Hit the jackpot-Update

[ben2008]

Quick story.

My wife works for a small machine shop.  I have made a few items for some folks there through the years. I made a little desk clock for my wife and the owner took notice and liked what he saw. He told my wife he had a piece of wood in the back of the machine shop that his father had many, many years ago. The father died about 25 years ago I was told. Anyway, he told my wife I could have it. This is what i got last night when my wife came home. 

It is a very dark wood and very dirty. It has sat in the back of the machine shop for at least 25 years, probably longer. The son (present owner) of the owner really doesn't know how old it is. He was told by his father it is an "exotic wood". He thinks he may have got it in trade for some machined parts.

It is over 6' tall, over 13" wide and 2" thick and very, very heavy.  It took 2 guys to put it in the back of our Ford Escape. My wife and I had a heck of a time getting it into the house.

An amazing piece of wood. The more I look at it it appears to be mahogany. Once I get it downstairs to my workshop under better lighting and a little sanding to get the crud off I may be able to tell what it is. Wouldn't it be something if it turns out to be genuine Honduras Mahogany. Of course I have no way of identifying Honduras Mahogany. Just wishful thinking. I can't even imaging what something like that would cost to buy.

I have no idea what I'm going to use it for or even how to cut it up. I'm not really a furniture maker. I have made a few end tables and a wall mirror. But I do mostly Intarsia and fretwork now. Guess I'll have to learn how to resaw with my 12" Jet bandsaw.

 

Edited January 16, 2021 by ben2008

[nrscroller]

 

That is interestiong, I saw something like that happen many years ago. I worked for Andersen Windows in Bayport Minnesota and Mr Andersen got a piece of white pine that was very long and large and someone found it in an old warehouse and when they remodeled the offices they made a place for it to stand upright. It was given to him from Fred Weyhauser I guess as he first started making white pine frames before they moved across the river and built the window plant.

Bill

[amazingkevin]

Blessings in disquise !!!

[dgman]

That is a hunk of wood!!! If you need a sample of Mahogany to compare once you clean it up, let me know. I’ll send you a small piece. I have some genuine Honduran Mahogany.

[BadBob]

I would want to be near 100% sure I knew what it was before I cut it. If it truly is a very old exotic wood, it could be very valuable.

[ben2008]

3 hours ago, BadBob said:

I would want to be near 100% sure I knew what it was before I cut it. If it truly is a very old exotic wood, it could be very valuable.

I'm going to try and find out later today what I actually have. It was given to me as a gift. I would never sell it. Besides, I plan on making something for him out of the wood.

Edited January 16, 2021 by ben2008

[ben2008]

14 hours ago, dgman said:

That is a hunk of wood!!! If you need a sample of Mahogany to compare once you clean it up, let me know. I’ll send you a small piece. I have some genuine Honduran Mahogany.

Thanks for the offer Dan. I'm going to try and figure out what I have later today or tomorrow.

[WayneMahler]

What ever it turns out to be it is a gift from Heaven. I'm curious as to what king of wood this is. Keep in mind, that the sun will darken the wood with age. It doesn't have to be in direct sun light either. 

[ben2008]

3 minutes ago, WayneMahler said:

What ever it turns out to be it is a gift from Heaven. I'm curious as to what king of wood this is. Keep in mind, that the sun will darken the wood with age. It doesn't have to be in direct sun light either. 

It's been sitting in the back of the machine shop for many years. One side is darker than the other and it is really dirty. I'm going to try amd clean it. then and it it to get a better look. I do know most woods darken with age especially mahogany.

[Karl S]

You said it was really heavy, It possibly could be Jatoba, some people call iy Brazilian Cherry. It is very heavy and dense. I have a few pieces of it and use it sparingly for accent pieces.It resembles Mahogany somewhat.

 

[ben2008]

Update

Looks like genuine Mahogany to me, but I really don't know.

What do you think it is?

Cleaned it up the best I could. I'll let it dry for a few hours, then give it a nice sanding with 150G and see what it looks like then. 

To me it is an incredible piece of wood.

 

Edited January 16, 2021 by ben2008

[ben2008]

17 hours ago, nrscroller said:

 

That is interestiong, I saw something like that happen many years ago. I worked for Andersen Windows in Bayport Minnesota and Mr Andersen got a piece of white pine that was very long and large and someone found it in an old warehouse and when they remodeled the offices they made a place for it to stand upright. It was given to him from Fred Weyhauser I guess as he first started making white pine frames before they moved across the river and built the window plant.

Bill

Interesting story. Similar to mine.

[Karl S]

After seeing it cleaned up, I vote for genuine Mahogany, Incredible find .You should go buy a lottery ticket. very nice piece of  timber.

[tomsteve]

there are a few different species in the mahogany family.it sure looks like one of them

 

https://www.wood-database.com/wood-finder/?fwp_name=M

 

[Denny Knappen]

After seeing the grain, I guess Rosewood.

 

[ben2008]

After a little more investigation I'm now leaning towards African Ribbon Mahogany or "Sapele". Whatever it is, it has aged nicely.

I'm going to clean up the rest of it, then I'll decide what to make from it. Shoiuld keep me busy for a while. 

[Missouri Wayne]

Looks like an amazing piece of wood.  If it has been in the back of  machine shop for years I would have some concern that it may have absorbed some oil from cutting operations or lubricants used for cooling.  I would test a finish on it before investing a lot of labor making something.

[trackman]

Looks like sapele to me 

[barb.j.enders]

Whatever it is - it looks beautiful.  Great gift.

[ben2008]

Updated this morning  Cleaned it up a bit more.

Sanded to 150 grit and splashed some water on it. It is not as red looking as yesterday's  picture

[redwine]

This is a beautiful hunk of wood and until you got it cleaned and sanded and a bit of water on it, I would have said it was in the Mahogany family!  The reason I say this is that a few years back I was given some dark wood that  was about 2 inch's thick and 4 inch's wide and was tongue and grooved and there was still a few of the old square nails in the wood. These nails were no longer being made for commercial use I believe in 1914! I am assuming that this wood came out of some manufacturing building and not from some gym or church or such. I had no idea what kind of wood it was until like yourself I did a little cleaning and sanding and it revealed a dark reddish grain which looked like Mahogany. I give it a test on the scroll saw and it was Mahogany which is the only wood that I have run across that I have a reaction to! The dust will have me sneezing and my eyes running like a facet! I always have a mask on when ever I am at the saw but I had to see if I was right about the wood. It looks like we both have some very old wood and I can't wait to see what you come  up with as a gift to the person that give this to you!

Erv

[ben2008]

5 minutes ago, redwine said:

This is a beautiful hunk of wood and until you got it cleaned and sanded and a bit of water on it, I would have said it was in the Mahogany family!  The reason I say this is that a few years back I was given some dark wood that  was about 2 inch's thick and 4 inch's wide and was tongue and grooved and there was still a few of the old square nails in the wood. These nails were no longer being made for commercial use I believe in 1914! I am assuming that this wood came out of some manufacturing building and not from some gym or church or such. I had no idea what kind of wood it was until like yourself I did a little cleaning and sanding and it revealed a dark reddish grain which looked like Mahogany. I give it a test on the scroll saw and it was Mahogany which is the only wood that I have run across that I have a reaction to! The dust will have me sneezing and my eyes running like a facet! I always have a mask on when ever I am at the saw but I had to see if I was right about the wood. It looks like we both have some very old wood and I can't wait to see what you come  up with as a gift to the person that give this to you!

Erv

Similar story Erv....thanks for sharing.

I would say I was very lucky to get a piece of wood like this. Once in a lifetime for me anyway. I forgot to mention, it still has some bark attached to it.

The person who gave me this beautiful hunk of wood said he doesn't wan't anything elaborate just something as a reminder for his office. He admired the simple desk clock I made for my wife. He want's something nautical. I thought a lighthouse or something similar.

I have 2 projects going now and will finish them first before I tackle this monster. Probably 3 or 4 weeks before I get to it. I'm 81 and not very fast.Haha

[ben2008]

2 hours ago, barb.j.enders said:

Whatever it is - it looks beautiful.  Great gift.

Agree. I'm one lucky guy.

[ben2008]

17 hours ago, Missouri Wayne said:

Looks like an amazing piece of wood.  If it has been in the back of  machine shop for years I would have some concern that it may have absorbed some oil from cutting operations or lubricants used for cooling.  I would test a finish on it before investing a lot of labor making something.

From what I was told it was in an area where there was no shop machinery nearby. I cleaned a small area and it appears to be just dirt and dust that has accumulated for the last 25 years plus.

I'm giving it a thorough cleaning with ZEP before I do any sanding. I have face protection (mask) and safety glasses too.

[tomsteve]

22 hours ago, ben2008 said:

 

I'm going to clean up the rest of it, then I'll decide what to make from it. 

what you could make with it is a donation to the TOM foundation- a non profit organization helping people in my shop named Tom further their woodworking skills.