Wood Identification using AI

[Ken Cardinal]

I recently had the opportunity to retrieve some wood from a downed tree. I wasn’t sure what kind of wood it was but it was of decent size and fresh so, good enough for me! Anyway, I took pictures and posted them on ChatGPT. ChatGPT said:

Most likely: Black Cherry
Secondary possibility: Red Maple (less likely given bark)

Claude said Sycamore.
Gemini said White Oak
Perplexity said: “Given Asheville’s mountain setting, my guess shifts a bit toward yellow poplar / tulip poplar or red maple, with ash still possible.”
People on Reddit said: White Oak

Since they all saw the same pictures, I thought this interesting so I’m sharing. Oh, I personally have definitely concluded it is wood.

 

[Lennart Delin]

I tried Copilot earlier but totally wrong, mistook rowan for spruce.

 

[Tim Hunter]

The pictures are not conducive for even our determination, let alone AI’s faulty performance. Clean up the face and the end grain and then we can tell. From What I see, I lean toward an oak, perhaps white oak, but quite dark.

Tim

 

[John Torchick]

Isn't there a detailed book for identifying wood species?

 

[Ken Cardinal]

The pictures are not conducive for even our determination, let alone AI’s faulty performance. Clean up the face and the end grain and then we can tell. From What I see, I lean toward an oak, perhaps white oak, but quite dark.

Tim

Fair enough. Unfortunately, the sides of all 12 blanks are now coated with Anchor Seal. Better pictures will have to wait until I turn them down to about an inch+ a little (first turn). But whatever wood it is, I’m pretty sure it’ll end up round and a Christmas gift for some family or friend in 2027.

 

[Wyatt Holm]

I have 3 books on wood identification. I recommend them all.
Audubon guide to trees, has good pictures of the bark, leaves etc.
Wood Identification and Use by Terry Porter, has good pictures of the wood itself, not just the tree.
Wood For Woodturners by Mark Baker
Has more detailed info on about 150 species used by turners.

 

[Holmes Anderson]

Doesn't look like black cherry bark to me. Black cherry and some other fruit trees have bark that looks like burnt potato chips (crisps). Red maple bark doesn't look like that either and the heartwood of all maples I've seen looks very different than that. Not ash either. Sassafras and cottonwood bark in photos looks similar but I've never handled cottonwood or sassafras so couldn't really say. Does it have a distinctive smell?

 

[Steve Tiedman]

That's Free Wood. Maybe Mystery Wood. I often mixed up the two species, but it helps to identify them if I can chew on some shavings.

 

[Ken Cardinal]

No distinctive smell detected either during chainsawing or cutting into bowl blanks on a bandsaw.