Thread: Help with timber identification

no idea but it looks nice.

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Thanks DaveVman
I thought so too.
It planes down really nicely.
I would say the density is medium.

The cut longitudinal face looks very "spalted" (bleached by a wood fungus) going by the white streaks on cut surface. Or is that paint?

I have seen it in some Melaleucas and Myrtles in Vic

Hi Euge
Thanks for your comments.
Ha, no definitely not paint!
You could well be right. The trunk has been standing dead in the ground, possibly for years.
So this may not be the 'natural' colour of the timber, although the 'bleached' parts do not feel substantially softer or in any way different to the darker parts when planed.
Don't know enough about spalting process to know what to expect.

There are many fungi that attack wood while it has sufficient moisture inside to sustain them. As the wood mass dries the fungi stops their process. Some work grow in sapwood, others more in heartwood. Some destroy the structure (cellulose) like dry rot fungi, others bleach the lignins like your appears to have done. There is even a commercial process (based on enzymes from such fungi) that is used for bleaching fibres instead of chemicals like chlorine, sulphites.

Spalting is the VISUAL effect that fungi or bacteria leave in wood, especially where they leave colourful lines, streaks, heartwood etc. Such woods often are striking and very attractive to woodworkers for favourite projects ... if caught in time.

Take care though, the spores of many such infected / spalted woods can be harmful.
So use a good mask for protection from the dust to avoid inhalation of fungal and bacterial spores etc.

Thanks Euge
Such an informative post
So it seems I have (unintentionally) produced something that may be sought after! and mimicked by chemical means!
I really like the effect, albeit limited by the amount of wood I have.
Now I have to stop it from splitting! have some small projects that could use the effect, even though I have No idea what the timber actually is, or how it will react to milling.