Wood Gloat #1 Eucalyptus Tree

Got on line last night and found a Firewood seller in my area. According to the web site, they were supposed to be open. Got off work a little earlier then normal so went to see if I could aquire a couple of pieces for turning. Add says fresh cut and seasoned wood available. Also: cedar, juniper, mesquite, pine, oak, pecan, pear, ana apple woods available. They sell bundles from a full cord all the way down to “one fire size” bundles.

Figured this would be a cheep way for me to get some turning blanks. Buying stuff at the wood stores ( rockler, woodworkers source, etc.) is WAY out of my budget. As long as the tree is fairly fresh, the cracks should be only at the ends and for the price.$30.00 to have 1 row of wood across the bed of my truck up to the top of the sides. ( about 4 1/2 ft x 1 1/2 ft ) in 20 inch long pieces. Should be able to get 4 or 5 pieces 6 to 10 inch diameter for about $10.00 I hoped.

Well, when I got there today they were closed. No sign, no info. The yard is full of new cut and seasoned wood, but no one was to be found to open the gate. ARGH!!! Probably out to lunch.

So I head back home to get the phone # . That was when I passed a pile of brush/ limbs at the end of an alley by the road. Stopped at the car shop it was behind and asked. The owner said he had cut down a tree the other day and had not got it hauled away yet. He wanted me to take it all because , ” What ever you take I don’t have to haul away!” It was a fair sized eucalyptus tree.

The main trunk is about 16 inch diameter, cut into 20 inch long pieces. At the crotch the trunk was still around 13inch and split into 2 9inch upper trunks. I ended up getting all the upper branches that were turning size into my truck exept one. ( still 12ft long) Did not have any saws or axe with me, only my tree pruners. Good to about 1 1/2 inch branches.
REALLY hated to leave that trunk behind but I have no use for it. No chain saw, No bow saw. Band saw will only cut to 7 inch tall. Most of what I took will be getting sawed with my hand saw. ( and not a very good one)

Can only turn up to 12 inch diameter so could not even use what was allready cut to length.

Here is what I ended up bringing home.

First pic is the main pile on my porch ( caught hell for that! )

Here is a close up of the ends.

The longest piece is about 8 ft and a couple are only 4 ft.

This piece is over 8 ft and is the biggest diameter being 9 1/2 inch. at one end.

Got in more trouble when she saw this one on the lawn. ( grass wont grow there….. ever! )

Put a couple of pieces in the shop so I can work on them later.

BTW that is a 12 inch square laying across them.
About 1 to 3 1/2 ft long.

The best is the piece I will have to work the hardest to be able to use. I took the only crotch piece that I could lift. It was 2 trees cut down and there was 2 of these.

View from other side.

This thing is 17 inch at the base and splits into 2 – 91/2 inch trunks. About 4 ft tall. There isn’t anything I have to cut this up with. even my hand saw only has a 14 inch blade. Will either borrow or rent a chain saw to block it down to turnable size. I want that crotch grain!

Not to sure what all of this will become but I figure, bowls, cups, plates….what ever tickles my fancy at the time. haha.

Well I will be posting pics of these projects as I go along.

Thanks for looking.

Scrappy

-- Scrap Wood's the best...the projects are smaller, and so is the mess!