USDA Forest Service wood identification

Ask your wood and other materials questions here. Please DO NOT post pictures and ask us to identify your wood, we have found that accurate ID is nearly impossible, and such discussions will be deleted. Thanks.
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Barry Daniels
Posts: 3186
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:58 am
Location: The Woodlands, Texas

USDA Forest Service wood identification

Post by Barry Daniels »

I saw this link on another forum and thought it might be of interest here. The Forest Service will identify wood species from samples for private individuals, for free. You can send them up to 3 samples per year. Here is the link. I am definitely going to take advantage of this.

https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/research/cent ... tsheet.php
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David King
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Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:01 pm
Location: Portland, OR
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Re: USDA Forest Service wood identification

Post by David King »

Oooh I have some wild and crazy specimens to send them though I might try my luck around here first.
I noticed that they make a point of saying no business entities should attempt to use the service though it's hard to think of guitar making as a business in this day and age.
Carl Dickinson
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Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2019 5:38 pm
Location: Forest Ranch, California

Re: USDA Forest Service wood identification

Post by Carl Dickinson »

Barry is referring to a thread I started a couple of years ago on OLF. Sent in 2 samples late February and it took two months for a reply...by email.
I thought I had Kyana and it turned out to be Meranti. It'll still make some good necks though. I thought the other was Afrormosia and it turned out to be Narra. I got a 6"x6"x5' beam that looked like ship dunnage that I re-sawed into wood for two parlor guitars I'm making for my grandkids. One is complete and looks and sounds great.
Just send samples in under your own name, not under a letterhead. Should take care of the business issue.
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