Thread: Tassie Oak/ Victorian Ash

Gooday.

We laminate a lot of Tassy Oak (and YES there is a difference between it and Vic Ash)and found that the best PVA glue to use was AV Symtec 180 (yellow) to alleviate the "black line".

It is caused by a reaction with the tannin in the timber to the moisture and chemicals in the glue. If you want to see it really end up black, sit the panel on metal sash cramps, that sets up a real good reaction. Real black along the clamp lines. We put glad wrap on the clamps to stop this, it also makes cleaning the clamps easier.

Hope this helps.

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Ian () Robertson
"We do good turns every day"

Anyone know where I can buy this in Sydney - my local timber merchant doesn't stock it and he doesn't know of anyone that does.

Cheers!

The brand is actually A. V. Syntec. Their web site is:

http://www.avsyntec.com.au/

Their distributors can be found at:

http://www.avsyntec.com.au/Adh/distrib.htm

Cheers!

,

Could you possible to explain the differences between Tas Oak and Vic ash, and give some tips on ID'ing each one?

I'm aware this may not be so easy to do online, so any help is appreciated

Thanks.

Ben

Good one . Nice to get some really good info. I had problems with black lines on laminating using WestSystem and AVS recommended something like AV240 but as it only had a short shelf life they would not send it to WA. I then noticed that Roger Gifkins preferred was AV140 and that was available on order so I got some and it is great. Incidently, when it arrived it had one day to go on its use by date. I rang them and they said ignore the date and they would stand by it. All is still ok after about 4 months.
Alf

Hi Ben,

I asked the same question over at http://www.nafi.com.au/timbertalk/index.html and they gave me this answer:

"Mountain ash is one of the ash species sold under the name "Victorian ash" (the other one is Alpine ash). When mixed with Messmate, the three timbers are sold as 'Tasmanian oak', so it's all pretty much the same thing."

The only thing I can add to that is that the average density of Alpine Ash is about 620kg/m3, Mountain Ash is about 680kg/m3 and Messmate stringybark is about 780kg/m3, so there is a bit of variation across the three.

As far as spotting the difference, no-one has been able to help me on that one.

For more info on Tasmanian Oak see: http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/environme...otes/TAN26.HTM

Hi Frogman,

I suspected this was the case, I buy all my 'Tas Oak' from Bunnings, and i've found some bits to be fairly light and (relatively) soft, while others were noticably denser and harder.
The figures you provided show a 20% difference in weight between the timbers.

Thanks for the info.

Ben

Further to the above here is some more info:

"Tasmanian Oak is the name used for three almost identical species of eucalypt hardwoods that are normally marketed collectively. E. delegatensis grows at higher altitudes, while E. regnans is found in wetter sites. E, obliqua has a wide distribution, occurring in wet forests but also extending into drier areas."

I guess the key to the statement is "almost identical". Bear in mind two trees of the same species growing side by side will not be the same - it's a nature thing.

The above "..." has been copied from the following tasmanian government website on tasmanian timbers: http://www.tastimber.tas.gov.au/species/tasoak_01.asp

Tasmanian Oak is not 3 almost indentical species.
E.obliqua has sapwood that is attacked by borers whereas the ashes are not. So when the timber is graded the species needs to be known or it all needs to be downgraded if it contains sapwood. I'm not totally sure but I think messmate has a higher stuctural grading than the ashes.
This is a very successful marketing ploy by Tasmania as Ash is thought of as not so good wood (proper ashes are species Fraximus) where oak is thought of as good wood (proper oak are species Quercus). So vic ash does not sell as well even though they are the same species. A mill in gipsland is now selling gipsland ash which I was told was mainly brown barrel a first cousin to mountain ash. None of these trees have any thing to do with oak or ash.
E. obliqua can usually be picked by its darker colour and its resin veins. Isn't competition between states a stupid thing!

I know this a bit late but better late than never.

The main differences between Tassie oak and Vic ash is colour and grain.

Tassy oak is darker and has very close grain and tight small growth rings.

Vic ash is lighter in colour (and weight) and very open grain or wide growth rings.

Hope this helps.

I thought the main difference was price, when its sold as Tas Oak the price doubles.

Al

That To.