Wood Identifications Examples

[@TyTy-fq3mh]

Hey, i would definitely love for this topic to be expanded further! In depth demonstrations on each of the popular woods showing examples of their workability, what to expect when working with them, pros & cons, what sort of applications they might or might not be ideal for, and anything else you think could help aid in making a more informed choice when buying and using lumber that we’re not familiar with. A vid made by you about what to expect when buying lumber at a lumber yard/saw mill would be super awesome to. Thanks james, never stop making awesome videos!

[@stevebettany8778]

My wood is usually other people’s cast offs so quite often identification is hard these videos are really helpful even if you have some strange woods over there. Thank you.

[@bunjininja]

Black walnut is my absolute favorite. It has a beautiful blonde to almost purple color to it at times. Tulip poplar is my second favorite. Its super bright in color. Takes staining in almost any variety you want. Not sappy like cedar or pine. Great video. Keep up the great work!

[@phildodd9942]

A great selection that you've exhibited in front of us, so that we can be in awe of them ! Possibly one of your subtle puns at the end "can't play with ebony" - but in Victorian times, apparently through to mid 20th century, everyone DID when piano keys were ebony and ( very grimly ) ivory ( bones of animals ). Great that you still had some of the Zebra to show us. Cherry and other woods in the UK, for those of us old enough, we saw a lot of those in the 1950s as our post-war train compartments were invariably fitted out with a multitude of such beautiful panels. Your delight in veneers would have been fulfilled in such circumstances ! Yes - a brilliant idea of yours to give us more detail from your earlier demonstration - a big help for us to identify and even search out some of these woods ! Thank you !

[@mastiffmom2592]

That live edge on the red oak is absolutely stunning! Oh, there’s more than one live edge piece. I would love to have some of that. It’s probably my most favorite part of wood.

[@hughfryer3813]

A note on Ipe. When I was a carpenter, we built a 1200 sf deck of Ipe. It ate up every type of blade we put to it. I also recommend wearing a mask when cutting it due to the high silica content. Same for teak.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

it is some fun stuff for sure!

[@markharris5771]

I have heck of a long way to go, I ask the guy at the timber merchants who is thankfully very trustworthy. A very interesting pair of videos, I’m sure I will refer back to them more than once. Thank you James

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

thanks Mark. it is a fun skill to learn!

[@danceswithaardvarks3284]

Yes very helpful. I salvage a lot of antique wood, so identification is often difficult.

[@drawlele]

Not going to lie the only two woods I have enough experience with are live oak and cedar, during my time in north Florida that was all that was readily available to me so I spent lots of time working g with them. I do enjoy the wild crazy grain in live oak to the point where it might be my favorite wood. Cedar is another one of those woods that is very easy to work with and makes great for practice if you got it for free. My problems with wood identification stem from a want to match the antiques I restore perfectly so that the pieces I have to replace or fabricate completely do not stand out in any way whatsoever I'm thi king it may be better to match with color then stain and blend very well. Great video I cant wait to start working with more woods and I do agree the sap wood mixed with the heart wood on black walnut is just awesome, biggest reason I watch Out Of The Woods on here on youtube that's one of the woods that man has in abundance and happens to be his favorite to saw up into slabs.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Matching antiques can be really interesting. Often it's better to just match the color and the grain style. Then the exact word. there are a lot of woods that can be made to look and feel almost identical.

[@jamesroush6850]

I'm pretty familiar with the domestic woods so seeing exotics and hearing how they work is really cool

[@orellinvvardengra6775]

I just watched this and your other wood identification video. I've collected some free pieces over some time but am only sure of one of them and that was from my wife's grandmothers tree. A nice log of maple, nothing large. These other pieces I picked up I'm not entirely sure of. I have a strong feeling that it will be some sort of pine though as I live in Washington. Thank you for another amazing video, I look forward to learning some more!

[@islandwills2778]

I must have 100 different species of wood I work with and I still sometimes struggle with red and white oak. I also find it crazy how diverse each species can be. For example one piece of walnut can look completely different from another so much so you would swear they are different species

[@Jizzlewobbwtfcus]

Damn! Getting into woodwork now. What have I got myself into? 😂

[@islandwills2778]

@@Jizzlewobbwtfcus I think that our modern era is the best time ever to get into woodworking. In the past if you did not know how to do something you found someone to teach you or found your own method. Now we have well put together youtube videos, instructional videos and even books that we can use to learn the skill. For the first time in history it is accessible to anyone who wants to learn (assuming you have the money and space of course lol)

[@Jizzlewobbwtfcus]

I have neither at the moment haha. I mean I AM slowly investing in tools and buying wood each month. So far I bought a modest foldable workbench which although is plastic is VERY robust and comes with 2 high quality clamps which I can use and different angles, a Mitre saw, glue gun, sander, clamps and hoping to get a nailgun next month. As for the space the garden is too small for a proper shed. Will just have to make do for now. Thx for the input@@islandwills2778

[@krokodyl8088]

I'm glad you put it out. Maybe you could go through the wood again (at least some) and mention typical use for the different wood and type of project it could be made of.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

To be honest any would can make any project. there really is no good way to say that one is better than another for any particular project. Those some people will is particular type of wood or that particular type of wood they are wrong.

[@krokodyl8088]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Ok, so it's a myth to debunk. Thanks James

[@jonnybooks9337]

glad you decided to go ahead & run with this one.

[@Joe___R]

One thing you should have mentioned is that white oak is a closed grain wood while red oak is an open grain wood. I would like to see you make the same small project using the different types of wood to show the difference in how they all really work and the look you get when finished. Possibly a small ring box out of each type of wood.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

though a lot of people say that, but it is not always true. Open or closed grain just means the pores are big or small. some white oaks have HUGE pores that would be considered open and some red oaks have small ones. that is one reason I do not mention open vs closed grain is there is a huge gray area that can be very confusing.

[@VinSpacker]

Great content! Can you please straighten your background picture frames on the wall? OCD me lol

[@benfox9382]

great video! the varierty of woods never ceases to amaze me. I'm a little surprised you didn't mention the different smells though! I could identify pine, walnut, sapele, padauk and ebony blindfolded from scent alone! hard to describe in text though...!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

right on. I talked about that in the main video. this was just bonus footage that got knocked from the other video.

[@joshuabaughn3734]

Ever Work with Holly? It's White like porcelain. Osage Orange is Yellow and Extremely hard and rot resistant. 50 year old stumps look like they were cut down 10 years ago.

[@namehidden8854]

Totally incidental that you got wood from Tally Ho, but it earned your channel a check.

[@woodfun6570]

Thank you, this is is one of the most interesting topics in woodworking. Could you show your examples closer next time, please. Also, different woods have different smeels :)

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

thanks! I was orignianly going to show close ups, but this was just the cut footage from the other video where I talk about how to identify different types of wood.

[@mikenovember5884]

So I work at a Jesuit community built bin the 30’s there is a lot of original wood in there and we have some of the original stuff laying around and once in a while I’m gifted a piece or two of the hardwood for making my cigar box guitar necks. Well, the one time I pulled this old old piece of 2 x 8 pine out of there this thing had to be from the 40s or 30s. I dropped it a couple times and the thing rang like a bell. It sounded like glass, have you ever experienced this with any sap woods or old type woods?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

It's fun when you have old growth wood that has really tight rings.

[@Sawdust5704]

Very helpful video. Just an FYI from a wood anatomist. The phrase "medullary rays" is no longer used. Again, well produced video.

[@ME_MeAndMyBees]

Suggestion : Would have preferred a finished item in said Wood ! Understand which one has Swirls and Hues to one with no Pattern (?) I see images of Cool Lamp Bases, Boards, Bowls, even Jewellery re Grain, Timber Colours, Knots and Finishes (Yet I don't know what they are ??? Just that I like them, or hope to do : if only I knew what Wood came from !?!) A highly polished Crafted Item looks nothing like a flat piece of Tool Shop Plank Scrap. . . I had a huge Wild Cherry Tree come down in a Storm in Dec 2021 here in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Cheery Wood is so beautiful, it's one I can recognise having made Craft Items at School (!) Yet, the Log Pile of this Cherry just looks like average Logs ! Haven't done Wood Work since School in the '80s. But a few saved Branches, Trunk parts, even a Flat Log will hopefully this Summer, be made into Bowls, Boards, Spoons, etc. By Hand as I have no Tool Shop. Just Hand Tools. A case of a Cuppa Tea, a Seat, and a nice Warm Day to Whittle or Carve away in. While my Bee Hives make me Honey and I can use a bit of their Bees Wax on the Cherry Wood once it's made into something ! A Small Chopping Board is my first thought (have a go) and work up to more challenging things after. If I remember those Skills of yesteryear ! 🙃 Should look as good as your 'Larger shown Item' re colour. (Nothing like that flat dull slim Board of Cherry you showed !) Just my thought. . . Can you do a Finished Wood Grain Example Video re Hand Crafted Items. Only know my Cherry, and Olive Woods : Have these in my Home. Oh and boring Soft Pine Boards / Planks from the basic Lumber Yard Section. No Wood looks good in those DiY Chain Stores...

[@sebcsaba]

Thanks for sharing this additional video :) Unfortunately, lot of the information is mostly useless for me in middle of Europe, as we have slightly different type of wood available here. But the previous one video, with the concepts of identification, are really helpful. Thanks!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

thanks. that is one of the reasons I cut this one. great if you live around here, but if I move a few hundred miles I would need another set.

[@duanethepirate]

Great video, FYI on the Red Oak. I know that species will grow different in different areas, here in Arkansas Red Oaks get huge, I have one in the back yard thats easily 4 feet in diameter and last year two on the end of my house blew over and both of those were 30 inches in diameter. I got a 10 foot log from one and some 3 foot pieces from the other but it had a lot of rot in it.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Right on. Most red oaks get absolutely huge. Pin oak which is a type of red oak usually doesn't get much larger than about 2 ft in diameter as they tend to grow fast and die quickly. In comparison to other red oaks but there are more red oaks and you can shake a stick at.

[@duanethepirate]

I'll have to look around here and see if I can find some Pin oaks and see how they grow around here, the oaks I mentioned are willow oaks.

[@BradsWorkbench]

Have you ever worked with long leaf pine? Pretty hard to come by but totally different that yellow pine

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I have actually. That has a really interesting life cycle.

[@BradsWorkbench]

I’ll have to look more into that

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

here is a recent video on it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZPWpouprb1sa5I

[@sazxqaz5228]

Thanks for sharing the video. I should really start planting trees myself. Native pines grow here in the philippines highlands but decreasing rapidly in my place. No one really bothered planting after cutting one.

[@BradsWorkbench]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo that was really interesting. I definitely never knew about the grass stage part

[@richardhatt6541]

Now you need to do a video on the smell of wood. Red oak has a smell like catchup to me. Black Walnut just has that smell you can't mistake. Cherry actually has a sweet smell to identify it. Cedar is incredible with its flavor. Each coniferous wood has a different smell. Try it out and you will be surprised.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

If I had a sense of smell I would.

[@SteveC38]

I really did enjoy these two videos. Thank You James!

[@TyTy-fq3mh]

If you decide to do a video in the future covering exotic woods let me know and ill try to send a few samples to help.

[@dailthegoat799]

My dad made me a bed out of oak when I was 3. I mean it goes all the way to the ground and 12 years later it still fits me it’s obout 17 feet long 5 ft across maybe less.

[@dailthegoat799]

I did not expect this to get Highlighted

[@marcogranadosvidriales9407]

Hi! I am new to the wood working world. I have a mid-century table I'd love to bring back to life. Just having trouble identifying the wood. Any more detailed things I can look at to identify the wood it is?? TIA!!!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Unfortunately looking at finished wood and trying to match it up with pictures is almost impossible. Unless you have a significant amount of experience behind it. I wish there was a good answer or an app, but any finished smooth wood is going to be relatively difficult to identify unless you know what you're looking at. But feel free to send me some pictures. I'd be glad to help you along it.

[@marcogranadosvidriales9407]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo I would greatly appreciate that. Thank you so much.

[@marcogranadosvidriales9407]

Sorry but how would I send you the pictures?

[@MojoMountainMan]

I have a wood branch that is (under the bark) kind of a light brown, it has very light streaks that look grayish-black, and the center of the branch is so dark it's almost like Ebony, it is darker than Mahogany. If I did have the bark it is long gone and I don't know what this wood is. Any ideas? It came from Pennsylvania in the United States. Edit: also the end wood is almost impenetrable by fingernail (at least mine). The wood has never been dyed, but it is several years dried. The branch is about as thick as a pinky finger, but there has been absolutely no cracking or splitting anywhere on it. It is also so strong that it cannot be bent. If I think of more details I will add them later. Thanx so much!

[@Kuro-ik3qn]

If you find interest in other Brazilian woods besides Ipê, let me know. I may be able to send you some small pieces if I can find.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

there are a lot of fun woods down there!

[@mariaphilomena1422]

Ebony is the wood that clarinets are made of! On another subject, I would love to know if there’s any chance you would be willing to do a video call. I’m trying to restore an old secretary that belonged to my grandmother, so it probably dates back to the 1920s and I’m just actually not sure what kind of wood it’s made of.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Feel free to send me a an email with pictures I'd be glad to take with it

[@mariaphilomena1422]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo will do! Thanks so much!

[@ronrocheleau6303]

Great video James

[@Ross-ts2kk]

hello sir, is Meranti wood suitable for spearfish gun ? i heard many people using Teak wood but i just want to know if Meranti good and durable for salt water and spearfishing in general thank you so much,

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

It all depends on how you maintain it. no wood is great but some are better then others. I have no experience with Meranti so I can not answer well there. sorry.

[@tommymarshall5836]

Great job thanks for the info and I am sure I will be watching it again and again

[@tdkrei]

Thanks James.

[@eduardom800]

Thanks, This was actually something I was waiting for.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Thanks. Glad I can help.

[@COEYRN]

I want some ebonywood that looks awesome. I don't suppose Amazon would sell it LOL.

[@Jizzlewobbwtfcus]

informative video. trying to learn what I can as I'm winging the whole woodwork thing. Ty for the upload mate /left a 'Like'

[@CrysLuv27]

Glad you out it out!

[@LifeSavingDefense]

Was looking for Mahogany but nice video

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Depending upon what type of mahogany. Does that count very difficult to find. And in many cases illegal to sell.

[@rwdyer2263]

This was very interesting

[@ryanallthewiser]

Great bonus footage!!

[@crafts_avenue]

liked them both and learned a lot.thanx.

[@RIBill]

I made a cribbage board out of ipe. It took FOREVER to drill all the holes! The super-fine dust kept clogging the centering bit. Never again.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

that is a fun wood for sure! LOL

[@MCBob-nh4cr]

I have a table top that is insanely heavy probably 300-500lbs it’s big enough to seat 3 people on each side and one at each end so it’s not very large for its weight. It’s a very dark wood that I’m trying to identify. Are you able to help me identify it if I can get photos to you. Really need help.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

you can send me an email or message I can take a look. you can find my email in the about me tab on the channel. or use the contact form on my website.

[@StickMan...77]

Thank you, excellent video.

[@danathomas7870]

I loved this informative video!!! Thanks

[@CharlesAmericanus]

Thanks

[@karl_alan]

Thank you for doing this. When I saw the video image for the other video, I was curious why you did not go into the other ones there.

[@harryk.3003]

Hi, greetings. How to differentiate between euclyptus and poplar wood🙏

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Eucalyptus is very hard you can not make a mark with your thumb nail in it. Poplar is much softer and you can dent it with your thumbnail.

[@harryk.3003]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo thanks. Stay blessed

[@harryk.3003]

Hi, dear sir how can we differentiate between poplar and pine pls?

[@harryk.3003]

Can v use poplar in place of pine?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Poplar is one of the softest hardwoods. Pine is a broad category of softwoods. There are lots of different woods that would be classified as pine. Generally poplar is considered to be far more usable and far better than most pine.

[@daniellericks3855]

Is wood turning difficult?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

That depends on what you are comparing it to and what tools you have to turn with. Some people find it very easy to pick up and some do not.

[@charlesmay8251]

Great information!

[@scottswineford6714]

Just before watching this I finished cutting and filing a small piece of purple heart for a stand for my phone. Mercy! Incredibly hard and dense, beginning to wonder if it's something other than purple heart. Ipe maybe.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

that sounds like purple heart crazy hard stuff!

[@satypaljangir7181]

Its, fine sir

[@nsein001]

Good vid. Thanks

[@kizzypepper5118]

Who’s here because there teacher set you to watch it 👇👇

[@bpmotion]

I think red oak has red in the name bc of its leaves.

[@BadHorsie1]

No beech?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Not around here.

[@mountainviewturning5319]

Pen Oak they don't mill it for lumber it moves to much great video

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

It all depends on who your local sawyer is. You don't normally find it in most lumber yards, but in IN and OH it is often what you will find at the sawmills listed as red oak as it is one of the more common there then other varieties of Red Oak. most of my lumber comes from local sawyers that will cut anything that grows. a good way to get some things you just can't find in most lumber yards.

[@DuncanEdwards.]

I think a lot of people wood prefer close ups of the grain to really understand

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Truth. I was going to be showing that as well as wood curls from each one. but I decided not to shoot those clips as the video was already getting too long. This is one of those topics that I could shoot hours and hours and hours of video footage. There's just so much content here.

[@DuncanEdwards.]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Agreed, a real mind field

[@toddharshbarger8616]

What about mahogany

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

What about it. They are dozens of different mahoganys and they are all slightly different.

[@Bobo-gm9fd]

Be nice if you could turn your exposure down, they all just look white

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@polarbearsrus6980]

Signs of a narcissist: Sense of self-importance. Preoccupation with power, beauty, or success. Entitled. Can only be around people who are important or special. Interpersonally exploitative for their own gain. Arrogant. Lack empathy. Must be admired.

[@edkinsel3553]

I must be stupid. So many confusing terms.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

woodworking can get really deep really fast.

[@jetmakr]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Yeah, really deep! But if you dig far enough you can get to the root of it. ;)

[@danathomas7870]

Would you feel stupid if you didnt understand a medical journal??? Because if you havent studied the subject matter you wont understand it. BUT: Here you are learning!!! Good for you!

[@YOUR_NARRATOR975]

I hate that red oak and white oak looks the same.

[@fiouable]

you're too much in my face. Sorry.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Thanks for the feedback

[@13panda13]

Timestamps are good