Author Topic: wood ID via UV light  (Read 8525 times)

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Offline Dakota Kid

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wood ID via UV light
« on: July 08, 2015, 12:23:58 am »
I recently found a piece of 15 yr old standing dead wood while doing yard work at my folk's place. At first I thought it was attached and part of a crab apple tree as they looked to share a stump. When I pulled it, it split right down the middle revealing a golden yellow wood. The closest osage tree that I know of is ten miles away so I figure it was more likely black locust. If it is, it's the yellowest one I've ever seen.

The log had no bark left and hasn't sprouted a leaf since they moved in. It isn't a 100% when an ID is based on wood appearance alone, so I did a little research on the subject. It turns out both osage orange and black locust both glow green when exposed to UV light in the dark. The locust glows a much lighter green like lime, almost yellow. The osage on the other hand, is more of a mossy drab green. None of the other bow wood I have on hand showed any UV reaction.

I think planning on a night time glow shoot should commence immediately.

Pics on the way.
I have nothing but scorn for all weird ideas other than my own.
~Terrance McKenna

Offline Dakota Kid

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Re: wood ID via UV light
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2015, 12:44:58 am »
Pic one normal light : half the log raw on the left followed by the other half roughed out and my daughter's osage bow I call sliver because it was a splinter in the scrap pile when I built mine.

Pic two and three are with the black light on.
I have nothing but scorn for all weird ideas other than my own.
~Terrance McKenna

Offline Dakota Kid

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Re: wood ID via UV light
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2015, 12:46:02 am »
You can't really see the glow on the osage that well. It's almost non existent compared to locust.
I have nothing but scorn for all weird ideas other than my own.
~Terrance McKenna

Offline joachimM

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Re: wood ID via UV light
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2015, 03:11:28 am »
That's pretty funky 😆
Not that I think I would usually need UV to distinguish BL from other woods, but it might be very helpful to ID ancient bows in archeological research.

mikekeswick

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Re: wood ID via UV light
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2015, 03:38:27 am »
That is too cool!!!!

Offline huisme

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Re: wood ID via UV light
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2015, 03:50:45 am »
Osage seems just a little luminescent compared to a lot of woods but then locust is just like AYE BABYYY, LOOKA ME I'M GLOWY!

But like joachimM said, it's pretty easy to tell the two apart if they're freshly worked so I don't see myself relying on my UV light...

Still fun though ;D
50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: wood ID via UV light
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2015, 09:38:31 am »
Pure heart glows orange.
If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
27 inch draw, right handed. Bow building and Knapping.

Offline Pat B

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Re: wood ID via UV light
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2015, 09:44:30 am »
If you scraped the osage down to bright wood it might show under the UV light better. The natural UVs have already changed the color of the osage by darkening it.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC