Thread: Any boxwood in Australia?

Probably not. All our good boxwood is turned into woodchipsand sent to Japan. We then buy it back as high qulity paper.

Buxus. sempervirens with a density of 880 kg/m^3, at the same 12% MC, has the same density as Lophostemon confertus (Brush Box).

From http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/hardwoodsqld/12463.html
Brush Box Grain is close and even textured Often with curly interlocking grain.
The heartwood ranges from pink-brown to red-brown but is often very variable between trees. The sapwood is usually slightly paler in colour.
One difference may be in Machining. Can be abrasive to machine cutters and tools due to the presence of silica in the wood.

Here is some I milled last year:

It appears there is. It's called Yellow Boxwood and is found in coastal rainforests from northern New South Wales to North Queensland but as it is unlikely to be commercialy available that is probabily not much help. Maybe Brushbox is worth looking at, similier density, fine grained and should be easier to obtain.

i ahve been milling some red andyellow box off our block in the last few months. up to 600mm diamiter.

The yellow boxwood mentioned by THE BARON is similar in its working qualities to Buxus. It has a very attractive grain pattern due to medullary rays. These are quite orange/yellow and it is startling when you first see it. I have some here from which I turn pens. I've never seen large pieces, or indeed the tree, It may only be a small tree.

Some of the Melaleucas may be suitable for your purposes.

For small jobs...repairing old planes and the like I have used apple with very good results. Similar colour and other properties. How much do you need?

Greg

Thanks to everyone for the replies. That's very nice looking timber Bob. I didn't read the whole thread; what did you make with it, or did you sell it?

Yellow boxwood sounds very interesting, but medulary rays might not suit what I want it for.

Greg, I didn't even think of using apple which would be ideal for what I want. It carves very nicely.

About two years ago another member, ptc, cut a walking stick handle blank for me which I shaped and polished. A certain dog had a good chew of it at the weekend and I would like to replace the handle and would also like something harder and more serviceable than huon pine.

I thought I might have a go at 'carving' it into some shape or other. I sold a vast selection of carving tools when I closed my shop, but I have a Dremel and a variety of carbide burrs which should enable me to do some basic shaping at least.

If you have some spare apple Greg, I would be more than happy to pay you to cut me a lump and post it to me.

You in fact may have some of it if I have a big enough chunk. I also have some virgin carving tools here if you need to borrow them.

I'll send you a pm

greg

Originally Posted by Woodwould

Thanks to everyone for the replies. That's very nice looking timber Bob. I didn't read the whole thread; what did you make with it, or did you sell it?

Cheers WW. Most of it was cut at 2 and 3" thick so it is still drying. Should be good to go in a couple of months or so? I have no idea what I will do with it. A mate used a small thinner slab to mount a giant stuffed blue manna crab on it for a display - but I never decide what to do with timber - it eventually tells me what it wants to be.

Having worked both brushbox & 'real' box a bit, I can assure you they are not at all alike in working properties! I wish people would not take these common names so literally - they are untruthful as WW says, and can be quite misleading in all sorts of ways. I see no close similarities between any of the brushbox that I've come across & Buxus. I'd like to know what the bloke that gave that common name to Lophostemon (formerly Tristania) had been smoking at the time.....

Greg's suggestion of Apple is much closer to the mark, IMO - they have very similar working properties on the lathe, and both take threading beautifully...

Cheers,

I don't know why I didn't think of it last night, but Camelia also has some wonderful properties. I had some a few years back and thought it to be the equal of boxwood in every way, if not better. It carves like butter, but holds detail very well. Too bad it always gets ripped out and mulched a few minutes before I come on the scene

Originally Posted by gregoryq

You in fact may have some of it if I have a big enough chunk. I also have some virgin carving tools here if you need to borrow them.

I'll send you a pm

greg

Thank you very much! Reply sent.

I cut up a lemon tree some years ago and it was like vintage Cheddar, but I didn't get around to using any of it, so I can't report on its performance.

Originally Posted by IanW

Having worked both brushbox & 'real' box a bit, I can assure you they are not at all alike in working properties! I wish people would not take these common names so literally - they are untruthful as WW says, and can be quite misleading in all sorts of ways. I see no close similarities between any of the brushbox that I've come across & Buxus. I'd like to know what the bloke that gave that common name to Lophostemon (formerly Tristania) had been smoking at the time.....

Greg's suggestion of Apple is much closer to the mark, IMO - they have very similar working properties on the lathe, and both take threading beautifully...

Cheers,

I was wondering about that too, having worked with brush box... it doesn't lend itself to carving! Fairly hard, not unlike some Euc's, and I reckon fine details would chip easily. But then I haven't touched 'real' Box, only surmising it carves well due to every book or article I've seen mentions that!!

Cheers

Originally Posted by gregoryq

I don't know why I didn't think of it last night, but Camelia also has some wonderful properties. I had some a few years back and thought it to be the equal of boxwood in every way, if not better. It carves like butter, but holds detail very well. Too bad it always gets ripped out and mulched a few minutes before I come on the scene

Got a couple here that I pulled out a while back, roots and all and a bit from my folks place as well. PM me your address Greg and when I drop in to my folks on Thursday, I'll drop some off to you, they live near the cemetery so I won't be going out of my way