Aacacia for woodturning?...!

[G*P]

Can you buy acacia anywhere?

I am a partner in a craftwood business that exports timber worldwide.

What kinds of timber, would be most artful for your design process?

We always source the appropriate commercial permits, licenses, support local farmers etc.. And in this case, should probably have large forests to forage in.. collecting fallen, damaged matter etc.

We're already extracting tree cancer from Mulga country, but i'm not sure if this is an attractive to amateur woodturners as mulga is renown as being rather dense, and unpredictable to 'turn'. For those who can process it, I have access to many hundreds of tonnes of fallen mulga.

Please reply if you have some constructive help. Species selection, considerations, legislative concerns, advice etc.

Many thanks.

Edited April 3, 2009 by G*P

[G*P]

sustainable, mailorder acacia.. anyone?

Edited April 1, 2009 by G*P

[Brero]

Kickarse idea. I'm eagerly watching the thread but don't have the knowledge to make any worthwhile input sorry.

[muffinz]

Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) is fairly popular in wood working in general. Also quite readily available probably as it grows right down the eastern side of australia and most of tassie. Has a lot of character to it, deep colour and nice patterns. Most exotic and specialty timber yards would have some or be able to get some.

http://islandspecialtytimbers.com.au/shops...mbers/blackwood

The caution at the bottom is something to note. I remember my woodworking teacher in high school couldnt even get close to a recently cut peice of blackwood. He would have a pretty severe reaction and get a blood nose.

Other Acacias for woodworking are Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) and Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii). But Blackwood is the go for turning.

These guys have all three Acacias I mentioned and mail order:

http://www.tasmaniantimbers.com.au/tas-timbers.html

[G*P]

Thanks,

and for those who may want to turn any other species?

any more opinions, and advice?

Edited April 3, 2009 by G*P

[muffinz]

lol I thought that was what you were after but the first post is rather convincing.

Those species don't tend to get used in woodwork. Even if you could find someone selling the timber they would probably be sold 'prepared' some extent, i.e. milled to slabs, meaning no bark. If your after acacia 'incense', mimosa style, it doesn't appear to be available at all and is more than likely illegal.

Good luck in your search tho.

[Chiral]

Nice try...I would think that if these Acacia where grown and harvested by said company as in sustainable small forests then there could well be some profit and use for the wood.

There are currently places that sell sawdust..that is an area of consideration...once again you would need to be harvesting purpose grown trees and milling the wood for sale.

I imagine a well organised and well advertised marketing scheme and you could have some impact..such as Acacia furniture..using the Australiana format could well be a market...at least its not made in China...

what to do with all those off cuts and sawdust huh....nothing is impossible.

H.

Edited April 2, 2009 by Hunab Ku

[planthelper]

australia has some of the finest cabinetmaking timbers in the world!

obtusifolia and longifolia are ok for wood work, but they don't grow into very big trees so, comercial interresst is zilch and for wood turning the items would stay small aswell.

melanoxylon is a very beautyfull timber and can be compared to european walnut.

there is another acacia,

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...?showtopic=3316

which was held in very high esteem as wood work timber, but it is very rare now for that reason.

maybe some western australian acacias fitting this profile would be more available.

[G*P]

I'm not looking to buy acacia. I can most likely supply lots of it, for woodturning.

I've seen many beautiful acacias, crafted into a variety of things.

Quote from Hunab Ku:

...once again you would need to be harvesting purpose grown trees and milling the wood for sale.

Usually not- Upon private land and very often on 'crown' land, all that is required are the proper permissions. Often, the trees are legally allowed to be slashed and burnt, or worse- taken for firewood, when there are a great many art and craft potentials for them. Even broad export markets. Creating jobs, and building awareness of the unique importance of our native resources .

Other situations include when roads, or clearings are being made..

Even if it only comes down to my conscience, I suppose there could be potential in replanting more seedlings of the same trees are harvesting the required ones.

Any more ideas?

Further health ?

Edited April 3, 2009 by G*P

[shruman]

Pretty sure you have a pretty good grasp of it G*P, but check this thread out, spelled out pretty clearly in there that what you want to do would be considered illegal.

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...12532&st=25

[MindExpansion]

Not to mention fairly unethical.

Peace

[Chiral]

I don't see anything unethical about growing a huge patch of different acacia and farming and foresting them themselves....of course a lot of land is required and some machinery but there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. Removing unwanted trees from road clearings and fire breaks could be another source too. You could approach land owners and ask if any trees needed removing...well if it's their land they can do as they please...any wild harvesting is a huge no no weather that species is considered a weed or non native too. 10 Acres out the back of Bathurst say loaded up with all the types of acacia you require..a small shed with all tools/saws required to trim down and machine the wood etc, trucks to move finished items to sale or town etc...that's a rough draft obviously but that's the way it could work.

dunno if I'm hearing you right but you get my gist.

[G*P]

Thanks guys.

Hey, with these 'ethics' that pop up all over these boards.. I still can't pierce and objective understanding of what is considered right or wrong here.

If you grow a tree for use, its still gonna bleed when you chop it.

If you extract from the wild correctly, its gonna grow back.

If anything that harms or hurts another life form is wrong, better not walk outside!

There's probably more than enough threads on ethics, but if anyone could 'cut' to the point with me here, i'd really like to flesh out a little reason.

[G*P]

You've got the idea, Hunab.

That's how things usually go.

Ethically, we can help support rural farmers that have been in drought for years..

We inject a lot of money into communities that may have become more or less stagnant..

Not unlike a tree surgeon, there are many opportunities to benefit trees by removing those parts which are not at ease..

It raises the profile of the Australian native environment across the globe.. not to mention creating many opportunities for education.

So... why is wild harvesting sO bad?

Interestingly, I think its far less ethical to re-arrange an ecosystem for the devastation of foresting..

It seems that quite a rabbit hole of thinking that has lead us here.