Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

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KellyG
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Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#1 Post by KellyG » Sun Nov 14, 2010 12:06 am

Here is a tree that grows every over here that is on old Iraqi military compound. I think the last time I came over I found out it was Eucalyptus. I can't really remember. I also posted it on another site that has a few of your country men on it and one was sure it was eucalyptus but did not know what species. Here is a pic of the leaves an fruit and one of the bark . If it is an gum or eucalyptus do you think it could be made into a bow. there is a lot of it here standing dead.
Image
Image
Thanks

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Stickbow Hunter
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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#2 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:06 am

Yeah Kelly that is a Eucalypt but I can't help you with which one it is. After the weekend some of the fellas will probably be back and be able to give you a better idea.

Jeff

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AndyD
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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#3 Post by AndyD » Sun Nov 14, 2010 5:30 pm

Hi Kelly - Im the same Aussie from Trad Gang.

Apparently working out the exact species of these are quite an art.
Perhaps one of the Australian botanist sites may help.

Such as :
http://www.au.gardenweb.com/forums/trees/

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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#4 Post by Dennis La Varenne » Sun Nov 14, 2010 6:15 pm

KellyG,
There are around 700 species of Eucalypt indigenous to Australia and they were often exported all around the world to very dry areas where much of the native tree cover had been lost over time. They are dry climate tolerant.

If you can cut some, just make a bow anyway. Dry it the normal way by sealing the endgrain for perhaps a foot in from the ends. PVA glue is fine. Iraq is pretty dry and warm like Australia, so it should dry pretty quickly. The problem will almost certainly be TOO rapid drying, so keep an eye out for longitudinal splitting.
Dennis La Varénne

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KellyG
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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#5 Post by KellyG » Sun Nov 14, 2010 9:08 pm

Thanks,
Jeff, AndyD and Dennis.
I cant cut live trees but there are lots of dead tress here. I just have to let it get cut. No drying time needed on standing dead.
Thanks again,
Kelly

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greybeard
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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#6 Post by greybeard » Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:59 pm

KellyG wrote:Thanks,
Jeff, AndyD and Dennis.
I cant cut live trees but there are lots of dead tress here. I just have to let it get cut. No drying time needed on standing dead.
Thanks again,
Kelly
How "dead" is "dead"?

If the trees are totally dried out I can not see the need to seal the ends of the cut logs. If in doubt cut the logs over length and seal them.

Some form of rehydration may be necessary.

One issue you may encounter is that when you split the logs the splits may warp once the inner tension has been relieved.

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KellyG
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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#7 Post by KellyG » Mon Nov 15, 2010 5:34 am

Greybeard,
They are dead bark peeling dead. Here is a PIC.
Image

there are atleast a half dozen or like this one.
and thanks,
Kelly

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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#8 Post by dawallace45 » Mon Nov 15, 2010 6:55 am

Get some one else to cut it , preferably some one you won't miss , those dead branches tend to snap off when your cutting the trunk , we call them widow makers

David

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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#9 Post by KellyG » Tue Nov 16, 2010 2:12 am

David,

Thanks for the addvice, good news is I want have to cut it. When it gets cut contractors will do it. The problem will be trying to get them to leave me a 6' section or so to work with. If I can get it will try and get pics up of the split stuff. It maybe who knows how long before they get around to cutting it. For now I have my eye on a some sort of cedar stump that is about 6' high.
Thanks again,
Kelly

dawallace45
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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#10 Post by dawallace45 » Tue Nov 16, 2010 9:21 am

Kelly

No problem , good idea , always get some other silly bugger to do the hard work if you can

I'm a little touchy about dead branches at the moment , had one come down on me about 3 to 4 months back , had my head down , it got me in the back of my hard hat , hit hard enough to crack my hard hat and knocked me unconscious , another inch or two further back and it probably would have broken my neck , bloody neck is still a little stiff and sore

David

KellyG
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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#11 Post by KellyG » Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:10 am

David,
did you atleast get a bow out of the limb. Just think if it could almost kill you like that what would it do as a bow. 8)
Kelly

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Re: Tree ID Help, and I think you gents are the people to ask!

#12 Post by dawallace45 » Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:41 am

Kelly

No , it was a twisted up bit of Bloodwood , no good for a bow , went well under the leg of lamb on the spit though

I mainly make Laminated longbows but I do have some Black wattle and some Red Ash on my place that I intend to turn into self bows and some reasonably seasoned Iron Bark that I want to try for Pyramid bows


David

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