Butch_Speer]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

Use to make bows from Osage. It has a much rougher bark and the bark has a reddish look to it.
I agree with Toppa. Does look like Sumac. JMO

[JenW]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

If it's Osage it will oxidize more of a brownish red....so if you look underneath you could see what color maybe. Honey locust is pretty yellow too...at least the chunk I have here is..

[Eddy-Smiles]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

Looks like you'd need C-4 to carve it!

[Reg Seward.]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

A newbie here, and asking what may seem a naive question, but why are there little wedges cut out of the flatter rounds, are they stress relief cuts, or bits removed for carving..?? I ask as I suffer dreadfully with splitting wood as it dries out. I am learning rapidly though, but just curious about the missing bits... !!

[mobjack68]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

Hey Reg, start a new post about drying/splitting...lots of folks here with great info about that....

(sorry mods...figured I would just jump in...)

[Brian T]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

In my book, Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)

"WOOD: Light, soft, brittle; orange-green with broad greenish rays."

But, the description goes on to note that the stems are rarely more than 4"/10cm.

[woodeneye]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

Osage orange that had been cut for even a little while oxidizes to an orangish brown color unless sealed properly. I think that rules it out as someone else mentioned. Fresh cut Osage is even more yellow than that.

[Toppa]

Re: Wood ID please - it's a bit yellow

Thanks for all the input guys.
I'll have to pump him for info as it's a bit vague so far I'm afraid.

I don't think it's much bigger than 10cm diameter, some of the slices are, but they're the ones not cut perpendicular across the branch.
The wedges in the slices are just from shrinkage. I think there was an intention to use the slices as place mats (maybe for a wedding), but that seems unlikely now.
The wood has been around at the club for quite a few weeks and doesn't seem to have changed colour.
Not sure if it's native, but if it is, that's to the UK.

I'll print this out as I'll be at the club over the weekend and can get any extra info.

Oh, I think he said it was more large shrub than tree.