What is this stuff?

[Don Farr]

The other day at work I noticed a pallet that stood out from the rest. It was very heavy and had a reddish color. I pulled off a plank and ran it through the planer. It looks a little like red oak but it is a lot heavier and redder. I have heard that some countries use exotic wood for pallets like we use pine and cheaper woods.
What do you think?
Don

 

[THarvey]

Our business has received palets from Central America that were all mahogony. Costa Rica and Honduras use mahogony for everything.

If you know where the palet originally came from, that might give you a clue.

BTW: "Exotic" depends on your perspective. "Exotic" to us, would be "domestic" to them. :biggrin:

 

[Fred]

Don, post a picture of the end grain and see if that helps in the ID. To me it does favor Red Oak a bit, but I doubt that is what it is. Do you have any idea where the pallet came from?

I recently retrieved a pallet from Home Depot that had 4x4 teak centers in it. I have also found one with a strip of ebony and sap wood as one of the planks on top.

One just never knows what is to be found these days ...

 

[NewLondon88]

reminds me of Hairy Oak, but if the pallet didn't come from Australia, the odds
are not great..

Looks like it'll make some great pens though

 

[Don Farr]

Well I hope that it will make some great pens because I have a BUNCH of it. I was thinking mahogony but was not sure.

PS I have no idea where the pallet came from...............

 

[Texatdurango]

Looks like red oak to me and nothing like any of the mahogony I have ever used and just about everything in my home is mahogany!

 

[bitshird]

that grain is too open for Mahogany, looks like some Red Oak, get a picture of the end grain.

 

[Mather323]

South American Pallet Wood.

 

[USAFVET98]

I would say Honduran mahogony. It has the right coloring. Beautiful grain for found wood.

 

[wdcav1952]

Here is another vote for an oak of some kind. Based on the firewood we split back home in Louisiana, I say red oak.

 

[splinter99]

I would bet red oak..Its heavier because it is not kiln dried..I get alot of them at work but most are only 1/2 thick..I worked with a guy that took home every bit he could find..he had quite a little operation making and selling laminated turned picture frames with them