Thread: Timber identification!

Cypress pines i think. At least they look the Cypresses we're cutting out of our property.

Good find, RBTCO!

Google confirms my guess that it is Golden Cypress, very good for turning and carving. Put me on the waiting list!



What is Golden Cypress and where does it come from?
Golden Cypress is Cypress macrocarpa (Monterey Cypress), a native of North America and a true Cypress (Cupressus).
Golden Cypress is a timber that doesn’t cost the earth.
15 reasons for you to use Golden Cypress in your next project.
* Strength: Available in Structural Grade F7 - stronger than cypress pine* (Callitris spp.)
* Durability: Same as Jarrah and River Red Gum (per AS. 1684). Min. 15-25 years in-ground.
* Not from native forests: Unlike redgum, white cypress*, stringybark, "Eco-Select", etc.
* Always available in your sizes: Unlike recycled timbers. No nails, checks or holes either!
* Naturally termite resistant: With a naturally delightful and mildly spicy fragrance.
* Ethically sourced: Only over-mature, dangerous, sick or redundant trees are harvested.
* Chemical free: Unlike the toxins in treated pine for example. No glues to fail either.
* Secure supply: Regulatory authorities plan to phase out treated pine (CCA) by 2006^.
* Intrinsically beautiful: Like Kauri. It is lustrous and golden. Fiddleback is quite common.
* Larger sections and longer lengths: For example 200x200. 6.0 meters long.
* Exceptionally low shrinkage: An outstanding 3.3% Tangentally & 1.6% Radially (C.mac).
* Locally grown and milled: Unlike oregon, merbau, cedar or meranti, which are imported.
* Sustainable: Unlike rainforests, new plantations are being added continually.
* Lighter weight: Makes handling and lifting less tiring. And safer. Lighter than radiata pine!

yes it is (Cupressus macrocarpa), monterey pine, macrocarpa cypress, BUT, as noted above,(well done F&E) IT IS NOT called Cypress Pine(Callitris spp), which I have seen a lot of peeps advertising it as lately!
(not here)

I was beaten to the punch!
Well done F&E.
Not bad stuff to work.

Monterey pine is Radiata Pine.

Macrocarpra is NOT durable in ground contact.

Originally Posted by echnidna

Macrocarpra is NOT durable in ground contact.

Bob, I have just seen the other thread - would have saved me a bit of cut and paste.

Given that I do not plan to bury my bowls, that's not a problem for me, but do you mean that AS 1684 is not an adequate standard?

BTW, the Mediterranean cypress (cupressus sempervirens) is extremely durable. On the other hand, botanists now want to separate the two species...

no I mean that macrocarpra does not meet AS 1684 for durability

Hi everyone,

I had done only a little bit of searching on this matter, to get its "correct name", but I try to recognise it by looking at pictures of different pine species, but I didn't find anything that satisfied me. I have made very clear on another "recent" thread, my thoughts about pine species, and obviously everyone is entitle to have their own opinion about these tree species but, for those with a positive attitude toward these timber species, maybe this thread will be of interest. I had no doubt that was a pine species, I was very familiar with these trees, in my country of birth, for the production especially of fine furniture. Doesn't smell like pine, nor the bark resembles common pine species. In my country of birth and in most European Countries, this particular pine species are planted as "wind breakers" mostly in properties of people well financially set. Looking at the way the tree grows, is easy to understand why they are good wind breakers and give exceptionally a thick wall of privacy. The idea that when you see a property surrounded with this spectacular trees around it, would mean in European language, "rich people's place", this same thought was transferred in the old days (1800) to Australia by the first Settlers.
This can be seen still today, but in a less larger scale, with most of the "old" existent Gold Cypress, are placed is places with some sort o Historical value or Historical story telling.
Younger trees have been planted all over Australia since, as wind breakers, privacy and luxurious decoration. Some plant nurseries have also these trees in development for transplantation, and is not difficult to see 5 year old Gold Cypress being taken from the nursery to their final place at people's properties.

Thank you Frank&Earnest, for giving us a very detailed description of these tree species, and it's qualities. That indeed deserve some retribution of my part so, some of its timber will have your name on it!.
Is my intention to make some of this timber, (dry & green) available to anyone interested at a very reasonable prices, so will see.

Thanks also to everyone that gave a suggestion.

PS: I have attached a couple of pics of young Golden Cypress (5 to 7 year old), that I re-transplanted about 3 years ago, and going very well.
I got also a couple of pics from some pieces I done with some of this tree blanks for testing purposes. The timber as soon as is turned is very light in colour, it can be preserved this way with special treatment. The other darker one is the same wood treated with normal products, allowing the timber to darken naturally (will take approx 1 month). I'm sorry if the pictures do not give the full shape of the pieces, but this is a design of mine that are in the process of copyright.
Cheers
RBTCO

Even with the blanked out bits, the bowl looks good.

Look who has come out of the woodstack! Nice to see you are still around, Pat, I still expect you to show everybody your olive wood masterpiece!

Makes nice bowls indeed, RBTCO. Looking forward to buying at least one log, if you are going to make them available. I have read that they use the fiddleback for guitars so, if you find any, that would be a good way for you to add value. BTW, I share your feelings for pine species, but cupressus and pinus are two different species, albeit both conifers. As mentioned above, Monterey cypresss is cupressus macrocarpa and Monterey pine is pinus radiata.

Looking forward also to seeing your designs after you have copyrighted them!

Frank, yep still around and yes I did get the piece, just been busy with the world's greatest curse - work.

Originally Posted by rowie

yes it is (Cupressus macrocarpa), monterey pine

Sorry guys, I wrote faster than my mind was thinking