Common Name (Pender, pendar, pendur)?

[Norm.Mareeba]

Hi All;
I needed a peice of hardwood for something I'm building so I asked the Ol' Lady next door if would let me scrounge her wood pile.

"If you want hardwood, this is the hardest! It's Pendar.", she said.

It's used up here in FNQ for fence posts - the white ants don't like it. It's hard, (she was right about that), it's brown (or red) in colour.

That which is in the ground will rot out after many years. That which is exposed to the weather gets surface cracks up to 1/2" deep.

I've done a search on the i/net looking for pendar and can't find anything. I suspect that it's a common name that is used locally. Anyone got idea what it's proper name is. I'd like to look up its properties...

Thanks, Norm

[Bleedin Thumb]

Norm is it a Euc. ?

EDIT could it be pendulata as in Acacia pendulata -Boree or weeping Myall fairly common from NSW to Nth Qld. but I dont have reference to its timber but I'm sure some of the darksiders do.

[Wizened of Oz]

I guess that would be one of the Xanthostemons. The one that's popular as a flowering tree is X. chrysanthus, the Golden Penda. It's planted as a street tree in many places on the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. I have quite a few growing here but I've never harvested any timber.
The Golden Penda grows in rainforest along the coast from Cardwell to Iron Range. The only other Penda from FNQ that I have info on is the Bloomfield Penda which is more shrubby and restricted to a few rivers north of Cairns.
There are couple of other Pendas native to NT and the Kimberleys.

[Bleedin Thumb]

I also came across a Eucalyptus pendens but this is a fairly rare WA malley that doesn't get much girth so you've stumped me!! pardon the pun.

[Ironwood]

An old mate of mine used to work in the Ravenshoe sawmill , back when it was running. He still talks about the Red Penda, and the Black Penda, they used to cut. He reckons the Black Penda is the hardest wood he has ever worked

[rodl]

Hi Norm
Found this on Google could be what you are looking for
http://www.treefarm.com.au/Xanthostemon_chrysanthus_x.htm

Rod

[Norm.Mareeba]

Yep, that's it. Red Penda or perhaps Atherton Penda. It's my ears fault for hearing an "R" at the end of the word... Sorry but thanks.

[gazaly]

I have just read through this post and realised it's a great example of the remarkable amount of knowledge that is available to people from the Forum members. In just five posts, fly gained the info he was after.

This is a great credit to the Forum, the moderators and especially the members. They are the source of all the first rate and completely up to date info available.

Well done all :).

[journeyman Mick]

There's a few Pendas that I know of, and no doubt others as well, Black Penda as hard a timber as you'll ever find, Golden Penda and Red or Cherry Penda. Sounds like it's a bit of black Penda you've got.

Mick

[Cliff Rogers]

Look these up.

Black Penda Xanthostemon chrysanthus
Brown Penda Xanthostemon chrysanthus
Red Penda Xanthostemon whitei
Atherton Penda Xanthostemon whitei
Daintree Penda Lindsayomyrtus brachyandrus
Cherry Penda Eugenia kuranda
Cherry Penda Syzygium kuranda
Northern Penda Xanthostemon paradoxus
Penda Xanthostemon oppositifolius
Johnstone River Penda Xanthostemon chrysanthus

That will give you something to work on. ;) :D

[TTIT]

Norm - the builders around Innisfail used to use Black Penda for stairs because it was so hard and wore/weathered so well. They used to leave it to the last minute to order the boards from the mill though because it was to hard to work once it dried.:D

[Andy Mac]

Sounds like it would make a good wooden-bodied plane.:rolleyes: What size is it available in, or is it still milled?

Cheers,

[Wizened of Oz]

A search here showed up this thread
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=4796
where the Pendas were discussed 3 years ago.
Mick, I see you contributed your local knowlege in that thread also.

[Ironwood]

What size is it available in ?

Cheers,

When I used to live up on Cape York, we used to drive over to the Portland Roads/Chilli Beach area a few times a year for camping, fishing and diving. Beside the road near one of the creek crossings in the Iron Range NP, was this giant of a tree, about 2 meters diameter, went straight up and through the rainforest canopy. I used to stop and have a beer with it most trips. Asked an old timer what sort of tree it was, he said "thats a Penda me boy". He wasnt sure which variety.

[journeyman Mick]

Sounds like it would make a good wooden-bodied plane.:rolleyes: What size is it available in, or is it still milled?

Cheers,

If you (or anyone else) is really interested I can try to find out if I can get some.

Mick

[Wizened of Oz]

If you (or anyone else) is really interested I can try to find out if I can get some.

Mick
Too right! I'd be interested in a piece. Seem to remember, though, that some species of Penda are classified "vulnerable".

[journeyman Mick]

Too right! I'd be interested in a piece. Seem to remember, though, that some species of Penda are classified "vulnerable".

Any species of timber is vulnerable when I've got a chainsaw in my hands! :eek: :D

Mick