Wood Identification help needed, please

[Jim Watts]

All,

I have an opportunity to obtain up to 750 - 800 BF (MOL) of what a couple of reliable sources (lumberyard, commercial molding manufacturer) have said is Wormy Chestnut. It's the remains of an 150 yr. old cabin, currently in the form of a number of what appear to be 12 - 14 inch logs, hand-hewn flat top and bottom. Many still have hand-cut corner notches (not sure of proper terminology). There are some cracks and checks, but its otherwise solid.

I know it's impossible to be 100% certain by looking at a couple of photographs, but could someone more knowledgeable than myself take a look at the attached and let me know what you think? It very closely matches Plate 40 (American Chestnut) in this book.

Any idea what it might be worth? Is it's worth more because of its scarcity than its hardwood characteristics? The book cited above states that American Chestnut is of pretty marginal quality for cabinetmaking.

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My apologies for the misleading pics. They're of the same slice of wood, simply with different lighting (versus wet/dry as mentioned below).
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[Bob Smalser]

I know it's impossible to be 100% certain ...

Sure there is. Send me a slice of end grain and I'll be happy key it out for you.

Or contact the Forest Products Lab of the USDA who performs the same service, also gratis.



PM me for a mailing address.

[Sam Yerardi]

I'm sure Bob will be able to help you. I was just going to say that the piece on the left looks a lot like beech and the piece on the right looks like chestnut

[Bob Smalser]

My reference texts all contain American Chestnut, and the Penna farmhouse I grew up in was built by a sawyer uncle in the 1930's and had site-milled chestnut trim throughout.

It is a ring-porous wood that looks like oak or ash, but without any visible rays. It's also much lighter and softer than oak, and is very rot resistant. Color varies by the soil the tree grew in and by age, but much is similar to this sample I have of European Larch.



But like many woods, looks can be deceiving and the only way to tell for sure is to put it under the microscope.

[John Keeton]

I'm sure Bob will be able to help you. I was just going to say that the piece on the left looks a lot like beech and the piece on the right looks like chestnut

Don't want to speak for the OP, but I think they are the same piece - dry and wet??

It does not look like the chestnut I have, but it is very hard to tell from these pics. I will agree, however, that it is not my favorite wood for projects. Very splinter prone, and seems to split easily. Nice color and character, but that is about it. Value seems to be based on scarcity, not utility. I think it was used extensively in the past because it comprised as much as 70% of the eastern forests.

[Jim Tobias]

I agree it is hard to tell from the photos. No wormholes or dark streaks. I have a fair amount of wormy chestnut(bought from a son of a former furniture maker) and have made a kitchen table and other items from it. While it is not hard or heavy, it is a very nice wood to work wiht and also to look at after finish. It cuts like butter and sands out very nicely IMHO. With an oil finish, it has a warm, look/feel to it. I would not pass it up as "they aren't making any more of it" as the blight has made it an expensive wood.

Jim