Thread: Loquat Timber

SWINO rang the other day saying someone he knew was offering up the timber from a large Loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) that had been cut down last week. I knew the tree, I have one in my yard and it was a declared pest down in VIC when I lived there, but I have never seen the timber. As usual I thought, any free timber is good timber, especially fruit trees.

Got there and there was basically one large trunk ~4m long max ~0.5m dia. The owner said the tree had died due to borers and looking at the base, there was a mix of borers up the heart timber, plus rot on at least half the truck. But the rest, hmm yum. Cut it up in segments with the chainsaw, then sliced off most of the rotten timber.

We then went back to the local woodturning clubhouse to use the big bandsaw. Only 15 minutes away, but already it was starting to crack in the heart . So I sliced and diced it down into bowl, platter, vase, pepper grinder and trinket etc blanks along crack lines, plus the odd small figured pieces I just couldn't throw out for pen blanks . Even some of the rotten bits looked good with patchy colours and spalting, so I kept some of that too.

We let some other club members grab some, couldn't stand the begging and grovling . The photos show the bits I grabbed, ends sealed by double waxing then sprayed with Boron to keep the bugs at bay. Hopefully it won't crack too much more as I don't have time to rough any out.

Beautiful grain and colour, hopefully it stays as it dries, or at least comes back with oil.

Cheers