Palm Tree wood

[wesdor]

I suppose this fits under "stupid questions".  We were at a picnic today (in the Midwest) and one of the fellows said he had been told that nobody wants to cut palm trees because they dull a saw so quickly.  He was recently in southern california and this prompted the discussion.

I don't have a clue about Palm, but it looks more like a grass than a tree to me.  I can't imagine that there is any useful wood in a log.  Of course I live here in the north where we don't see Palm Trees and have never heard of anyone using a palm tree as a saw log.

Can any of you experts out there educate me (so I can share it with my friend) about Palm Trees, cutting for lumber, dulling of blades, etc?

[Left Coast Chris]

The only thing I have heard of is some bowl turning from the wood.   But have not seen it.   As for getting ahold of some, it seams like they rarely die and if they end up in the wrong place the can be easily dug up and moved.   I hope to get my hands on one to saw some day.  I would guess that the wood could dull blades since the surface is fairly open for sand to get into it.  I have a neighbor that is going to have me remove a couple of large olive trees this winter............ can't wait .... it is supposed to be fantastic carving wood and quite hard. 8) 8)

[Tom]

I have cut palm and agree with your friend.  There is a small contingent of furniture makers who will use the compact, grass-like substance of the trunk of the palm as table tops, etc.  It is a strange looking building material.  

In log form Palms have been used successfully for log buildings, docks and stockades.  As sawed boards they are rare.

My experience cutting Sable Palm, dulled a blade to the point of uselessness in two passes.

I have no desire to ever do it again.

There is a thread on  the forum somewhere.  I'll try to find it and link to it.

Here's one:
I sawed a palm link

[Mooseherder]

There are many different kinds of Palms.  Most of them are worth too much alive.
Royal Palms with any size to them go for thousands as ornamentals. Queen Palms are pretty much junk anymore. I raise Coconut Palms from the seed (coconut) that fall off my largest trees. I have never sold any, but have given away plenty.  One of the Coconut Palms is over 40 foot. I was offered 1600.00 for it and 1000.00 for another smaller a few years back.
I have never sawed Palms except with a Chainsaw from storm damaged blowdowns that snapped right at the base of the tree. 1 Coconut and 1 Queen. None of what I saw looked to be of any commercial value although there may be some market for it.
The inside doesn't look like any other tree. Almost looks like thousands of wires intertwined and became solid.

[dail_h]

   That jest ain't right!! That guy down in Costa Rico feeding mangoes ta hawgs,and now mooseherder wif coconuts in da front yard. Jest ain't right.
    'Course,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,he probably ain't got no great amount o' mosses ta herd nohow
   I'm jest too far norht

[metalspinner]

The wood in Tom's link that Den displayed looks like some turning wood being sold.  This turning wood is sold as Black Palm and Red palm.  I've often wondered the source of this wood.  It is very beautiful and very hard.

[wesdor]

You folks are fantastic! 

Thanks for all the education.

[Bob_T]

I worked in the Philippines awhile back and they use palm tree wood (from coconut trees I think) pretty extensively for structural building wood.  They mill it into their equivalent of 2X4's and use it for building houses and other buildings.  As I recall it had a reputation for not being very strong relative to other wood.  I think it was used because it was cheap, and the better lumber trees in the Philippines are long gone.  I never saw a bandmill there, and I think they used circular mills but don't know that for sure. 

Bob

[jpgreen]

My dogs are being used with the Lucas mill on coconut in Austrailia.  I would imagine different species in different parts of the world, well- are different..  :D

[crtreedude]

The indigenous tribes near us use Pejibeya (and kind of palm) to make bows - man the stuff is hard. Just had one fall on our property and I am going to make some bows just for fun. Flexible, hard as nails. Cool stuff.

By the way, I assume the crack about feeding mangoes to pigs are about us...  ;)

[getoverit]

crtreedude, dont feel bad about the mango crack. I know those things grow wild down there and the fruits are in such abundance that they draw flies if not picked up off of the ground. The pears that grow in my trees here do the same thing and I have more than I can use. If I had a pig, I would feed it pears ;)

I think the point he was making was that we pay a fortune for mangos here in the states, and because they are picked before they are fully ripe, they end up tasting like diesel fuel here. Only one who has tasted a tree ripe mango can know what they are supposed to taste like !

I have tried milling the cabbage palm also, and got the same results as Tom. They dont have much structure, dull blades faster than you can change them and dont last long if exposed to the elements. I have no experience with other palms though.

[crtreedude]

Nah, I wasn't feeling bad, or even picked on. That is the reason for the wink...

[dail_h]

   CTD,
   I still say ,"feeding mangoes ta pigs is just wrong",pasties maybe,but mangoes uhuh.
   Dail running for cover!!!!!!

[ellmoe]

   About twenty years ago the Ga. Pa. veneer mill near Palatka , Fla. made some plywood out of cabbage palms. I actually saw a sheet of it. It is possible that was the ONLY sheet made. I had expected something akin to a grass skirt, but was suprised at the apperance. The fiber was tight, and realitivily smooth, looked good!   The GP employee told me that it shut down every machine as it went through the mill!
   Don't expect to see any in your box store!

Mark