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13th December 2011, 05:32 AM #1
What does Illawarra Flame Tree timber look like ?
Hi,
wondering what it looks like. How it works etc. Turns. I can't seem to find any woodworking references on it.
scientific name isssss................Brachychiton acerifolius
appreciate your thoughts.
thanks
Jake
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13th December 2011, 01:15 PM #2Senior Member
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- Jun 2010
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- Canberra
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- 127
I would imagine like many of the Brachychiton spp it would be a ring porous species and thus have low-ish density and very high water content. This site claims it was used for shingles and fenceposts in the past. It might have some interesting properties.
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13th December 2011, 04:20 PM #3Skwair2rownd
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- Nov 2007
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- Dundowran Beach
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I had a piece here and found it to be quite fibrous. Also soaked up water like a sponge.
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13th December 2011, 04:37 PM #4
The best info I have is:
Air dried weight: 400kg /m3
Properties: Soft, light, coarse and open-textured. Somewhat wooly-fibred but dresses well. Durable in fully protected situations
Uses: Mouldings, model-making, packing shavings, non-structural applications. Bark fibre for aboriginal artifacts.
Source: Peter Richards, Rainforest Woods of Eastern AustraliaCheers
Jeremy
If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly
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13th December 2011, 05:35 PM #5SENIOR MEMBER
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- Jan 2004
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- St George area, Sydney
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With a name like that it should be gorgeus
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13th December 2011, 07:44 PM #6
ta.
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13th December 2011, 10:04 PM #7
I suspect the Flame tree would be much the same as Kurrajong which is also a brachychiton. Check it out on my website here...
Kurrajong
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14th December 2011, 07:23 AM #8
thanks TTIT. nice description. love your stuff too. Like that bowl in prickly acacia especially.
makes sense. Its been felled and had a look at it the other day and it looked spongy like said. Reminded me of what I saw when I cut down a pawpaw tree. soft crap. think I might leave it aloone.
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14th December 2011, 02:45 PM #9GOLD MEMBER
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- Jun 2005
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- Townsville. Tropical Nth Qld.
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- 658
Jake, if its the same species as the ones here in Townsville, you may be out of luck. I cut up a huge one several years ago into 105 mm slabs, and when I went to grab a piece to do a bowl, all I had left was a fibrous shell and 2 tonnes of Lyctus Borer dust,
Regards,
Crocy.
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15th December 2011, 08:11 AM #10
thanks mate.
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20th August 2023, 01:13 AM #11New Member
- Join Date
- Feb 2021
- Location
- Queensland
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- 7
Flame tree timber
I made a box using spalted flame tree timber as the lid. Very soft timber and brittle on the edges. Planes well . Looks great when spalted but no idea what it looks like as a plain timber.
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18th October 2023, 08:54 AM #12New Member
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- Feb 2021
- Location
- Queensland
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- 7
spalted flame tree timber
I have used it as box lids. This is spalted and it looks fantastic. Is a soft timber but planes well without any tear out.
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19th October 2023, 04:17 PM #13
Hi Jake
Bootles ascribes Brachychiton acerifolius with the common name Kurrajong flame tree. Here is his specification:
Flame Tree.jpg
He gives it a hardness measure of 1.3 kN which is extremely soft. By comparison Australian plantation radiata pine is 3.3 kN.
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21st October 2023, 08:18 AM #14
Graeme, this thread was started (& pretty well concluded) 12 years ago. Jake hasn't posted on the forum for years so is unlikely to read your reply....
Cheers,
IanIW
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21st October 2023, 03:02 PM #15
Thanks, Ian, I missed the dates !