robutacion
Member
Hi everyone,
Once again, I found a single tree that was dead and got buried for an unknown amount of years. This tree was picked up a few weeks ago in a highway improved area not far from my town. This small type triangle shape divider is in between one of the main highways that come this way and a intersection that exits the highway towards Aldinga and the beautiful Willunga.
A few months ago the council decided to remove all the she/bull-oaks they planted there (that triangle area) 15 to 20 years ago max. as they all die as many other trees of the same species planted all over that road, apparently this modified species didn't adapted to our local conditions and if not eaten alive by termites they certainly died of many other causes.
Only a small part of the wood existent in there was salvaged by us, all the rest was chipped and taken away, including the grinding of the roots from these shel/bull-oaks. Some time later we went passed and saw an irrigation company, opening all the trenches for the new trees that were planned to be planted there, this time they were sure the soil was going to be treated and water supply would be secure for the survival of these young trees, about 100 or so, very well spaced and set.
Was during the digging of these deep trenches that this full log (full tree without the canopy) was found buried and brought out to the surface. Coming back home a few hours later I stopped by the workers site and asked how come that log was there, when I had cleaned up the place a few weeks back and that was not there at all.
That's when they explained to me how they found it. I asked one of the older fellows that have been working for the council in the area for a long time, if he knew what it was and when it was planted...??? he replied that had to be one of the Acacias that were planted in that area, before the she/bull-oaks, there is, when they planted the she/bull-oaks they ripped all the acacias and other stuff that were planted there many, many years prior so a quick calculation of times, have put that acacia been ripped out in the 1980's after being there (growing) for at least another 25 to 40 years before they were ripped out and replaced by the she/bull-oaks.
Well, being buried in sandy soil for 20 to 25 years explains why the wood has become as hard as a rock, all the heartwood has been eaten by wood borers and other wood eating creatures, such as termites but, there is a certain amount of wood around the logs edge (maybe sapwood, maybe something else that the creatures didn't eat totally. This did become more obvious when I got the chainsaw and cut this long log into 4 pieces about 3' long each.
One of the pieces, the bottom one I believe completely separated in 3 parts as soon as I finish with the chainsaw cut, the next log up is also split the same but kept in one piece and the last 2 pieces were a little more solid. Before I finish cutting the big log, I already knew that I was going to get lots of soil and dirt from the inside of it, together with the outside dirt that I cleaned-up a bit before I got the chainsaw on it but, nothing better then solid termite mud, stones and a wood that became as hard as desert Ironbark to cut, if not worse for chainsaw chains...!
I could see some amazing colours through the cuts so I had to work on those logs and try to get what I can of usable wood for pen blanks as the bits that I get out of it aren't big enough for anything else...!
They may be small bits and full of dirt but, by no means they are something to ignore. The grain and colours is something I haven't had before, and maybe never will again, as I believe, most of what I see in beauty, was caused by harsh environment and conditions this log endure under ground, curing and transforming by the hands of nature...!
Lots of waste no doubt, lots of sparks from my bandsaw and off-course plenty of blade sharpening's and blade destruction...!
Like I always say, "if you want the rewards, you have to do the work...!":wink::biggrin:
I've already cut a few and I only made a sample of one blank type, I reckon I can divide these blanks in 3 groups and keep them separate with their own sample but, for now, this is how far I went...!
Enjoy...!:wink:
Cheers
George
Once again, I found a single tree that was dead and got buried for an unknown amount of years. This tree was picked up a few weeks ago in a highway improved area not far from my town. This small type triangle shape divider is in between one of the main highways that come this way and a intersection that exits the highway towards Aldinga and the beautiful Willunga.
A few months ago the council decided to remove all the she/bull-oaks they planted there (that triangle area) 15 to 20 years ago max. as they all die as many other trees of the same species planted all over that road, apparently this modified species didn't adapted to our local conditions and if not eaten alive by termites they certainly died of many other causes.
Only a small part of the wood existent in there was salvaged by us, all the rest was chipped and taken away, including the grinding of the roots from these shel/bull-oaks. Some time later we went passed and saw an irrigation company, opening all the trenches for the new trees that were planned to be planted there, this time they were sure the soil was going to be treated and water supply would be secure for the survival of these young trees, about 100 or so, very well spaced and set.
Was during the digging of these deep trenches that this full log (full tree without the canopy) was found buried and brought out to the surface. Coming back home a few hours later I stopped by the workers site and asked how come that log was there, when I had cleaned up the place a few weeks back and that was not there at all.
That's when they explained to me how they found it. I asked one of the older fellows that have been working for the council in the area for a long time, if he knew what it was and when it was planted...??? he replied that had to be one of the Acacias that were planted in that area, before the she/bull-oaks, there is, when they planted the she/bull-oaks they ripped all the acacias and other stuff that were planted there many, many years prior so a quick calculation of times, have put that acacia been ripped out in the 1980's after being there (growing) for at least another 25 to 40 years before they were ripped out and replaced by the she/bull-oaks.
Well, being buried in sandy soil for 20 to 25 years explains why the wood has become as hard as a rock, all the heartwood has been eaten by wood borers and other wood eating creatures, such as termites but, there is a certain amount of wood around the logs edge (maybe sapwood, maybe something else that the creatures didn't eat totally. This did become more obvious when I got the chainsaw and cut this long log into 4 pieces about 3' long each.
One of the pieces, the bottom one I believe completely separated in 3 parts as soon as I finish with the chainsaw cut, the next log up is also split the same but kept in one piece and the last 2 pieces were a little more solid. Before I finish cutting the big log, I already knew that I was going to get lots of soil and dirt from the inside of it, together with the outside dirt that I cleaned-up a bit before I got the chainsaw on it but, nothing better then solid termite mud, stones and a wood that became as hard as desert Ironbark to cut, if not worse for chainsaw chains...!
I could see some amazing colours through the cuts so I had to work on those logs and try to get what I can of usable wood for pen blanks as the bits that I get out of it aren't big enough for anything else...!
They may be small bits and full of dirt but, by no means they are something to ignore. The grain and colours is something I haven't had before, and maybe never will again, as I believe, most of what I see in beauty, was caused by harsh environment and conditions this log endure under ground, curing and transforming by the hands of nature...!
Lots of waste no doubt, lots of sparks from my bandsaw and off-course plenty of blade sharpening's and blade destruction...!
Like I always say, "if you want the rewards, you have to do the work...!":wink::biggrin:
I've already cut a few and I only made a sample of one blank type, I reckon I can divide these blanks in 3 groups and keep them separate with their own sample but, for now, this is how far I went...!
Enjoy...!:wink:
Cheers
George
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