Thread: Sydney Blue Gum experience or suggest alternative?

The Australian Wood Buyers Guide, it could do with some more updates but it does have quite a few of the popular timbers, has names, tree description, colour, working properties/workability etc
There is another one that I have in my workshop, I will check the name tomorrow and post it for you. I did a job in a house with a Blue Gum floor and some laminated Blue Gum posts, Tasmanian Myrtle matched perfectly. Tasie Myrtle has a few more colours here and there but overall it was a great match. The T/Myrtle is easy to work and looks great.

This year I have made a entertainment unit, a large coffee table and three side tables from Sydny blue gum and am about to make another side table and a hall table. It works well and takes polish well. i had no trouble gluing it. It is hard. It planes well with HNT Gordon planes providing as always they are sharp. No problem routing or sawing Much less liable to splintering than the various Tassie oaks. In summary I like it. I used figured wood which is a bit more difficult to use but it is quite manageable.

Thanks for that ClawHama. I will have another look at Tas Myrtle - the time I saw something classified as Tassy Myrtle it was a quite pale yelow/pink. But maybe it was not representative. Or maybe my memory is just going

Pusser, sound like my plan for Sydney Blue Gum might be OK given your experience. I've got an HNT Gordon smoother & just bought a LV low angle jack with a 50 degree blade, so hopefuly I should be OK.

Originally Posted by RossM

Can anyone share their experience working with Sydney Blue Gum for furniture?

I wanted to know what the workability is like. If it is painful (lots of tearout etc) is there another red hardwood that could be used that is realitvely easy to work?

It would be really good to have a reference of Australian timbers that describes things like workability,e ase of staining & finishing etc from a really practical view point (as opposed to the usual stuff in the refrerences Iv'e seen such as density, Janka hadness etc) Is there any such reference out there??

Ross
a cut and paste from an exercise I did last year

Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus saligna
Colour
Heartwood is pink to dark red. The sapwood is usually paler and distinguishable from the heartwood.

Texture
Moderately coarse but even

Grain
Usually straight, although it can be interlocked.

Figure
The occasional interlocked grain produces figure.

Qualities
Hard, strong, tough and heavy wood. Air dry density is approximately 900kg/m<SUP>3</SUP>
The wood is moderately stable in service. Mild surface checking can occur.
Relatively easy to work with machine and hand tools. Cutting resistance is moderate as is its blunting effect on tool edges.
It nails and glues well and has reasonable steam bending qualities.
Can be worked to a very high polish and takes most finishes well.


as well as the Australian Timber Buyers Guide, a google search will often bring up lots of good info, especially from the different state forestry departments, Queensland's in particular, try limiting your google search by using "site:.gov.au"

Thanks Ian

Any suggestions about where to buy in Sydney? Some folk suggested Ironwood at Rozelle. I was thinking of getting some 200 x 22 flooring if I can find it.

The only problem I've come across with it is clogging/burning of drill bits and while using a chisel morticer.

A few years ago I made 2 small tables from recycled Sydney Blue Gum and finished with oil.
I had no problems working it but it is very dusty and dirty when sanding.
The timber I used was much darker than the Tassie Myrtle I used last year.
Recycled Jarrah is the nearest in colour that I have used.

I've just done some boxes in SBG, and found it pretty good to work with. It's very hard, and can have gum veins & voids, which I filled with casting resin.
In the past, I've used it for a jeweller's table, and it had a particularly good quilted figure that came up almost 3D when finished. Found that I had to use a scraper on some of it though.
It takes an oil or wipe-on poly finish well, over a coat of shellac as sanding sealer.
Talk to Richard Parsons of Canalpie Timbers, North Richmond.

Originally Posted by RossM

Thanks Ian

Any suggestions about where to buy in Sydney? Some folk suggested Ironwood at Rozelle. I was thinking of getting some 200 x 22 flooring if I can find it.

why flooring?
there'll be a lot of waste when you cut the tongue and groove off and I don't particularly like the way the rear surface is milled

Ross, the other book I use is "Forest Trees Of Ausatralia" CSIRO Publishing.

The Queensland department of Primary Industries & Fisheries is a damn good resource
have a look Timber species - properties and uses (Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries)

Sydney Blue Gum is a delight to work with.
Try Mathews timber - at St. Marys.
Mathews are stockists and suppliers to cabinet making trade.
Very knowledgeable staff.
9833 3100

Ironwood mostly sell second hand - recycled and reclaimed timber as well as new flooring.

Thanks for the feedback & suggestions. I will give Matthews a call

Hi Ian - Although there will be waste with the T&G I thought that might be less waste than buying 25mm or wider boards & milling down. Thoght it might end up cheaper as well. Your point about the rear of the flooring is a good one - I will have to look at it & see.

Ross
what are you intending to build?
what timber milling equipment (jointer, table saw, band saw, thicknesser) do you have?
22 or 19mm flooring typically starts life as something around 25mm rough sawn,
maybe you can achieve the look you want by chamfering the edge of a 25mm board?