The Sins of the Fathers

[Frank&Earnest]

Farce in three acts with happy (?) woodturning ending.

Act 1. Adelaide inner suburbs, early 1980s

One of the corners of the house sinks. A university lecturer blames the street trees along the boundary https://www.woodworkforums.com/f14/sw...ght=spathulata so the Council agrees to kill them and replace them with less aggressive suckers. Politely suggest that all others in the street should be replaced, because sooner or later they will be a problem. Too hard, it will be someone else's problem.

Act 2. Next block in the same street, early 2000s

The owner of the 700 m2 block wants to subdivide it. The Council knocks back a very reasonable design that complies with the rules. They make it so hard that the owner decides to sell and forego the expected profit. One of the difficulties is the street tree, which by now is huge and has "significant tree" status.

The purchaser of the block has better connections. He manages to obtain approval to subdivide the block and squeeze a tiny house on it. The previous owner, by then rather upset, obtains the approved design and points out to Council 11 breaches of development regulations, asking politely but pointedly whether this is the result of incompetence or corruption. The Council responds to come up with evidence of corruption or shut up.

The tree dwarfs the house and, should a branch fall, could totally destroy it. The purchaser of the house is obviously not happy.

Act 3, Same location, early 2010

The owner of the tiny house finally convinces Council to remove the tree. The neighbours understand the need for the removal but lose the amenity of the huge tree. The nearest neighbour/previous owner of the block rings Council. Is there a policy for the recovery of the timber? No. Can I have some? Go your hardest.

About 2 tonnes of small branches are chipped on site and more than 10 tonnes are removed in four truckloads for firewood. $20 to the contractor ensure that a few chosen logs are rolled inside the garage.

It cracks quickly, so two days of backbreaking (well, for an old guy with a bad back) work are needed to cut the logs, debark them and coat them all over with melted Polystyrene.

Got my pound (make it 550) of flesh.


Watch out for the sequel. There are other trees of the same species in the street that have not been removed. Someone else's problem again. Hope to be here in another 30 years time to tell you about it.

[Ed Reiss]

Nice haul Frank ...and a neat story!

Looks like some of those blanks have started to check already

[Frank&Earnest]

Nice haul Frank ...and a neat story!

Looks like some of those blanks have started to check already

More like all of them, straight off the chainsaw. But should be only surface hairlines easily fixable, I hope. It also twists a lot, but if it can be saved it makes beautiful turning. Out of all of them, I really hope to get at least a couple of 14" bowls. And if I am lucky enough, I'll swap the 16" blanks with somebody who has a bigger lathe.

[rsser]

Nice one F&E.

Not a local by any chance? ;-}

[artme]

A really interesting story there F&E with lessons on all sorts of levels.

Hope you have some happy turning with the blanks.

[Old-Biker-UK]

Nice stash - ain't nothing like that growing in my neck of the woods.

.....coat them all over with melted Polystyrene....

Would that be melted as in heat applied ?
I have a big jar of Polystyrene in amyl acetate which I read somewhere makes a good sealant. Any thoughts?

Mark

[Frank&Earnest]

Nice stash - ain't nothing like that growing in my neck of the woods.



Would that be melted as in heat applied ?
I have a big jar of Polystyrene in amyl acetate which I read somewhere makes a good sealant. Any thoughts?

Mark

Actually, melted as dissolved in paint thinners, which could as well be what you say, for what I know. To be used only if you are not paranoid about getting cancer or destroying your nervous system.

[NeilS]

Good story, Frank, and with a happy ending for you...

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