Wood ID? This one has me stumped

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I try to be good at identifying different types of wood, but this one has me stumped (pun coincidental).
This was a small burl cap I saw in our burl barn. Normally I walk past these bunion type burls but this one caught my eye.

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Here is what I do know.
It is from around here (SW Oregon).
It is not Madrone or Ash.
Similar to Maple but harder and at least 50% heavier.

Here are some more exterior photos.

Close up
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With cut at right angle to exterior
m003.jpg
 
I cut a strip off the burl to show the flat sawn surface (parallel to outer surface).

Outside surface
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Inside surface
m005.jpg


Here are the quarter sawn surfaces (right angle to exterior).

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Close up of flat sawn surface

Exterior
m010.jpg


Interior
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Close up of quarter sawn surface

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The 2 possibilities that seem most likely to me are Dogwood or Maple.
The wood around here has a lot of strange mutations and according to the Forestry department hybrids occur sometimes.
This cap is too small to sell but I will be able to use some of this on my own projects.
Whatever it is, it looks kind of cool. I just want to know for sure what it is.

Any input from those of you who know NW woods is welcomed.
 
The quarter sawn surface looks a lot like the big leaf maple.
The burl type, coloring and density are what is different though.
 
Mark, I don't know NW woods very well but here in the Northeast we have several species of Maple. Our hard Maple [Sugar Maple] is much harder & heavier than soft Maple. Our soft Maple is similar to Bigleaf Maple in weight and density.

If it were here, I would guess hard Maple.
 
Rock/sugar maple is my guess, too, unless you also have Beech out that way.
 
Looks like maple, but I would need a set of scales to do a full analysis!:D
 
I am not a wood expert either but I know what I like and I like the look of it no matter what it is.
 
There are only 3 types of Maple that grow in Oregon.
The Big Leaf Maple is the only one that grows large enough to make a cap this size.
Weight and hardness does feel similar to Rock Maple.

I did a bit of searching on the internet and grain structure rules out the dogwood.
I guess this is just a piece of unusually mutated Maple.
 
oooo pretty!
If it is rock maple, I want some...:)

It is possible that it is rock maple, humans do funny things like that sometimes (planting trees outside their normal habitat).
 
GHEzell said:
oooo pretty!
If it is rock maple, I want some...:)

It is possible that it is rock maple, humans do funny things like that sometimes (planting trees outside their normal habitat).
Click to expand...

Probably a lost Canadian wanting a taste of home (the person who planted it...not the burl). Look for teeth marks.
 
Mark,
There may be only three maples in Oregon, but if you didn't cut it yourself ( which would negate the need for this thread) then it could have been cut anywhere....and taken/shipped to Oregon. I have buckeye burl slabs in the wood shop, and it doesn't grow in Virginia.
 
Tiiiiiiiim said:
Probably a lost Canadian wanting a taste of home (the person who planted it...not the burl). Look for teeth marks.
Click to expand...

Yes, yes it is a lost lonesome Canadian burl that wants to come home, I am offering to give it a good home and treat it right. You can send it to me at..........:p
 
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