Blue Gum-Worth it?

[comgreserv]

Was offered a decent load of fresh blue gum logs by another tree lopper today but I've not milled any before. Is it fairly stable and dry ok? Whats it good for?
Cheers All

[comgreserv]

Views but no replys Surely someone has milled some, hate to see it all chipped. Job is on tomorrow and I need to let them know if I want the logs or not. Dia around the 1mt mark....

[Krunchie]

Take it for framing

[Bushmiller]

I haven't cut it myself but here is a little information.

Two species: Southern Blue Gum (E.Globulus) and Sydney Blue Gum (E Saligna). Neither are natives to WA, but E Gobulous in particular has widespread planting here and overseas (California, for example).

Both are suitable timbers for framing and construction with ADD of 900Kg and 850Kg. Saligna also has applications for flooring and panelling. Possibly boat building too.

The only time I came into contact with these timbers was when a local sawmill manager was waxing lyrical over some Sydney Blue Gum he had acquired. He grabbed some of it for himself to make a staircase.

Heartwood is described as pale brown, sometimes with a pinkish tinge for the Southern and dark pink to red-brown for the Sydney. It's probably going to be a little difficult to tell which it is unless you had the flowers or fruits.

Regards
Paul

[itsposs]

as a parrot I ll respond its got a bad wrap as its plantation grown for pulpwood and plantation hard wood. And isnt as stable as natural native grown tree. From my experience it makes crap fire wood as it smoke s up the fire box and camp site

[dai sensei]

I've done some forks of what they call Sydney Bluegum for wood-turning and I love it, it can have beautiful feather grain in the forks, although it can also crack whilst drying. Hard as nails when dry, but worth the effort.

[comgreserv]

Thanks folks for your responses. I could make use of it for framing as I have to knock up a lunchroom/toilet on the new place I have moved to. No need to treat for white ants as long as my base is treated??? Still able to knock up green like they did in the old days? (ps not wishing to offend any of you from the old days either)lol

[weisyboy]

there are quite a few trees called blue gum in diferent areas, it can get quite confusing, some are excellent others not so good and some are down right rubbish.

some of the trees called bluegum

sydney blue gum
flooded gum
southern bluegum
qld bluegum
mountain bluegum
forest red gum
river red gum

makes things a bit confusing

any free logs are good logs.

[Bushmiller]

Welcome back Carl.

Regards
Paul

[Sigidi]

Again, any free logs are great

Personally, (from experience with quite a lot of what has been called bluegum) I love it, cuts well, has good durability acquires good strength rating for structural timber and has nice grain too - go for it

[MAPLEMAN]

Again, any free logs are great

Personally, (from experience with quite a lot of what has been called bluegum) I love it, cuts well, has good durability acquires good strength rating for structural timber and has nice grain too - go for it

Here's some pics of Blue Gum(forest red gum) that i milled last week,the log was salvaged from roadside clearing,just outside Woodford on the Sunshine Coast a few years ago,great colour,and a pleasure to mill.....and of course,it was FREE

[rustynail]

Have milled and used a lot of blue gum over the years. Both Sydney blue and forrest red. I've used it for furniture and kitchens (shock horror.) The secret is in the drying. For best results it needs to be air dried first then gentle kiln dried then aired again. By following this process I have found the timber to be very stable.