Timber identification

[benldwyer]

Hi All,
Hope everyone is having a good festive season so far.
I aquired a large slab of wood when I lived in WA (it's not necessarily from WA originally) and I have no idea what species it is. I was going to build a couple of tables out of it but who needs a table when you've got guitars...
Does anyone know what it might be? The photos are of a small off cut.
Thanks in advance!
Ben

[demonx]

Not the best pics, so I’ll throw out a guess of Qld Maple, but due to the pics I wouldn’t even bet a dollar on that guess!

[blackalex1952]

The Aussie timbers are ,sadly, under represented on the international timber database. But the starting point for I.D. of this timber might be to get a close up of the end grain using strong magnification having cut the end grain with a sharp blade eg a hand plane, low angle if you have one, then a shot of the quarter and backsawn surfaces, along with a sample that has been weighed and cut to a size which can be converted to a density per cubic metre. Then send the info to an appropriate Aussie university and the scientists there may know where to look for the info re id. Also if possible, a photo of one of the trees along with photos of the fruiting buds, the seeds and the leaves up close. The end grain shot, magnified, will show the structure of the wood fibres. Check the wood databases first.
Cheers! Ross

[Joseph Jones]

Could still be Jarrah.
I have several different looking Jarrah boards in a tabletop I’m currently building,(all cut from the same forest) some of which looks very similar to your piece. This stuff is very light in weight and chips easily when routed or chiseled. Hope the picture works!

Joseph

Looks whitish in photo but is more orange.

[colburge]

I agree with Allen, it might be QLD Maple, it does have that look about it. QLD Maple does have a very distinct smell about it when cut.

Col

[benldwyer]

Thanks everyone, i will post a better close up photo shortly, and do the smell test, i have been cutting up some qld maple so will compare. I did think the grain looked like qld maple, but it's very orange..so thought maybe not. I definitely hope it is qld maple, i love it!

[blackalex1952]

I was going to build a couple of tables out of it but who needs a table when you've got guitars...

For many years, I couldn't afford a table, because I used to mainly eat off my guitars....It's called "doing gigs for money!!!!!"
The other pathway to abject poverty, in this country it seems, is to develop a passion for making them! Doing both seems to be a recipe for disaster sometimes!!! Not for the faint hearted!
Cheers! Ross

[Dave M]

If it's not an Aus timber it looks an awful lot like Sapele. Dave

[benldwyer]

Maybe some help?

[peter.coombe]

Looks like Queensland Maple to me.

[Joseph Jones]

Looks nothing like Jarrah.

Joseph

[demonx]

I’m still sticking with my first comment!

However if you’ve got QLD Maple there to do a side by side comparison, you’ll probably be able to answer this yourself. Check the smell of it fresh cut side by side too

[Steve.Toscano]

everything about it looks like typical QLD Maple to me.

[blackalex1952]

Agreed, from the close ups...Qld Maple....great material!
Cheers! Ross

[benldwyer]

Thanks everyone! Pretty happy I can carve it up for some instruments and eat dinner on the couch...