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Eucalyptus tree

Started by Mesquite cutter, October 07, 2020, 02:48:01 PM

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Mesquite cutter

Have any of you ever worked with eucalyptus wood.  I have been offered a eucalyptus tree.  What can they be used for?  
Backyard woodworker. 
DIY sawmill
Youtube:  Retired DIY Guy

clearcut

Firewood mostly.
Paper if you have the resources.
Lumber if you need gentle curves.

That being said, there are over 800 species of eucalyptus, and nearly as many hybrids. YMMV.
Carbon sequestered upon request.

muggs

That is what me and my brother started out sawing. I don't think we got a single straight board. Talk about twist. But like has already been said, there are a lot of different species, maybe you have better one than we did. :(

Mesquite cutter

We will see.  The tree removal company still needs to get the bid on the job.  They called me and asked if I wanted the trees.  They wanted to have things lined up to remove everything. 
Backyard woodworker. 
DIY sawmill
Youtube:  Retired DIY Guy

clearcut

Blue gum (E. globulus) was planted widely in Southern California and along the coast up to Mendocino county in an effort to circumvent the great Timber Famine anticipated following the civil war. In particular eucalyptus was seen as a potential source of railroad ties and mining timbers. It didn't quite work out. The twist generated by the hot California sun could derail a train.

Blue gum, given enough resources will grow quickly. I measured an open grown tree that had been planted near the outflow of a spring used to supply a stock tank was 52" DBH. The owner reported planting it 22 years earlier. It had a constant supply of water and nutrients, open grown and was enormous - absolutely huge crown.

Did some work on biomass plantations. Short rotation, high intensity culture and got 7-10 cords per acre per year on a 7 year rotation (Napa county). 

Hard to dry - 2 years covered outside, but dense and a high BTU content. 
Carbon sequestered upon request.

Clark

Quote from: clearcut on October 08, 2020, 03:07:10 PMDid some work on biomass plantations. Short rotation, high intensity culture and got 7-10 cords per acre per year on a 7 year rotation (Napa county).

Holy!!! How does that compare to short-rotation cottonwood in the SE? I can't imagine it does that much better?
Clark
SAF Certified Forester

tule peak timber

 

 A blue gum top I did a while back. Generally too hard to work with when the same amount of labor in a walnut top yields much more profit. BUT,,,,,,Get a log or two and try some things especially if the wood is minimum cost out of pocket. Rob
persistence personified - never let up , never let down

clearcut

Just a quick look - SR cottonwood is about 2.5 - 3 cords per acre per year. But I could not find a study with the same intensity of culture documented.

These eucalypts were on drip irrigation, with automatic fertilizer application. Soil moisture sensors determined flow. These trees were never without soil moisture and nutrients.

Napa study

Similar study in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Carbon sequestered upon request.

Ianab

In good conditions the bluegum species grow incredibly fast. I've taken one down for a friend that was ~20" dbh and 10 years old. Also it's very dense and a great firewood. Probably similar to the densest Nth American woods. 

But they can be really variable when it comes to sawing them, or more the point drying. 

But E Saligna is commonly grown in NZ and used for flooring / laminated bench tops etc. You want larger logs to produce good quality wood. An 18" Saligna is hardly more than a sapling. 

This baby cot is made from Bluegum. Had a few reject boards, but the wood I got dried was good to work with, very hard and strong. Cot is WAY over engineered. and would serve as an earthquake shelter.  :D

Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

tule peak timber

I also planted 18 inch tall blue gum as a wind brake for my commercial guavas. The roots stunted growth for the first two rows nearest the eucs and I cut them down at year 4 of growth, probably 30 + feet tall. Invasive to say the least as the guavas were planted at 15X15 feet. Live and learn......... >:(
persistence personified - never let up , never let down

tule peak timber

Defect cut , finger jointed architectural trim from euc. Unbelievably strong and tough material to build with . Good in certain apps like door thresholds , chair rail, yacht clubs...... :)

persistence personified - never let up , never let down

woodyone.john

Tule,you must have mighty pesky yatchs in your area to need clubs of euc.
Saw millers are just carpenters with bigger bits of wood

tule peak timber

Quote from: woodyone.john on October 08, 2020, 10:03:54 PM
Tule,you must have mighty pesky yatchs in your area to need clubs of euc.
I was wondering who would catch that one 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
persistence personified - never let up , never let down

Ianab

If you do need to make a club, Eucalyptus would be a good choice. Anything you bash with it would know it's been clubbed.  :D
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Mesquite cutter

Quote from: tule peak timber on October 08, 2020, 07:07:19 PM


 A blue gum top I did a while back. Generally too hard to work with when the same amount of labor in a walnut top yields much more profit. BUT,,,,,,Get a log or two and try some things especially if the wood is minimum cost out of pocket. Rob
All the logs will be free if the tree removal company gets the bid.  I am just showing up and taking the big logs.  
Backyard woodworker. 
DIY sawmill
Youtube:  Retired DIY Guy

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