Thread: She Oak Melbourne

Take some photos of the tree, its bark/leaves/spines/seeds etc, access, proximity to structures etc. If you are looking for a free tree removal it is unlikely, but if you get it cut down first, then you should get some forumites to help you remove the good timber.

So I took some photos tonight of the tree. it is big. The trunk measure 2.2m circumference!


photo 1.JPGphoto 2.JPGphoto 3.JPG

There is no cherry picker access to it, so it will be a climb and cut job. Regarding structures, it needs to be felled towards where I am taking the photo from.

I climbed half way up it on the weekend to cut some branches off, could have gone higher but I wimped out. So anyone feeling brave to climb up it and cut it down?

I would consult with council to make sure that you do not need a permit to trim/ remove it, as if it is native to the area that you live in then the council might have guidelines on what can and can't be done. It looks like a swamp oak to me but the female version as the males have the pollen pieces. Cheers WC

Originally Posted by Wood Collector

I would consult with council to make sure that you do not need a permit to trim/ remove it, as if it is native to the area that you live in then the council might have guidelines on what can and can't be done. It looks like a swamp oak to me but the female version as the males have the pollen pieces. Cheers WC

Thanks for pointing this out I had not considered this. Pollen comes out of those cones so that's why I thought it was the male?

Does a a swamp oak produce nice pattern in the grain?

Originally Posted by dai sensei

If you are looking for a free tree removal it is unlikely

I want someone to cut it down and take it for free! Seems like a fair deal to me

No seriously I thought that asking here I might find an arborist who has interest in woodworking and will cut it down in a way to preserve the Timber to be useful.

i put some picks up of the tree and seeds etc. hopefully you will have a better idea now of the tree and if it is worth anyone's time. Cheers

I think that you will find what you think is the pollen are it's seeds but I could be wrong. as for the timber it is alwrignt it looks a bit like lace she-oak but slightly nore brown. below is a pic of some lace sheoak. Cheers WC

Originally Posted by adublu

I want someone to cut it down and take it for free! Seems like a fair deal to me

Although the timber is valuable, it is only after dropping the tree, milling the timber, stacking and drying for a few years, remilling to size etc etc etc. Your chances of getting someone to drop and take it for free is buckleys.

Having said that, given the location and proximity to structures, you would be nuts to let anyone but a professional with good insurance drop the tree.

Once down however, happy to arrange a forum working bee to take away the pieces

Originally Posted by adublu

I want someone to cut it down and take it for free! Seems like a fair deal to me

May be you should get a few quotes from professional tree loppers to cut down your tree and you'll see that it doesn't seem such a fair deal, especially when the time and effort of milling the timber, stacking and drying for a few years, remilling to size etc etc is also taken into account.


Peter.

A bit of botany: The sheoaks are plant family Casuarinaceae, so they are called casuarinas, even though some are actually differently named now. The male trees have fine, thin pollen bearing stems at the end, the female trees have the small rounded or oval shaped cones that hold the seeds. When those seeds are mature the individual sections open up to release the small seeds. The edges of the seed holding parts are sharp.

As to the timber - Some sheoak timber is beautiful, as seen above, but some is pretty pale so it depends on your species.
I fully agree with other forum responses about the cost and risks of felling. If you do get the tree felled and you want the timber to be useful please make sure that you or someone else seals the ends of the logs immediately. Sheoak logs split very badly if left unsealed and that reduces the wood to firewood or rubbish value.
Good luck.


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Originally Posted by Xanthorrhoeas

If you do get the tree felled and you want the timber to be useful please make sure that you or someone else seals the ends of the logs immediately. Sheoak logs split very badly if left unsealed and that reduces the wood to firewood or rubbish value.

Indeed - IanW told me that more than one She Oak tree he has felled had split by the next morning. So, fell it and have the paint brush at hand.

Any old paint will do - first coat will be absorbed more or less as you look at it and then slop a second coat on after an hour or so. A third coat won't go astray either, depending on how much the first two are absorbed.

Thank you every one for your assistance, really nice community you have here.

Well it seems it is too much effort to cut down so I am getting some arborist quotes to cut and remove.

Cheers

A number of places including Carba-tec sell a special end grain sealer that is easy to use. However, I have even seen a cheap grease used. Of course the latteris sticky, attracts dust and makes a mess of your clothes but it is better than wasting good wood IMO.


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It may be cheaper to get it dropped and the larger bits left on the ground. I am sure someone would come and take them away once they are on the ground.

If I was in your area, I would be trying to tee something up with you, I am too far away though.

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