Hi! Cheryl and Lloyd, Some timbers worth looking for are:- Iron Bark, this is an amazingly hard Eucalypt. It is easiest worked with a tungsten tipped chain saw. Hole would be easier if using a tungsten tipped masonry bit, resharpened to a wood cutting angle. Some of the Melaleucas, particularly the paper barks are very durable. I have seen fences across swamps a hundred years old and still standing (just) and holding stock. Some of the She Oak family can be worth looking at, as they typically self seed too close and grow tall and straight and after a few years start to crowd each other out and many will die, so there is no problem harvesting maybe a half of them.
A method used with bamboos could be worth trying. To stop insect attack, the fresh bamboo is cut and stood in a trough of water with Borax. The leaves are still on the bamboo, to maintain some respiration. The borax is drawn up the bamboo and gives long protection. As a method of protecting the sap wood, this could be worth a trial. Gil Lloyd Charles wrote: > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Cheryl Kemp <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 2:48 PM > Subject: Fw: Questions on posts for our orchard & chook yards > > > For Gil and Lloyd, > > I have had this question from a new member, and just looking over the > > discussion on the eucalyptus and wood, thought you may have some > suggestions > > for this lady, other than using treated pine timber. I thought that > cypress > > pine might be of use, what do you think! > > Thanks > > Cheryl. > > Hi Cheryl > Several thoughts 1, The type of cypress pine that Gil speaks > of in the bush hut (and there are still some good examples in shearing sheds > too) usually grew in thick stands in the drier fringe areas - the trees grew > slow and hard and that type of timber was all cut out many years ago - same > goes for the legendary durability of split pine fence posts - all cut from > the heartwood of big old trees that were the forest on land now cleared for > farming. 2. Cypress pine is the most fantastic termite resistant timber but > is not all that good in wet situations so is susceptible to rotting in the > ground. 3. It makes the most beautiful, hard wearing, decorative, laquered > timber floors, yet we continue to cut this superb timber for things like > trellis posts and firing bricks!! 4. Treated radiata would have a life > expectancy many times that of cypress pine when used for trellis or > chookyard posts and should be cheaper also. 5. I think you would find a > local hardwood that would last longer in the ground than cypress pine in > coastal or wetter tableland areas. 6.Treated radiata would be the best bet > UNLESS there is a certification issue?? > (you DO NOT BURN ANY offcuts,dust,or other leftover bits of this stuff > anywhere EVER) > Cheers > Lloyd Charles
