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Evan Pavlidis
3rd March 2007, 06:55 AM
Gooday guys,

I am currently working on a tiger myrtle enclosed form whose blank I've had for about 4 years (piccies soon to come) and it wasn't completely dry; had to rough it and let it dry for about 6 mths.
My question is are the stripes the result of spalting (has the tree been lying on the forest floor for years) or is it a natural occurance on a certain section of the tree similar to burl growths?
Does anyone know of a supplier in Melbourne or is it slowly becoming extinct?
The last lot I picked up was from the wood show in 2003-2004. How much would one be expected to pay roughly for say 10 inch by 4 inch blanks; I'd love to get my hands on more; the color and figure is spectacular.

Thanks in advance.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
3rd March 2007, 07:36 AM
I am currently working on a tiger myrtle enclosed form whose blank I've had for about 4 years (piccies soon to come) and it wasn't completely dry; had to rough it and let it dry for about 6 mths.
My question is are the stripes the result of spalting (has the tree been lying on the forest floor for years) or is it a natural occurance on a certain section of the tree similar to burl growths?

Apparently it's a parasitic virus only found in the lower portion of old trees near rivers and not a "spalting virus." Or so I'm told by Rodent, who just dropped in. :D


Does anyone know of a supplier in Melbourne or is it slowly becoming extinct?

Good luck! Hard stuff to come by. :( Especially cured, what li'l that's going around seems to be sold waxed'n'green.


How much would one be expected to pay roughly for say 10 inch by 4 inch blanks; I'd love to get my hands on more; the color and figure is spectacular.

Rodent reckons about $30-40 for that size... I wouldn't know, I can't afford it so don't go looking. :rolleyes:

Evan Pavlidis
3rd March 2007, 08:01 AM
Apparently it's a parasitic virus only found in the lower portion of old trees near rivers and not a "spalting virus." Or so I'm told by Rodent, who just dropped in. :D



Good luck! Hard stuff to come by. :( Especially cured, what li'l that's going around seems to be sold waxed'n'green.



Rodent reckons about $30-40 for that size... I wouldn't know, I can't afford it so don't go looking. :rolleyes:


Thanks mate; does Rodent know if anyone stocks it in Melb?

DJ’s Timber
3rd March 2007, 10:27 AM
Try Shane at Gondwana Forest Products (http://www.aussieburls.com/), he is in Tassie but he does ship to the rest of Australia

ptc
3rd March 2007, 11:02 AM
like this
i thought it was natural

ss_11000
3rd March 2007, 02:31 PM
i love the stuff. the guy i bought some burls off up here had TM going at $9 a kg...i think

rsser
3rd March 2007, 05:43 PM
Chris at Cockatoo thought it could be induced and started an experiment on live trees. But loggers apparently brought it to a premature end.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
3rd March 2007, 07:12 PM
Thanks mate; does Rodent know if anyone stocks it in Melb?

The Woodsmith in Croydon stocks it. Sorta. Let's just say he has crates and crates of timbers'n'blanks put away from many years past and as he unpacks/slices/dices them they become available on his shelf.

I know he has Tiger Myrtle in there somewhere, 'tis just a case of waiting until he gets around to unpacking a crate with some in it. :rolleyes: And beating all the other customers to the punch when it makes it to the shelf, of course.

The unpacking is becoming slower and slower (not surprising for someone whose seen as many years go by as he) which some people seem to consider seriously bad business practice and get all stroppy over... :youcrazy: But I've found that if I ask him about blanks of such'n'such timber of around so'n'so size and he says yes, he has some, then it'll be there. Maybe 6 months after the day he says it'll be unpacked, but it will be there eventually. :D

Evan Pavlidis
4th March 2007, 04:20 AM
Thanks guys, I'll try Gondwana, cockatoo and the woodsmith.

rsser
4th March 2007, 07:45 AM
Maybe try mail order from the Woodsmith.

Other than that things may move quicker once you've built up a relationship down there (or maybe I was just lucky).

Skew ChiDAMN!!
4th March 2007, 05:54 PM
A quicky update...

At the gathering today, did some turning with a blank of Tiger Myrtle sized around 10"-12" sq x 2-2.5" thick (I didn't measure it, OK? :D) marked @ $23. I gather it's been on his shelf for quite some time, so I think $40-$50 would be a good price for a blank of twice that thickness.

DJ’s Timber
4th March 2007, 06:01 PM
Come on, it was more like 9 3/4"sq x 2 5/8" thick :q :U

woodturner777
4th March 2007, 09:56 PM
I have Tiger Myrtle Logs in Stock, that i will be Milling in the coming weeks
my website is.http://www.tasmaniantimbers.com.au (http://www.tasmaniantimbers.com.au/)
now the Strips in Tiger Myrtle are caused by Branchs blown out the top of the tree in Storms and over the years Rain Dripping down the inside is what causes the strips
and also it is in young Myrtle not old Growth.

KevM
5th March 2007, 07:43 AM
I have Tiger Myrtle Logs in Stock, that i will be Milling in the coming weeks
my website is.http://www.tasmaniantimbers.com.au (http://www.tasmaniantimbers.com.au/)
now the Strips in Tiger Myrtle are caused by Branchs blown out the top of the tree in Storms and over the years Rain Dripping down the inside is what causes the strips
and also it is in young Myrtle not old Growth.
I beg to differ, this is how the water gets into sassafras causing the blackheart, tiger myrtle is caused by a fungus getting into the tree from the roots, your only have to look at the logs to see that the tiger figuring is always better at the butt end of the log.

Did your logs come from a tender at Smithton, if so hope that your experience is better than mine.

woodturner777
5th March 2007, 09:07 AM
Ok Kev, we can both beg to differ, i know About Blackhearted Sasafrass
but i do know Tiger Myrtle is not in old trees, as for the Cause every one has a different
answer, lets just enjoy while we can. as for my logs no not from Tender but Private
logging Coup not Forestry, and believe me its top Grade Veneer Quality.cheers Bob.