Basschamp167 Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Hey all, I am posing a question to you guys about some wood I cut in my backyard. I have tons of, and i thought it would be good for making topwaters and other lures out of. Problems is, I have no idea what it is! It has grey bark, which when peeled away, which is very easy to do, it reveals a white, sappy wood. The bark is stringy, and the wood has an odd smell to it. It almost looks like white cheese. My dad described the wood as gooey, if that makes any sense. Here is a link to a picture of it in the gallery: Tackleunderground Home - Luremakers Photo Gallery - Some weird wood i found... Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Is it bird of paradise? I would need to see the tree, not just the bark. Do yourself a favor, go buy some basswood or poplar, wood is cheap, your time is precious. RM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basschamp167 Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 I don't believe it is bird of paradise, but I don't think I will even use it, maybe for firewood. As of right now I am making my muskie lures from a steady supply of poplar and oak, which both work very well. You are right wood is cheap, its about 2 dollars a foot for poplar at the home depot near me. I'm not a big fan of basswood because it is expensive near me, but it makes good crankbaits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cz75b Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Helps to see a leaf, the smell reference makes me think of tree of heaven, an exotic species often found everywhere in your part of the world (NJ?) This is the species that can grow into a six inch diameter tree in the crack of a brick wall five stories high (saw this in Philadelphia...) If the wood smells bad and the leaves are compound like a sumac, maybe this is the tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basschamp167 Posted April 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 I saw a picture of that tree on google, and that very well might be it. I will have to show my dad the picture to see if he recognizes it because he is the one that cut it down. I might make a lure out of just to see how it ends up. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombadier Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Could be a sassafras tree? They grow like weeds and if I remember correctly the bark pulls away easily and kinda looks like what you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 If it's gooey, it's probably full of sap. That will be a nightmare to seal and finish. Riverman's right. Unless you have tons of time to burn, don't waste any of it experimenting with an aromatic wood that's full of sap. If the sealer doesn't fail right away, it will as soon as you hit it with a hair dryer to set your paint. And, if you use rattle cans, the minute the sun hits it, the topcoat and paint will bubble and fail. Just the nature of wood. That's the reason painters use shellac to seal knots and pitch pockets in wood. Pitch, which is just sap, burns right through oil base paints, since it has some of the same chemicals in it that the paints do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cz75b Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Sassafras has a very wonderful smell, Tree of Heaven a somewhat repulsive smell. Sassafras leaves are simple while Tree of Heaven leaves are compound. An easy way to figure this out is a Field Guide to Eastern Trees by Petrides. The tree key works with leaf type (simple/compound) and a few other traits to arrive at the species. Tell us what you figure out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskyswab Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 sup zach, wanna go to michaels and get some airbrush parts? my needle is bent and my nozzle cracked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basschamp167 Posted April 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 Thanks for the help guys, my bet is that its sassafras. And swab, since when did your airbrush nozzle crack!!? Do they have replacement parts there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskyswab Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 at michaels they have nozzles and needles but idk if i can trust them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
