gidgee

General discussions. Politics, scuttlebutt, whatever: you're getting married, changing jobs, got a gripe or a compliment, dying to get out with the bow etc.....

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
bigbob
Posts: 4098
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:55 pm
Location: sunshine coast

gidgee

#1 Post by bigbob » Tue Jul 17, 2012 5:38 pm

Anyone know the area purple gidgee is endemic and identification notes?
nil illigitimo in desperandum carborundum
razorbows.com

kerry
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 430
Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:48 pm
Location: The Summit QLD.

Re: gidgee

#2 Post by kerry » Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:17 pm

we lived out Charleville way when i was a kid, it used to grow out that way, don't know if it was purple gidgee but sure did pong. :biggrin:
Life is not a fairy tale,if you lose a shoe at midnight , you're drunk.

User avatar
bigbob
Posts: 4098
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:55 pm
Location: sunshine coast

Re: gidgee

#3 Post by bigbob » Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:16 pm

Thanks Kerry. Got a vague idea that there was some reference to smell in whatever I was reading. Dementia kicking in! Think it might have merit as a riser material.
nil illigitimo in desperandum carborundum
razorbows.com

User avatar
Stickbow Hunter
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 11637
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 8:33 pm
Location: Maryborough Queensland

Re: gidgee

#4 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:24 pm

Gidgee has a smell all its own Bob; especially when things are damp. :lol: Can't help you with your Purple Gidgee question I'm sorry.

Jeff

User avatar
Gringa Bows
Posts: 6331
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:09 pm
Location: Bundaberg QLD

Re: gidgee

#5 Post by Gringa Bows » Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:34 pm

I read somewhere that Gidgee turns purplish with age......ive used it in tips and highlights,very nice stuff :wink:

User avatar
bigbob
Posts: 4098
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:55 pm
Location: sunshine coast

Re: gidgee

#6 Post by bigbob » Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:40 am

Thanks Jeff and Rod, will keep it in mind.
nil illigitimo in desperandum carborundum
razorbows.com

slvrslngr
Posts: 199
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:47 am
Location: SoCal

Re: gidgee

#7 Post by slvrslngr » Sun Jul 22, 2012 1:31 am

Contact Rob Nichol of Flatline Bows, he scored a piece of purple gidgee and used it in my and a couple other of his bows. It definitely has a purple hue to it and Rob told me it should continue turning purple as it ages.

User avatar
bigbob
Posts: 4098
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:55 pm
Location: sunshine coast

Re: gidgee

#8 Post by bigbob » Sun Jul 22, 2012 12:46 pm

Thanks slv knew i read about it somewhere, it was on Robs posts.
nil illigitimo in desperandum carborundum
razorbows.com

User avatar
Flatliner
Posts: 449
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:12 pm
Location: Gordonvale NTH QLD

Re: gidgee

#9 Post by Flatliner » Sun Jul 22, 2012 7:23 pm

Hey Bob, I got the Purple Gidgee from a local timber merchant here in Cairns who had a palet of meter long logs ranging in diameter from 100mm to 150mm. The piece I bought was 150mm and the only one out of the lot that was any thing like straight and cost $168 :shock:
From what Ive read the purple one is found in small pockets ranging from about my latidude down to mid NSW and at least 2-300 KM off the coast. At that price I wouldn't mind finding a patch my self, just need the time to go and look,,,,,,one day :neutral: ,,,,,can't wait for one day, heeps of stuff's gona happen when it finally gets here.

Rob.
The shortest distance between two points is a FLATLINE
ImageEmail; robnicoll(at)bigpond(dot)com
www.flatlinebows.com.au

User avatar
danceswithdingoes
Posts: 567
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 5:48 pm
Location: Kyogle NSW

Re: gidgee

#10 Post by danceswithdingoes » Sun Jul 22, 2012 11:29 pm

Lots near Narrabri in the Pilliga
ImageImage

User avatar
bigbob
Posts: 4098
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:55 pm
Location: sunshine coast

Re: gidgee

#11 Post by bigbob » Mon Jul 23, 2012 8:25 am

Thanks Rob and Dances, guess I'll file it in my memory bank for now :roll: :roll: :surprised: :wink: :lol: :lol: Wont be getting too far into the scrub at the moment.
nil illigitimo in desperandum carborundum
razorbows.com

User avatar
jonow
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 8:48 am
Location: NW QLD

Re: gidgee

#12 Post by jonow » Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:08 am

Not sure whether it is purple gidgee or not but I live pretty close to a couple of varieties of gidgee here.
I have a pile of dead stuff in the front yard for cooking outside with :)
If I can be of any assistance let me know, I know gidgee is a beautifully dark heart wood.

Jono
"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them" Psalm 127

User avatar
bigbob
Posts: 4098
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:55 pm
Location: sunshine coast

Re: gidgee

#13 Post by bigbob » Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:51 am

Thanks for your answer Jono, looking at your location to mine I 'm afraid the distance involved would make it impractical, but thanks greatly for your post. Its just something i thought if it was available locally [ and it may well be] i might be able to source some here.
nil illigitimo in desperandum carborundum
razorbows.com

User avatar
perry
Posts: 1925
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:59 pm
Location: morayfield qld australia

Re: gidgee

#14 Post by perry » Wed Jul 25, 2012 8:03 pm

I cut a Purple Gidgee Tree back in 95 on a huge Property that had the Bulloo River Flowing through it out Quilpie way, Something like 80 Miles x 30 Miles x 45 Miles or something equally as Big. Had the Dog Fence running through it and we Camped at the 50 Mile Hut - literally 52 Miles from the Homestead.

I made a Selfbow and dozens of Footed Arrows from the section of Trunk I brought home. I can't remember but I think I destroyed that Bow in one of my how far can I push this Timber experiments. I don't recall it being a better Shooter than any other Aussie Hardwood Bow I'd ever made

I do remember the Chainsaw had a hell of a time cutting through it and like all that type of Tree [ Gidgee , Brigalow, Mulga ] tightly grained and was Work to Split. Gorgeous bright Purple Heartwood and a Pale Yellow Sapwood. Darkened as it seasoned and did I mention it is Hard, bloody hard. Locals out there call it Dead Finish and reckon it's great for Fence Posts :shock:

From memory it had a longer more Silver Leaf than Garden Variety Gidgee, a Yellow Flower ??? and a distinctive odour. Stained my Hands bad aswell. I never got back out to that Property, I would like to bring home another Silver Gidgee Tree. Last Tree I bought home was a Beefwood, back in 08. Beefwood makes a beatifull Bow Lamination, still have some Laminations here somewhere and hundreds of Arrow Footings cut up.

regards Perry
"To my deep morticication my father once said to me, 'You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family.' "

- Charles Darwin

User avatar
bigbob
Posts: 4098
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:55 pm
Location: sunshine coast

Re: gidgee

#15 Post by bigbob » Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:30 am

Great info Perry. I recall that there was a tree up around my previous stomping grounds of N.Q that the locals referred to as dead finish. It was just a tree that i thought if I came across some at some time it might be useful.
nil illigitimo in desperandum carborundum
razorbows.com

Post Reply