Unknown tree with an unknown growth.

Hello to the brains trust.

The Chief Decision Officer has decided this tree in our yard must go. I'm unsure of the species of this baby so anyone out there who may know - please indulge me!

My main reason for posting, is the unusual growth and the base of the trunk. The bulbous area is in the region of 700mm+/- in diameter. I suspect there will be some fancy looking grain inside, however, what do you guys and gals think I should expect to find within it, and more importantly, what should I do to best utilize it? How would I go about drying it and keeping it for future use?

TIA, Tom.

Looks like some sort of conifer, so will most likely be a light colour, as far as the bulbous bit, if u are game dig the whole lot out with the rootball intact, clean with pressure washer and then slice it up into 50/75/100mm thick slabs, seal any end grain, sticker and air dry.

As far as what u do with them, depends on what's inside them and what the grain looks like and you won't know that until u cut them open, might be something speccy or something full of holes/voids/ants, it also depends whether u work in the round or the flat.

But i'd certainly give it a go, maybe cut a little bit off somewhere before going to heaps of trouble tho:;


Pete

Looks like this one might have been circled by a bit of wire a long time ago.

A conifer for certain, possibly Swamp Cypress from Nth. America.

I would do as Pete says with the tmber. Should be some really interesting grain there.

Foliage and bark look typically those of a Leyland Cypress, very popular hybrid, particularly for massive hedges in Sydney. This one is very distressed, and as TL said above has been girdled with something.
Full name (it's a mouthful) Cupressocyparis leylandii Leighton Green.
I've got a couple of small platters or bowls of this timber that I roughed green about a year ago. Must get them out to finish. Very attractive grain, if you can avoid the splitting while drying.
My opinion is you are unlikely to get anything useful trying to air dry sawn pieces. Rough turn right away, paint with a fungicide (Fungishield works for me) and put aside somewhere to dry slowly.

Im with Toymaker, look out for a necklace:o

Hi Tom,
Yes I'm with the others, a Cypress of some kind.
Might be an idea if you ran a Metal Detector over it before you cut it, just in case.
You can pick them up cheap at a Sunday Market, now & then.
Regards,
issatree.

Thanks for the info so far, gang. Much appreciated.

When the time comes, I will do as Pete says and pressure wash and slice into 100mm slabs and set up to dry slowly; that way if I ever get my bum into gear and get a chuck for my lathe I might be able to turn some bowls of size. This is providing it isn't a hollow mess of voids and ants.

As a secondary measure, I'll try turning some green on the faceplate and set aside to see if there is a problem with cracking and which method works the best; something to note in the little black book.

It was planted by our family on our property around 20 years ago, but has never had any wire around its trunk. There was that horrible black anti-weed plastic on that particular garden area when it was young which may have triggered the strangulation-like process. Time will tell.

Thanks again, Tom.

Be good to take some pics and post so we can all see whats inside:2tsup:

Pete

Could be Cupressus cashmeriana - Kashmir cypress. The weeping habit makes me think it is. It certainly looks sick though.
http://www.conifer.com.au/objectlibrary/2154