Thread: rainforest timber ID please

Can't help with identification but it sure is gorgeous timber. Great score!!

With just the timber to go on, we could only say it is one of the Proteaceae family.
From the locality and the description of smooth bark two possible candidates are Alloxylon pinnatum (Dorrigo Waratah) and Orites excelsus (Mountain Silky Oak).
Can you get any leaves or flowers or fruit?
More importantly, with figure like that, can you get the rest of the log?

silky oak

Not wanting to hijack TT's thread but... How did u go with the electric motor driving a bar and chain? Any progress?
Peter

Thanks for that, after seeing the timber I will indeed go back out and salvage some more - the butt log section is still there, 3m x 450mm, and another 2.5m log about 350mm. There is some missing, and a lot of sawdust so I think I am not the first to realise it is something nice. While I'm there I will get some leaves or fruit to post, and a photo of the bark. I'm guessing it blew down in the storms we had several months ago, so the leaves may be a little dried. Out of interest i took that photo straight after cutting the block of wood, but some hours later it has turned to brown, and no hint of red or pink left (disappointing).

Hi Peter, the state of progress is this - I am making a portable version first, so bought a 1.5kW motor, and when I found that my 3kVa genset won't start it (well it will when really warm), I bought a soft starter for single phase. This has 7 electrical tabs and even my electrician is too scared to wire it to the motor. I have been too busy lately to find a better leccy, but rest assured I have not given up on it!

OK all good
Peter

Wizened you were correct, check leaves, bark and seed pods below to identify mountain silky oak. The only thing which doesn't fit perfectly is that I found it at about 150m, while the book says it is a higher altitude species. I now own a 500kg log from the down tree (and staked tyre, bent mudguard etc). Cheers

I was thinking prickly ash (Orites Excelsa) then realised they are the same thing.
cheers
Steve

Originally Posted by timbertalk

The only thing which doesn't fit perfectly is that I found it at about 150m, while the book says it is a higher altitude species. Cheers

My reading says it is found mainly at higher altitudes. Does not exclude it from lowlands.
Glad you've been able to identify your find. Sorry about the vehicle, but "free" timber often proves to be expensive.