More Flaming Wood - She-oak

[JimB]

As we're getting hints of spring across here I've been trying to go through the shed to see what wood can be cut into useable sizes. As with most of us there is a good deal of it but the other day I was offered some more. A friend is a woodcutter and said he had some sheoak (sheoke) that has been lying around for years. Well, you can 't refuse especially when it's free and delivered.
I split part off one of the logs and decided the rest could wait until I can get it to our son who has an industrial bandsaw. Sheoak is a casuarina which are some of the hardest timbers in the world as well as some of most showy figure. How it was turned with carbon steel and treadle lathes I dread to think.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

That grain looks fabulous. If it's that hard I bet it takes fine detail really well too. Would love to get my hands on some of that. I've not seen it here

 

[JimB]

I rough turned this to about an inch and three-quarters. Still has lots of flaws but I wiped a bit of linseed on to see how it would come up.

 

[SimonT]

=D> Wow, love the effect of the grain. Almost like its torn . . . . Bravo !

 

[procell]

Lovely looking grain. wish we could get it here

 

[Woodmonkey]

Saw a few boards of that in Yandles last week

Edit: sorry no it was silky oak not sheoak

 

[JimB]

The grain is similar to silky oak in some ways but far more flamboyant. Victorian Silky Oak is grevillea robusta and is a common street tree around here. Its blossom, is fantastic looking more tropical than dryland.
It's a lovely wood to use, not too hard, takes French Polish beautifully and the medullary rays are similar to real oak.
You'll never see logs or prunings of it in the street. Woodturners are practically catching it as it falls.

 

[winemaker]

Nice looking,wood love the grain

 

[JimB]

A couple more photos, The larger piece is about 12 x 8 in inches. Understandably it is sometimes called beefwood.

 

[JimB]

Couldn't resist one more picture of a couple of offcuts straight off the bandsaw. When they look like that it's difficult to use them as kindling but... :shock: