robutacion
Member
Hi peoples,
This time I have a simple one, that has a little story and it goes like this;
Some years back, and when I only had 30 odd wood species in my timbers list, I saw a medium size branch on the side of the road, on the south side of the main road at McLaren Vale, the main town 25km from me and where we do most of the important stuff.
It was a very windy day and this damn branch almost hit us, it fall down within 10 meters of the car we were in. The speed was minimum as the town speed is 40km/h however, what this branch lacked in size (still big enough to block the road), was well compensated in weight, it was extremely heavy and only about 6" diameter.
Interestingly, and as always in those days, I wouldn't leave the house without a chainsaw, normally the smaller I had at the time, just in case. That day it came handy, I had to stop to move the branch out of the way, the road was narrow and the branch very long so, the traffic just stopped.
I was far too well dressed for any chainsaw work but, that didn't stop me from wanting to cut it down and take the wood home, instead of pushing it a side, with the help of some folks that very quickly got out to see why the traffic had stopped.
In no time, I was chopping the branch in 3 feet lengths and directing some of the bigger folks looking around, to put them in the back of my wagon. Was winter so, they all thought that was firewood but I had other ideas as I had been chasing and still am, for a full tree so that I can take some decent wood.
It happens that, this particular tree species, is quite common around these areas but, is not native, many Councils in South Australia, have planted these trees on the side of the roads, do not ask me why...! I kept looking at them and hoping to get my chance at one of them but, it never happened so that day, I could finally have a branch and see what the wood was inside, I was really curious...!
You couldn't miss these trees at the distance, why...??? because you would swear a fire has been through and burnt the rough bark, they are really carbon black. Everything but the small branches were left on the side of the foot path, away from being a problem for vehicles or pedestrians, the Council tree boys were out on calls from other broken trees so, they would pick it up later on.
It was quite funny to see those people faces when they saw me jump out of the vehicle, open the wagon's back door and walk away with a chainsaw smoking, and so well dressed...!
:biggrin: It took only a few minutes and I was gone, everyone went on their way also.
When I got home, I started processing the heavy logs and I realise that, the wood was really dense but very pretty so, I cut all logs into oversized pen blanks, strapped them and put them to dry for a couple of years before I touched them again. The idea was to get some more of that wood so that I could put it on my timbers list, what I had there, was not enough to put in on that list but, all these years later, I'm still waiting to get more of this wood and I start to realise the reason why, so many local Councils have planted them, they are very resilient to bugs/termites, etc, live a long time and generally don't fall down so, low maintenance trees...!
The day I had cut the pen blanks for that branch, and made a drying tower out of it, I wanted to identify it so that I could know what it was, later on so, I decided to give it the #93, as I already had 2 other species in the same situation. So, the pile was identified with the #93 and, on the timbers list that I had out at the time and near the bandsaw, I made a hand note with a pencil of where and how that wood come about, that way I would never forget...!
A few days ago, I decided to finish those blanks to have them listed on my new web-store, they are only 40 full size blanks but worth the trouble, in my view, I know that I put 2 of these blanks in my private collection, as always and the rest will be sold after we have this game done and dusted...!
OK so, the tree is a medium size tree, its a hardwood, very heavy, rough thick bark, looking like it has been burnt, its produces pink flowers...!
Now, the question is;
*- What is/are the common (or the scientific name) name(s) of this tree species...???
Game conditions as per usual, the same goes for the prize, 500gr (about 8 blanks) of something to be decided later on...! Winner pays the shipping, as per normal (AU$14.00)
Good luck,:wink::biggrin:
Cheers
George
This time I have a simple one, that has a little story and it goes like this;
Some years back, and when I only had 30 odd wood species in my timbers list, I saw a medium size branch on the side of the road, on the south side of the main road at McLaren Vale, the main town 25km from me and where we do most of the important stuff.
It was a very windy day and this damn branch almost hit us, it fall down within 10 meters of the car we were in. The speed was minimum as the town speed is 40km/h however, what this branch lacked in size (still big enough to block the road), was well compensated in weight, it was extremely heavy and only about 6" diameter.
Interestingly, and as always in those days, I wouldn't leave the house without a chainsaw, normally the smaller I had at the time, just in case. That day it came handy, I had to stop to move the branch out of the way, the road was narrow and the branch very long so, the traffic just stopped.
I was far too well dressed for any chainsaw work but, that didn't stop me from wanting to cut it down and take the wood home, instead of pushing it a side, with the help of some folks that very quickly got out to see why the traffic had stopped.
In no time, I was chopping the branch in 3 feet lengths and directing some of the bigger folks looking around, to put them in the back of my wagon. Was winter so, they all thought that was firewood but I had other ideas as I had been chasing and still am, for a full tree so that I can take some decent wood.
It happens that, this particular tree species, is quite common around these areas but, is not native, many Councils in South Australia, have planted these trees on the side of the roads, do not ask me why...! I kept looking at them and hoping to get my chance at one of them but, it never happened so that day, I could finally have a branch and see what the wood was inside, I was really curious...!
You couldn't miss these trees at the distance, why...??? because you would swear a fire has been through and burnt the rough bark, they are really carbon black. Everything but the small branches were left on the side of the foot path, away from being a problem for vehicles or pedestrians, the Council tree boys were out on calls from other broken trees so, they would pick it up later on.
It was quite funny to see those people faces when they saw me jump out of the vehicle, open the wagon's back door and walk away with a chainsaw smoking, and so well dressed...!
:biggrin: It took only a few minutes and I was gone, everyone went on their way also.When I got home, I started processing the heavy logs and I realise that, the wood was really dense but very pretty so, I cut all logs into oversized pen blanks, strapped them and put them to dry for a couple of years before I touched them again. The idea was to get some more of that wood so that I could put it on my timbers list, what I had there, was not enough to put in on that list but, all these years later, I'm still waiting to get more of this wood and I start to realise the reason why, so many local Councils have planted them, they are very resilient to bugs/termites, etc, live a long time and generally don't fall down so, low maintenance trees...!
The day I had cut the pen blanks for that branch, and made a drying tower out of it, I wanted to identify it so that I could know what it was, later on so, I decided to give it the #93, as I already had 2 other species in the same situation. So, the pile was identified with the #93 and, on the timbers list that I had out at the time and near the bandsaw, I made a hand note with a pencil of where and how that wood come about, that way I would never forget...!
A few days ago, I decided to finish those blanks to have them listed on my new web-store, they are only 40 full size blanks but worth the trouble, in my view, I know that I put 2 of these blanks in my private collection, as always and the rest will be sold after we have this game done and dusted...!
OK so, the tree is a medium size tree, its a hardwood, very heavy, rough thick bark, looking like it has been burnt, its produces pink flowers...!
Now, the question is;
*- What is/are the common (or the scientific name) name(s) of this tree species...???
Game conditions as per usual, the same goes for the prize, 500gr (about 8 blanks) of something to be decided later on...! Winner pays the shipping, as per normal (AU$14.00)
Good luck,:wink::biggrin:
Cheers
George
Attachments
Last edited:
