Comments on: Beware of Australians Bearing Softwoods

By: Bertblog

Bertblog — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:07:22 +0000

Sounds like that Boell fella didn’t have a clue what he was doing to me. Why would you give a guest instructor who is supposed to be teaching a group of eager students, some crappy old branch wood from a street tree on which to demonstrate? What a buffoon.

By: Barquester

Barquester — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:24:02 +0000

I cut some china berry wood and stacked it up for firewood. After a while you could hear the wood borers from four feet away. When I picked up a piece it was light as a feather, most of the wood had been consumed. Looked the same though. Ours might be a different species as the wood was nearly white.

By: mysticcarver

mysticcarver — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:14:42 +0000

But leave it us americans to make the most of a firewood pile! Awesome gag though I might add!

By: GregMiller

GregMiller — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:01:56 +0000

In southern Western Australia we call it Cape Lilac. It is a feral tree here, a bit of a pest because of the way it spreads by suckering as well as by seed. It can be very hard to kill! If you have one of these trees in the neighbourhood, your timber racks and stacks will be overrun by hairy caterpillars and their cocoons.
All that aside, it is quite nice timber. My father years ago made some nice furniture from it.
It is a member of the mahogany family, if that helps!
Make sure you have no sapwood in your schoolbox as it is susceptible to Lictus borer.

Giving you the reaction wood was a nice touch. I had to chuckle…
Welcome to Australia, Chris.

By: Jonathan Szczepanski

Jonathan Szczepanski — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 20:33:43 +0000

“…making this schoolbox as perfect as possible with this nice firewood.” That made me smile.

By: Justin Tyson

Justin Tyson — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:44:13 +0000

Melia azedarach is commonly known to Southerners as “Chinaberry”. It’s interesting that they call it a cedar in Oz.

By: navy1

navy1 — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:40:01 +0000

Back in the early ’60s I was in the USN, and we had occasion to go on joint manuevers with the Aussie Navy. We also went on liberty with them, and I never met a more fun bunch of guys. They like their beer, they enjoy a good fist fight, and I am happy that they are our friends. And you are correct, they all enjoy a good laugh, or practical joke.

By: esincox

esincox — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:05:05 +0000

Giving the teacher hard reaction wood. Dirty little aussies…

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:56:25 +0000

Hmmmm…the tote on that saw looks suspiciously like apple. Daddy like!

By: michhes

michhes — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:46:05 +0000

Would have been un-Australian to take it easy on you, Chris!