Eucalyptus

[magnus]

Has anyone had experience milling these trees?

What is the lumber best suited for and how do you prepare it?
What size planks?

I have heard it warps easily, and it is generally thrown away around here. used for firewood or posts.

 

[excess650]

Your best chance of getting stable lumber is to quarter saw it. Perfectly quartersawn has the annular rings nearly perpendicular to the face of the board. The thinner the board, the more likely it is to warp, so 1-1/2" or 38mm and thicker should be a good.

 

[BobL]

There are over 800 known species of Eucalyptus (250 in my state of Western Australia alone). They range in size from 300 ft mountain Ash to scrawny little shrubs with stalks barely an inch in diameter and a few ft high. Some a quite different to others, some are amazingly hard, others are relatively soft, some mill without much warping others are a PITA. Some will blunt your chain in half a slab, etc. So the question back at you is what sort are they?

 

[magnus]

Eucalyptus globulus

sorry to forget that crucial detail.

Eucalyptus globulus

looking forward to the flow of knowledge! this stuff is EVERYWHERE!

 

[English Oak]

I would agree with what 'excess' said, quater sawing it is a good option. I cut some, T & T and some of the boards have cupped so much the edge is about 60 degree's from the face!! T

 

[BobL]

Eucalyptus Globus are called blue gums in Australia.

There are at least 2 species
Southern or Tasmanian Blue Gum Eucalyptus globulus globulus
Southern or Victorian Blue Gum Eucalyptus globulus bicostata

Where I live in (Western Australia) Australia they are grown in plantations for paper but the timber is milled elsewhere in Australia. It does warp and split unless it is sawn carefully and dried out of the direct sunlight. As others have said quarter sawn is the way to go. Proper quarter sawing is radially sawn but that is very difficult on a CS mill. Quarterind the log and cut boards off the flats sides should be OK

 

[AndyR]

On a trip to PT in 2000, we were on a bus somewhere on the southwest coast and there were these huge trees everywhere. I asked what they were and was told that they were Eucalyptus planted many years ago for pulp. They had spread quite a lot.

Didn't make it to the azores but enjoyed Portugal very much. Here's a sketch of the general idea of quartersawing.

Good luck-POST PICS!
Andy

 

[magnus]

i could not get the image to show for the quarter sawing.

i will post a new question on this topic.

for smaller 40 cm logs, would you recommend quarter sawing still?

or is quarter sawing limited to larger logs?