Thread: Queensland Silver Ash?

My experience stops at the kiln door but I'd imagine its similar to Maple regarding workability. Certainly it saws pretty much the same, and as always tearout during machining will be subject to the grain in an individual piece.

Hi John G when I was cabinet making up north we used a lot of quandong but I haven't heard of it since [1970s]is it still available was beaut to work, nice grain and colour.

Luke, I use a fair bit of QSA, mainly for boxes and woodturning. Personally I find it better to work than QMP or MSW, slightly tighter grain, but as John said above can tear out a bit on machining.
Rgds,
Crocy.

We don't get much Crows Ash up here, but we do get great Silver Ash. The SA works well, glues better than Crows Ash.SA is much better than Quandong imo, however I have seen some very nice Quandong at times.

Originally Posted by DiRob

Hi John G when I was cabinet making up north we used a lot of quandong but I haven't heard of it since [1970s]is it still available was beaut to work, nice grain and colour.

Its available on order. Meaning there is plenty of it about but no market demand so it doesn't get cut. No-one wants the stuff: I can shift 250/300x50 or 200x38 but any other size you might as well throw out to save shed space. I got rid of a pack of 100x25's last week for VJ - that pack had lain here in stock for 3 years. Inability to sell the smaller sizes makes it unprofitable to mill for the larger ones. No-one carcasses in wood anymore.

It's a shame because its one of the better timbers Australia produces - light and strong (strength to weight ratio is the highest of any species in the world I've been told), good to work, takes a polish well, fast growing tree - it should be the backbone of a plantation industry.

Originally Posted by Mobyturns

We don't get much Crows Ash up here, but we do get great Silver Ash. The SA works well, glues better than Crows Ash.SA is much better than Quandong imo, however I have seen some very nice Quandong at times.

Its all about perspective.
I've seen some great NSA for figure at times but when its bland... Quandong is the better timber overall.
White Beech makes for good boats if its old growth and carves better then either of the above. As a cabinet timber it makes nice boats though the rot resistance makes for good windowsills.
Ivory Curl beats them all for grain but will fight you all the way when sawing.

Best white timber in FNQ is Putts Pine/ Silver Silkwood. Flindersia grain and almost no shrinkage - pretty hard combination to beat really.

I haven't seen any Putts Pine in ages. Do you still mill it?

Would be if I could find any. (Well in a month when we finally get a roof back over our heads and can look at something other then hardwood.)

Good luck, John, will be great to have you back in full production

Well that's all good news. If its workability is potentially better than Maple then it must be something to behold... I'm excited to check it out.

I scored a few boards of 1" Silver Ash on Sunday.
About 25 years plus dry and no blue stain.
Ive used it bit previously for chairs and small tables, works really well, strong, turns ok, finishes well.
I also have Crows Ash flooring in a room at home.
Came out of Southern Queensland about '97.
H.

Luke, I have several pieces of silver ash furniture made by one of Brisbane's best furniture makers. One item is a leather slung chair with silver ash legs and the other is a chest of drawers with a large matching mirror. We bought them in about 1981 and they have always looked great and I am a fan of that timber and so was he. He used to attended the Working with Wood Shows in Brisbane and he had some amazing pieces on display. Towards the end of him attending, he had a magnificient mulga table at his stall. You would have loved his work.

Vale Robert Dunlop OAM, 1925–2014 - Australian Wood Review

Good article Kidbee. I'd love to see the furniture.

I enjoyed reading his excerpt about his childhood in Stafford. I worked up there for a few years, and used to ride along Kedron Brook on my bicycle to work every morning. It wasn't the pastoral farmland of his youth, of course, but it still made me a bit nostalgic. What little of his furniture is available to see in images online is pretty fantastic.

Cheers,
Luke

It is an exceptional timber. I've sold it to wheelwrights who have steam bent it for the rims of carriage wheels and also to someone who made bows as in bows and arrows because of its spring. I have plenty here if anyone wants some. Bob