Thread: Submerged log from dam

I got a bit excited and had a go! I just used my tiny little stihl ms192 to cut it down the middle then put it over the jointer. It worked very well. The grain is nothing like I expected though. It looks a bit like pine but does not cut or smell like pine at all. It's not very heavy but spending 25 years under water might have something to do with that? I would have thought pine would have rotted away in that time too?

It does look like a pine, dunnit?

IMHO not radiata, though; it might be one of the... "better" varieties. There are plenty out there, after all.

Usually submersing isn't enough to stop decay; it also requires something to stop aerobic bacterial action. Like... at the depth the log is resting the water is very cold... or maybe there's something leeched into the water that makes it unsuitable for the bacteria. Neither of which one would expect for a farm dam!

Anyways, it looks like you're lucky enough to salvage a nice piece to play with that can tell it's own story.

Any plans for it now that you've seen the grain pattern?

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

It does look like a pine, dunnit?

IMHO not radiata, though; it might be one of the... "better" varieties. There are plenty out there, after all.

Usually submersing isn't enough to stop decay; it also requires something to stop aerobic bacterial action. Like... at the depth the log is resting the water is very cold... or maybe there's something leeched into the water that makes it unsuitable for the bacteria. Neither of which one would expect for a farm dam!

Anyways, it looks like you're lucky enough to salvage a nice piece to play with that can tell it's own story.

Any plans for it now that you've seen the grain pattern?

I think your right, it does look very pine like. We do have some native pines on our property. I had presumed it was a fence post because of its size. It might have been a tree cut down from the dam wall? Its about 4 meters deep but rarely full and gets quite warm in summer, we used to swim in it as kids. As for what to do with it??? no idea! I've got a whole heap of Aussie oak I jointer and thicknessed the other day for a new kitchen bench top but we decided on a stainless top instead so Looks like I've got a whole heap of timber to play with now

Possibly one of the native Cypresses (Callitris species). Very durable timber because of the resin content. That would explain why it did not rot in the 25 years immersion.

Was it a cypress smell when you cut it?

I was also going to suggest a cypress of sorts when you posted the pics earlier, but some of the grain characteristics differ from the cypress I'm accustomed to.

Craig

No, no pine smell at all. Its quite a musty smell. The knots look pine like but I'm still not sure???

I'd totally ignore those knots for identification purposes.
They're pith wood... the remains of branches that grew then came off as the tree was growing. There don't seem to be any sign of them further out in the wood... so it's sort of indicative of a hardwood species. Pines mostly won't shed those low branches unless knocked off or physically pruned... pines would mostly show the knot effect continuing on to the sapwood and beyond.

Does Leopardwood grow down that way?

In the US they recover timber from rivers and lakes as another way of supplying timber instead of cutting more trees....Pulling logs out of the river - YouTube

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

In the US they recover timber from rivers and lakes as another way of supplying timber instead of cutting more trees....Pulling logs out of the river - YouTube

Here, Huon pine is also recovered from rivers, lakes and the forest floor - its been illegal to fell a Huon pine tree for quite a few years, now. The oldest recovered Huon log that I have heard about fell over about 4,000 years ago - It was dated by growth ring analysis.



Fair Winds

Graeme

Originally Posted by John.G

I'd totally ignore those knots for identification purposes.
They're pith wood... the remains of branches that grew then came off as the tree was growing. There don't seem to be any sign of them further out in the wood... so it's sort of indicative of a hardwood species. Pines mostly won't shed those low branches unless knocked off or physically pruned... pines would mostly show the knot effect continuing on to the sapwood and beyond.

Does Leopardwood grow down that way?

I just had a look into Leopardwood and can't say I've ever seen one down here. The timber has a pink'ish look to it too, another reason I think it might not be pine now... hmmm the plot thickens!