Anyone know what this distinctive timber might be?

[Tim Pettigrew]

Last weekend (27th March 2015), I was in Malvern (Worcestershire, UK), helping as part of a working party in the upkeep of a large country house. There had been some tree-felling in the grounds and a quantity of the felled timber had been stockpiled for firewood. Some of this looked interesting and I was told that I would be very welcome to select some pieces for turning.

I would be most grateful for some assistance in the identification of the two logs (from the same tree, pictured below), which I was told came from a Larch. I don't think it is Larch but has anyone a clue as to what the wood might be?


LOG 1, Photo 01. Log is 200mm in diameter, 50 pence piece as scale. Bark is fairly scaly.


LOG 1, Photo 02. Wood has a characteristic grain with prominent, broad medullary rays.


LOG 1, Photo 03. Close up of grain on cut end (moistened to show texture better).


LOG 1, Photo 04. Close up of grain on cut other end (moistened to show texture better).


LOG 2, Photo 01. Log is 290mm in diameter, 50 pence piece as scale.


LOG 2, Photo 02. Close up of grain on cut end (moistened to show texture better).


LOG 2, Photo 03. Closer view of cut end (moistened to show texture better).

Any comments and help gratefully received.

Tim

[seventhdevil]

whoever said that was larch should be shot...


looks like holm oak to me mate, (quercus ilex) must be very heavy.

great or turning if you can find some with no splits.

[Bryan Milham]

I'm with Steve, It's Holm (or Holly) Oak.

[TWiG]

Yep, definately Holm oak , I felled and shifted about 15 tons last week !!  very heavy, slow to dry and warps ... a lot ! ... nice grain along medullary rays though .  Excellent example of the way to photo wood for ID though , well done !.. Terry

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Looks to me to be the ten bob bit tree, planted in 1997 by the looks of it!

[Les Symonds]

I'm no expert, but the moment I saw it I thought oak, simply by the strength of the medullary rays. I can see why somebody could mistake the bark for arch (lots of small plates), but there's no way that the timber could be called larch.
Les

[Tim Pettigrew]

Thanks very much indeed for your help everyone!  I knew it couldn't be Larch and I am pleased to have saved at least a small proportion from being destroyed as firewood.
 

Tim

[Tim Pettigrew]

Following on from your help in identifying my mystery timber as Holm Oak I thought I would post a picture to show what some of it looks like after rough turning.



Just hope that it doesn't crack as I allow it to season very slowly.

Thanks again,

Tim

[woodndesign]

Looks to have made a very nice blank so far, lovely details, hope to see how it turns out.

Cheers.

[GBF]

Holm Oak branchwood makes beautiful mushrooms and if they split they look better for it.

Regards George

[GBF]

Yep, definately Holm oak , I felled and shifted about 15 tons last week !!  very heavy, slow to dry and warps ... a lot ! ... nice grain along medullary rays though .  Excellent example of the way to photo wood for ID though , well done !.. Terry

I could do with a van full if it is going spare.

Regards George

[Tim Pettigrew]

Well, after drying the rough turned items I thought it was time to show what the outcome was after completion.


This shows the severe warping which took place as the rough turned bowls dried, losing about 30% of their original weight.



Two completed bowls

[Les Symonds]

Good to see the finished items, and those medulary rays are quite striking...did you realise that your holm oak is also known as holly oak...the leaves are quite tough and sharply pointed, just like holly. In fact, the Linnean name for it is Quercus Ilex; Ilex being the name for holly.

Les

[Tim Pettigrew]

Thanks for the additional info Les, Much appreciated.

Tim