Grevillea stumps

[Dodgy Dovetails]

G'day guys,

This isn't me in the photo, but the bloke in the tree was cutting back some branches on a grevillea that had grown over the roof and was blocking up the gutters with needle debris even though there is a gutter guard in place.

I got him to save a few stumps from the cutback as this must be a novelty timber rarely worked with, and I have no idea if it is any good to work with (even after due seasoning.)

But if it is an interesting and novelty timber to make a knick knack out of,Stephen-up-tree.jpggrevillea-stumps-1.jpg and any of you guys are interested in it, I can leave it at Fence Furniture's place and you can get it at his next get together.

Cheers,
Dodgy.

[FenceFurniture]

Looks like you.

Akshally, now that I look at the tree again, I remember that it's Robusta (or so I thought at the time).

[Hermit]

I think you'll have plenty of takers, Dodgy. Wish I was closer.

[FenceFurniture]

While I think of it - you should immediately paint ALL the cut ends to stop checking (splitting). Any paint will do - 2 or three coats - ask Steven, or the guy in the hat.

[artme]

Good score!!!

Good advice re end sealing. It will split like buggery if not sealed, but usually just once on a single radius

Not Robusta not sure what it is. Possibly a modern hybrid. Honey Gem is a cracker to use.

Good to work if seasoned properly as there will be some interesting grain patterns where there are forks

Parts from around the trunk root junction are always very interesting as you sometimes get nice colour
contrast as well as grain patterns.

[artful bodger]

I agree with Artme, it's not a robusta.
Isn't robusta what they call "silky oak"
Perhaps its some sort of hakea as a wild guess, looking at the leaves.

[orraloon]

I had a robusta cut down a few years back and held on to the trunk for turning. Even with the pith removed and the ends sealed a lot of it still split. The sap wood is also prone to mould. My best results were wet turning and finishing about a year later. I still have a couple of fully dry bits left but they have mould in the sap wood so I will have to cut it all off. Still good for some small turnings. The heart wood can have some nice colours.
Regards
John

[shedbound]

could it be a sheoak of sorts? The medullary rays should be quite evident.

[FenceFurniture]

Definitely a Grevillea - the leaves are the giveaway there.

Dodgy wants to know if painting the ends with creosote is ok for sealing. I wouldn't have thought that it would be real creosote, but the safer imitation, and i wouldn't think that would be much good for sealing (having used it for other things myself).