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weisyboy
11th October 2006, 07:11 PM
you guys turn these right

Auzzie turner
11th October 2006, 07:27 PM
So are they on your property? They look better as vases:D

DJ’s Timber
11th October 2006, 07:39 PM
They can be turned, but be warned, in most places it is illegal to cut or harvest these plants. I think you are meant to have a license to collect them

Auzzie turner
11th October 2006, 07:43 PM
not in WA

chrisb691
11th October 2006, 07:44 PM
Okay, I acknowledge that there may be a pen or three in it, but what is it?

DJ’s Timber
11th October 2006, 07:49 PM
Hi Chris,
It's a Blackboy grasstree Xanthorrhoea australis

Harry72
11th October 2006, 08:10 PM
They must be pretty old to be that tall?

Rookie
11th October 2006, 08:17 PM
not in WA

You sure Auzzie. When I lived in Perth it was illegal to harvest them, just like any other wildflower. You could get them though, from road widening projects and private properties.

They are a mess to turn because the grain is very fine and grows out radially. Definitely breathing apparatus required. But they turn beautifully and look very nice when done.

Auzzie, you haven't got any pictures of turned blackboy have you?

Baz
11th October 2006, 08:29 PM
If you are goig to turn Blackboy make sure that you a respirator on as the dust from this is not pleasant, one of the worst irritants around.

Cheers
Barry

Auzzie turner
11th October 2006, 08:37 PM
I've turned blackboy, but I hate it. It has a bad image, because a lot of novice turners use it, and make it look shocking. Yesx the dust is also a problem, so I hardly ever turn it. And plus, you can't even use shellawax cream on it, so why use it? Horrible stuff,

Can't stand it, but enjoy seeing other people's end products of this infamous material.

Joash

Auzzie turner
11th October 2006, 08:38 PM
Kak dela? Rad znakomstvu

tashammer
12th October 2006, 02:16 AM
pretty good and you? Learning Russian now are we?


Those grass trees are really amazing plants. Sometimes called native bread. You can also get the resin that is used to hold spear tips and the like on. Also very inflammable stuff.

hughie
12th October 2006, 10:13 AM
carnt do it my lathe is Horizontal....needa vertical one.......:D :D :D

Auzzie turner
12th October 2006, 11:27 AM
pretty good and you? Learning Russian now are we?


Those grass trees are really amazing plants. Sometimes called native bread. You can also get the resin that is used to hold spear tips and the like on. Also very inflammable stuff.
Yes, do you know what it says?

OGYT
12th October 2006, 12:43 PM
Thanks, Weisy, never saw one before. Looks like they were cut into chunks, then re-stacked to finish growing. :o)

weisyboy
12th October 2006, 08:49 PM
but what is it?

and you call yourself an australian its a bl##y blackboy!!

it's illigal to harvest them here,

you cant even cut the grass of them here. (worth a lot of money in europ)

Coldamus
12th October 2006, 10:09 PM
carnt do it my lathe is Horizontal....needa vertical one.......:D :D :D

Yes, I found it difficult too, so turned it around.

regards
Coldamus

Jackson
12th October 2006, 11:14 PM
Apart from the fact that it is illegal to harvest them and the dust is dreadful, grass trees are very slow growing - about a centimetre a year so I am led to believe. This would mean that the plant in the picture was a mature plant before any white man set foot on this continent. In fact around the time Oliver Cromwell was leading the English civil war that plant was pushing up its first shoots. That's probably a good reason to leave it standing.

Rookie
13th October 2006, 10:50 AM
Apart from the fact that it is illegal to harvest them and the dust is dreadful, grass trees are very slow growing - about a centimetre a year so I am led to believe. This would mean that the plant in the picture was a mature plant before any white man set foot on this continent. In fact around the time Oliver Cromwell was leading the English civil war that plant was pushing up its first shoots. That's probably a good reason to leave it standing.


Exactly. Auzzie, I really would check your facts if you reckon you can harvest these. Apart from not wanting you to get into trouble, up your way there are heaps of them and they look really beautiful...... and unique. Once they're gone, they're gone for ours and our kids lifetimes.

madmix
13th October 2006, 11:33 PM
Have about 40 acres of them, and yes they are
protected. Harvested as whole plants or just the
grass for export under strict licence arrangement.

Have heard that the main root turns OK, but you would
be wasting your time with the rest of it. I'm geustimating
the one being hugged in pic is 300 to 400 yrs old.

cheers Mick

Wild Dingo
14th October 2006, 12:09 AM
pretty good and you? Learning Russian now are we?


Those grass trees are really amazing plants. Sometimes called native bread. You can also get the resin that is used to hold spear tips and the like on. Also very inflammable stuff.

Its called native bread because you can eat parts of it :cool: ...take a hatchet to the centre fronds cut down into the trunk... as you go deeper you'll find the fronds are smaller so pull the centre fronds away once you find the ends that are pure white your home and hosed... chew that... tastes just like coconut and the juice is excellent at keepin dehydration at bay... ol blackfella trick ;)

Not to cause an argument Joash but I think if you looked you will find that Blackboy is protected here same as any other native plant... BUT! with exceptions... you can get a license to harvest it from the forest... or you can just go out and nick it when you get the "firewood" which you also need a license to gather :rolleyes: ...and you can get it from some development areas as they go in just see the boss cocky and get his permission to take some before the bulldozer lets rip you will find they will generally mark the ones you can have with some tape... but be quick cause that dozer operator doesnt wait for anyone... also some of the licensed native nursurys are starting to stock them although they charge extremely DEMENTED prices for them! :eek: its not unusual to find them being sold for upwards of $800 each without fonds!

Ive often wondered about turning it... Ive seen some photos and a few peices of turned blackboy but looking at it and having taken a fair few down over the years it would definantly be a basturd to work... dirty dusty mongrel Id expect

weisyboy
14th October 2006, 11:56 AM
i live on 48 acres absolutly coverd in these.

madmix
14th October 2006, 07:47 PM
Hi Weisyboy,

Would pay to checkout Qld Native vegetation management Act

also check what colour zone your in, with DNR, before you end up

in deep #####.

cheers Mick

ozwinner
14th October 2006, 08:09 PM
I came across a stand of these in central Vic while out searching for gold/relics of the gold rush, no way Id touch them, just being in amoungst them made me feel in awe of them. :eek: :cool:
The tallest of the ones Ive seen were about 3 metres.

Al :)

PS. If you touch them and get done by the police, then, good on the police for getting you.

Rookie
14th October 2006, 08:28 PM
If you touch them and get done by the police, then, good on the police for getting you.

Yeah that's the way I feel about them Oz. They turn OK, saw a guy down around Pemberton turning some years back, but as Wild Dingo said, really dirty and dusty.

They finish up nicely with real sharp tools and patience, but no nicer than a whole lot of other more easily replacable timbers. Leave 'em be I reckon and use the alternatives.

RETIRED
15th October 2006, 09:39 AM
Yeah that's the way I feel about them Oz. They turn OK, saw a guy down around Pemberton turning some years back, but as Wild Dingo said, really dirty and dusty.

They finish up nicely with real sharp tools and patience, but no nicer than a whole lot of other more easily replacable timbers. Leave 'em be I reckon and use the alternatives.Masonite??:D :D

hughie
15th October 2006, 10:37 AM
Masonite??:D :D


By Crikey! theres an idea. By Jeez you've done it again........ you pros know your stuff. :D :p :D :p :D :D :D

Buzz
16th October 2006, 11:30 AM
Yes they are protected but are available through licenced collectors such as:

www.djarilmari.com

If you want to see some grasstree worked by one of our best, go to:

www.jackdevos.com

It is only the rootball and a short section of the stem that is able to be turned and the dust is very nasty (carcinogenic). I know that those that do a lot of Grasstree use the full on respirators.