The beginning of a Vessel of Illusion.

[Brian Tymchak]

My first guess would be Ash, but I've never seen spalting in Ash like that. Ash sometimes looks a lot like Locust, and is also hard. If you have a clean endgrain cut of the blank, you can use this thread to compare it to Ash and Locust.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Kinda reminds me of locust but whatever it is it is a nice looking piece Bill.

[Tim Rinehart]

Cool looking wood...no idea what it is. Look forward to seeing how this turns out, I love Trent's Vessels of Illusion though. He is on my list of demos/workshops I'd really enjoy.

[Bill Wyko]

Thanks everyone. I'll keep my eye out at Woodworkers source where i got it. It was years ago so I don't know if I'll have much luck but I'll be looking. Today is my LOML's b-day so I probably won't get much time in today but I'll keep after it this week.

[Gary Conklin]

Looks and fits the descrption of American Elm, don't know about the black lines though.

[Bill Wyko]

I have to say, I'm quite surprised at how well these miniQR tools worked on this hard wood. They are so easy to work with. I thought I'd use them just for smaller stuff but they actually have their place right along side the bigger tools. Makes things go quite easily.

[Jim Underwood]

I'm going to guess Elm also. Doesn't quite have that yellow color of locust...

If it has the little chevron shapes in the side grain, I'd say that clinches it. Can you do a macro or super macro on the side grain?

[Bill Wyko]

I just got my burring bits today to do the carving & shaping. |I have to do a couple other things tonight but I'll be back on it tomorrow night.

[Bill Wyko]

Just tracked the air shield, it'll be here in time to send the dust flying on this thing. A good way to break it in properly.

[Clint Baxter]

When I first saw it, I thought elm as well. Haven't seen any with lines like that though but who knows on any tree till you look inside.

Clint

[Kathy Marshall]

No idea on the wood, but if you got it from woodworkers source, I'd be tempted to take it there and see if they can identify it for you.

[Bill Wyko]

Just went there this morning, they thought possibly Myrtle but no one is sure. Anyway, I carved the piece last night, it was a mess maker but it looks pretty cool. I'm holding out on pictures until I turn the insert tonight but it wasn't too bad to get into shape. I'll definitely be making more of these with the carved flower pod look. I'll give everyone a list of necessities to make these at the end.

[Reed Gray]

I would say for sure, not Myrtle. It has a distinct scent, either kind of sweet and spicy, or like the bottom of the horse stall. Myrtle is hard and has inter locked grain, so can be difficult to turn. Madrone has a smooth even grain, but again I have never seen those lines in Madrone. It is very difficult to dry a piece of Madrone that size without it cracking. Can look solid on the outside, but be honey combed on the inside. I have seen plenty of black locust that is that color after it oxidizes a bit, or has been dry a long time. Great piece for 'can you guess what this is?'

robo hippy

[Bill Wyko]

It is a pungent wood to smell but kind of hard to describe the scent. There are some hair link cracks across the grain. you can see one it the pictures. I put CA in them and they pretty much disappeared.

[Rick Markham]

I agree with Reed, Myrtle has a very aromatic smell, hard to forget... almost perfumy.