Blackwood slab Photos (Acacia Melanoxylon)

[matildasmate]

Finally got me camera working again , so here is a few photos of some Blackwood I slabbed up a couple of days ago , this is one of the small logs . Blackwood (Acacia Melanoxylon) around here , normally does not grow any bigger than about 3' - 4' across max , mainly average about couple of feet across . These slabs were about 7'-8' long 50mm thick . Regards MM . My next log is sitting on my mill now , a small 4 footer , about 14 inch dia .

[Ianab]

Thats purdy looking stuff :2tsup:

Cheers

Ian

[DJ’s Timber]

Some nice stuff there MM :2tsup:

Got any pictures of your mill as well?

[MajorPanic]

Useless!!

Send them to me & I'll look after 'em for ya :wink: :U :U :U

[matildasmate]

Useless!!

Send them to me & I'll look after 'em for ya :wink: :U :U :U
Bloody good sense of humor mate

[matildasmate]

Some nice stuff there MM :2tsup:

Got any pictures of your mill as well?
Mill pics coming soon

[BobL]

Mill pics coming soon
:yipee::yippy:

[matildasmate]

:yipee::yippy:
Hi Bob I will be cutting up the last of this years blackwood logs tomorrow tuesday 1/10/07 , I shall try and get pics then and post them . Cheers MM

[smoke]

I have some similar sized logs (green) at the block in the Otways and acess to more. I am an amature at this. But would like to learn and end up with some nice black wood slabs. Perhaps some furniture who knows!
How should I treat them in the drying out process? Should they be covered, indoors?, off the ground? will they split, how do you keep the bugs/borers out of them.
Would appreciate any info?
smoke

[Calm]

I have some similar sized logs (green) at the block in the Otways and acess to more. I am an amature at this. But would like to learn and end up with some nice black wood slabs. Perhaps some furniture who knows!
How should I treat them in the drying out process? Should they be covered, indoors?, off the ground? will they split, how do you keep the bugs/borers out of them.
Would appreciate any info?
smoke

When they are cut they will crack if they are not treated properly.
I use Mobil "Log Sheild" but other companies have their own product. DJ may be able to help with others.

When i slab Blackwood it has usually been dead or laying down for a couple of years before i cut it.

I usually make the slabs 60 -65mm thick so 2 x 1" boards can be cut from them at a later date. I paint both ends and about 2 - 3 inches along the slab with Log Sheild. Then i stack them under some Cypress trees on old posts and sticker (place spacers between) them to dry out. I have put some old Galvanised iron sheets on top to keep any rain off.

I am guessing but expect them to be about 2 to 3 years before they are dry enough to use.

[Rick Turner]

I would suggest that you seriously consider quartersawing the timber. It will dry with much less chance of cracking and warping; the wood will be more stable in the end; and it will be worth more to either furniture builders or luthiers. They yield will not be quite so high, but the value will easily offset that.

[charlsie]

rick blackwood has traditionally been back sawn for cabinets to get the figure out but you are right on the quarter sawn part its great for guitar sides! have you used any? with the timber the shrinkage rates are 1.5% radial 4% tangential easy to dry and minimal end splitting if coated its best cut to approx size with end use in mind. ie dont slab it then decide to turn the slab into 3X1 boards later

[Rick Turner]

I've not used your Tassie blackwood, but I have used the local stuff. I don't know whether we got a. melanoxylon from you guys like we did the (wrong!) eucalypts or whether it's just native to both Tassmania and California. I'll do some research.

The California black acacia is wonderful. What I've used had less figure than real poppin' koa, but it's very nice on its own. It's harder than most koa, and tonally is about half way between koa and Indian rosewood...which is to say that it's a perfect instrument timber.

[Rick Turner]

OK, we got it from you guys. Thanks! It has "escaped cultivation" in coastal California in a number of areas; I guess that means it's feral! Now I just want a bunch of your wallabies here, but they probably wouldn't survive predation from our cougars and coyotes. It would be nice to see those hoppy things here, though...

[Big Shed]

Now I just want a bunch of your wallabies here



Didn't know they play rugby in the US:q

[charlsie]

they might have been the wrong gum trees but at least you've tried getting rid of them by burning them out :o oh dont worry 'bout the wallabies we'll send a couple of boxing kangaroos or maybe the blokes down south might send a tassie devil or two

[Rick Turner]

Yeah, I went through the Topanga Fire of 1993...or rather I was evacuated away from it. A lot of "import trees" went up in that one! They do burn rather well in spite of all the water they soak up.

[tallgrass]

you were in the 93 fire i still live in malibu....... across from where the castle is....was.....did it get to you in 93?

[Rick Turner]

I lived in the "Fernwood" neighborhood, and as I understood it, toward the end, they had a fire truck in practically every driveway, and they managed to turn the fire away before it got too many houses. Actually, you lost more houses up in Malibu than we did in Topanga. Scary days.

The castle is now a goner...for those of you who don't know the area, the castle was in Malibu, but it went in the recent fires a few months ago. I guess that's what happens when you build a Hollywood version of a castle that looks like stone, but isn't.