Morning here Hi Doc,
I recently sent this one small piece of Conkerberry to Doc it had sapwood the whole works no one can tell as you turn this beautiful wood just what you will find as it turns down.
Conkerberry grows in (Tiger) expression only country in the northern parts of Australia. It grows only up to about 7 feet high gets thickish if very old 200 yrs is covered in 1/4 inch thorns, dense in thickets. Called variously bush plum, native currant.Randy you could identify your bushes by the thorns or the fruit is green then red turning to black when ripe it has two small knobby seeds, the flesh is sweet. When cut it is incredible,absolutely amazing colour.
My mate who cut this piece said one long and exhausting collecting trip when he was younger( now couple of mths only different from me at 76yrs) there he was in the heat and mozzies, sweat pouring off fully outstretched under a series of bushes having cut a narrow path in with the chain saw, cut the base (chain saw) hooked a rope on towed out withe four wheel drive. Covered in blood from the ugly thorns then cut up weighs heavy as
takes forever to dry it is so dense. The termites voracious up there love it as much as I do so that is passionately. travels a thousand miles home dries it and goes to his wood club one night and a bloke came up to him and said I want you to give me a fair whack of that Conkerberry (the operative word give). My mate smiled said something quietly about the others ancestors or lack of. Brings me to the point never take timber lightly if you can buy dried quality specimens do so from the good guys, could save your life out in amongst the snakes, thorns. This small section Doc received was all my mate had left. Bear in mind Qld was flooded recently covering an area the size of Germany and France. Refer map of Aussie.
I have feelers out in twenty directions for more Conkerberry, I love it .
Good on you Doc I knew you would enjoy the colour and it turns and finishes beautifully.
Love your work (play) every one a winner.
Kind regards Peter.