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Thread: Laburnum
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20th November 2019, 06:49 AM #1GOLD MEMBER
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Laburnum
Team, I posted this in the Wood turning section (as I forgot about this page).
Does anyone know where I can source Laburnum in Australia?
Thanks in advance.
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20th November 2019, 09:15 AM #2GOLD MEMBER
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Interestingly, this is the first wood I purchased from Rare Woods when they started out about 30 yrs ago. As you all know they closed shop some years ago. From them I bought a small, short cracked block out of curiosity, and for reference samples. This is not a commercial wood as you would know and has toxic properties. Most would be available from old gardens.
If you want some for very small projects / items I can help you.
Euge
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20th November 2019, 10:02 AM #3GOLD MEMBER
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20th November 2019, 11:02 AM #4GOLD MEMBER
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Richard,
Sadly I don't have any small logs or you could have them gratis. Just one block, bark is long gone. I trimmed the log when I got it to roughly square it up, but it has since cracked and twisted. My amateur cutting skills show when I struggled with my small Taiwanese bandsaw. The block is roughly 70 x 70 x 300 mm with a bit of sapwood.
Now I would handle it differently knowing what I know now. As I said its very old and the wood is now almost black. I cut a bit of the end, photographed the block to see wood inside and show the quality. I’d like to keep some, about half, but you can can have the other half for postage costs and if you will post pics of the result. The identity was as provided but Rare Woods who were reliable with ID which was and is important to me.
Will post some pics for your interest and comment
Euge
Laburnum.jpg Laburnum 2.jpg
Laburnum 3.jpg Laburnum 4.jpg
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20th November 2019, 05:18 PM #5GOLD MEMBER
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Richard,
you might do better if you wait for a better offer after someone has done some pruning or cut one down. This one was 30-40 yrs old and from either botanic gardens or an old established private garden. Be careful when using it.*
I've just read, for the first time, that the heart-wood of a laburnum may be used as a substitute for ebony or rosewood. (Wiki). I can see why
Good luck
Euge
*PS: a warning I've just found on the net: "All parts of the plant are poisonous, although mortality is very rare. Symptoms of laburnum poisoning may include intense sleepiness, vomiting, convulsive movements, coma, slight frothing at the mouth and unequally dilated pupils". (This is suggestive of a toxic alkaloid)
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20th November 2019, 11:16 PM #6
Sorry I don't have any. Apparently a couple of species too come under the name.
Richard why are you chasing it? Sounds really risky to play with, although maybe whilst green (like our Gutta Percha), don't know enough about it.
Eugene - your sample looks like my sample of Australian EbonyNeil____________________________________________Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new
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20th November 2019, 11:57 PM #7GOLD MEMBER
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Laburnum is a temperate NOT a tropical species Neil, a cool climate like we get in Vic and UK Europe. Its a traditional leguminous species used for small decorative items eg oyster veneers. Its a small tree, slow growing. You can see from the obvious growth rings (on my pic) its deciduous (don't see that in ebony). My piece is very dense and exceedingly dense. BUT like Diospyros humilis is is prone to bad cracking and twisting from drying contraction.
Maybe worse than Gutta Percha which is bad in the eye or mouth when green. Laburnum is rarely available except from old gardens in cooler climes.
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21st November 2019, 04:52 AM #8GOLD MEMBER
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These symptoms sound similar to what one of my kids gives me when he starts telling to take a long walk off a short plank, especially the part about the intense sleepiness, dilated pupils and frothing at the mouth.
Thanks Euge, I had heard of its toxicity, but the contrast and grain effect are spectacular. Its funny we had several plants in our garden growing up to which we now know are very poisonous, ie. Oleander, imagine my surprise when I realised how my parents wouldn't get rid of them........ maybe they were trying to get rid of me?
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21st November 2019, 05:18 AM #9GOLD MEMBER
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Neil, I have seen some wonderful examples of it turned and wanted to get hold of some. As I noted to Euge that I did discover it was toxic and would take every precaution, but when you see the results pic below, its beautiful.
ps. you'll see one of your creations in the turning section "small lidded box"
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