Is this log mahogany?

[Mark Gibney]

I apologize for the screen filling image below - the "insert image" function won't work for me today.

I found a log on the streets here (Los Angeles) maybe 6 or 7 years ago and last week I opened it up.

I was expecting pine - rough bark - but this looks like mahogany to me. Anyone else think so, or is it something else?
There was no odor during milling, and there are only tiny checks of 2" max even though the ends were not sealed - is this a characteristic of mahogany drying?

thanks, Mark

Edit - the image didn't even make it to posting. Moderators, if you want to delete this posting, please do so.

[Jamie Buxton]

Not likely that it is mahogany. The natural range ends a thousand miles away from LA.

[Bradley Gray]

There are mahogany trees in south Florida so it is possible. Plus, it's LA.

[John K Jordan]

...I found a log on the streets here (Los Angeles) maybe 6 or 7 years ago and last week I opened it up.
I was expecting pine - rough bark - but this looks like mahogany to me. Anyone else think so, or is it something else?
There was no odor during milling, and there are only tiny checks of 2" max even though the ends were not sealed - is this a characteristic of mahogany drying?
...Edit - the image didn't even make it to posting. Moderators, if you want to delete this posting, please do so.

Mark,

A photo of a log or board may not help much except generate guesses. If you want to know, there are two excellent things you can do.

1) Send a small sample of the wood to the US Forest Products laboratory. They will write back with the species. The bottom of this page tells how at the bottom under "Still Stumped?": http://www.wood-database.com/wood-ar...ication-guide/ That article is well worth reading but if you want to skip it just go directly to this page: https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/research/c...dfactsheet.php

2) Examine the end grain of a small piece with an inexpensive magnifying lens. It's easy - the Wood Database article above tells how. A piece 1/2" square or so is usually sufficient. The article in the link below shows some end grain photos and descriptions.

There is a lot of confusion about "mahogany". This excellent article explains the problem:
http://www.wood-database.com/wood-ar...s-the-lowdown/

Or you can just do like most woodworkers in this situation: pronounce it mahogany and almost no one will know if it is not. Those who do will get a silent chuckle. Someone at our woodturning club passed around a bowl with "cherry" inscribed on the bottom - ha, even without a magnifier it was obviously a ring porous wood.

If you photo did not post it may have been too large, not in pixels, but in file size. Try resizing to make it smaller. Then, if you can, save it as a JPG with more compression to make the file size small. For posting I make most photos 100kb or less. Also, you can edit or delete your own post.

JKJ

[Lee Schierer]

If you photo did not post it may have been too large, not in pixels, but in file size. Try resizing to make it smaller. Then, if you can, save it as a JPG with more compression to make the file size small. For posting I make most photos 100kb or less. Also, you can edit or delete your own post.

JKJ

File size is the biggest issue with posting photos. You can only edit or delete your post for 24 hours from the time of the initial post.

[Mark Gibney]

It worked! - thanks Lee, I took a screen grab of a corner of the original photo. I've wetted part of the surface with alcohol to show the grain.
John, good links, I'll check them out in depth. Looks to me like the grain reverses, but I haven't worked much with mahogany and I lack muscle memory about this.
Jamie - people plant all sorts of trees around Los Angeles. I think about 1/3 of the urban forest is eucalyptus, for instance.

Screen Shot 2017-04-12 at 7.53.49 AM.jpg

[Jamie Buxton]

Jamie - people plant all sorts of trees around Los Angeles. I think about 1/3 of the urban forest is eucalyptus, for instance.

True, but plants have specific natural habitats. Los Angeles is dry. Mahogany's natural habitat is humid -- the Amazon basin, Central America, Caribbean islands. Eucalyptus comes from dry Australia, and is quite comfortable in California.

[Mel Fulks]

Does look like mahogany. Many years ago I saw a reference to "bilsted" being used as a mahogany stand in. Couldn't find much info.

[John C Cox]

From here - it looks like chinaberry. Its within the sphere of "looks kinda like and works kinda like mahogany"..

Another possibility is one of the dark acacias like blackwood or koa. Those are pretty common around California.

[scott spencer]

It worked! - thanks Lee, I took a screen grab of a corner of the original photo. I've wetted part of the surface with alcohol to show the grain.
John, good links, I'll check them out in depth. Looks to me like the grain reverses, but I haven't worked much with mahogany and I lack muscle memory about this.
Jamie - people plant all sorts of trees around Los Angeles. I think about 1/3 of the urban forest is eucalyptus, for instance.

Screen Shot 2017-04-12 at 7.53.49 AM.jpg

Doesn't look mahogany to me. Looks like elm.

[Mike Henderson]

Jamie - people plant all sorts of trees around Los Angeles. I think about 1/3 of the urban forest is eucalyptus, for instance.

I live in the LA area. I never heard of a mahogany tree in this area - not from woodworkers, stories in the press, anywhere.

I doubt if they would survive here. I have heard of Cuban mahogany trees in south Florida.

Mike

[Don Orr]

Very possibly an Acacia of some sort. Especially with your location. Doubtful on Mahogany.

[Davis Young]

For LA, it could be acacia or locust. Plenty of those trees around.

[John K Jordan]

...I've wetted part of the surface with alcohol to show the grain.
John, good links, I'll check them out in depth. Looks to me like the grain reverses, but I haven't worked much with mahogany and I lack muscle memory about this.
Jamie - people plant all sorts of trees around Los Angeles. I think about 1/3 of the urban forest is eucalyptus, for instance.

Doesn't look like any of the varieties of mahogany I have in my shop. If the photo is close the the actual wood yours is much lighter - all the mahogany I have is darker, even without wetting. A close look at the end grain is key.

I understand eucalyptus was planted in CA as a financial venture that didn't work out.

JKJ

[Yonak Hawkins]

Looks like elm.

I agree. It looks like elm to me, too.