Eucalyptus Firewood

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Mistik-ka
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by Mistik-ka »

thirdcrank wrote:It's really just idle curiosity, triggered by the comments about weight above. One of the facts about lignum vitae is that it won't float in water, but I suspect if it's not an urban myth it's a police canteen myth that it's unique in not floating.

I have just put a piece of lignum vitae and a piece of African ebony (both identified by the reputable specialty wood dealer from whom I purchased them more than 40 years ago) in a basin of water. Neither floated.

You're welcome. :wink:
thirdcrank
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by thirdcrank »

My artefacts are a couple of police truncheons. One is what I was issued with in 1967 and as I rarely carried it, it's almost like new. The other is one I acquired somewhere along the way which has seen quite a bit of use but not by me. Typical truncheon damage comes from breaking glass eg when gaining access to a house when there's concern for the occupant. Both are surprisingly heavy in that if you had never held one and picked it up you would be surprised at the weight. At some stage they began making them from something much lighter and I fancy that's where the received knowledge about lignum vitae came in: canteen comparisons.

Once upon a time, everything like that had to be handed in and accounted for on leaving, which is probably why I hung onto the spare one in case anybody was missing theirs when they retired. When rigid handcuffs and American batons were issued they said everybody could keep their old stuff.

PS Forgot to say: neither of mine float, although it's a long time since I experimented.
rjb
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by rjb »

Lignum vitae was used extensively as shielding in the nuclear industry. The refuelling equipment at the magnox Hinkley Point A is a case in point. The Hole preparation and the Fuelling machine used 100s of tons of it. How many crown green bowls could have been made from it. :lol:
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pwa
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by pwa »

Mick F wrote:
Paulatic wrote:
VinceLedge wrote:In favour of Leylandii, a mate is removing a sizeable hedge of it and I have acquired a significant amount of firewood, win all round!
Perhaps this should be the fate of all Leylandii hedges?

Good luck with that.
I cut some down and it must of been cut at least 6 years before it made it to the hearth. Awful to split too.
Exactly.
Leylandii isn't worth the petrol in the chainsaw.
Don't plant the damned things in the first place. Pointless trees which are of no use at all, not even for firewood.

I used to think that, but then I encountered a man who has a long established hedge of the stuff and it has been properly clipped several times a year for decades. It has been kept at the desired height and width and makes the densest, neatest hedge you could wish for. But that is the thing: if you have it as hedging it will work beautifully if you clip it a lot in the growing season. If you fail to do that you lose control because you can't cut back further than the green stuff without creating nasty bare patches.
francovendee
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by francovendee »

Mick F wrote:
As for lignum, it's the only wood that doesn't float. If you want to fill a bath, try floating it. If it floats, it's not lignum.


When at school my woodwork teacher had a display of hardwoods that he'd show us and explain what they could be used for.
I remember him hitting a piece of Lignum with a hammer and it sounded just like hitting metal.
Without machine tools it must have been a nightmare to work with.
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Mick F
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by Mick F »

Back to Leyland Cypress .......

Yes, they make neat hedging, but need to be clipped many times a year every year ad infinitum. If you don't, you'll kill it when you eventually do trim it.

The problem, other than the work, is (at least) four-fold.
One, the resulting hedge can be more than 6ft thick which detracts from useable garden space.
Two, they seem to absorb daylight! If you are to the north of one, it's terrible.
Three, nothing will grow near them as they seem to acidify the soil. Not just the light issue.
Four, there have been tens of thousands of legal disputes about these trees.

If you want a nice hedge, try good old-fashioned privet, and privet wood burns nicely too.
Mick F. Cornwall
thirdcrank
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by thirdcrank »

Re the uses of lignum vitae, at some point in the past which I can't put any sort of date on, some senior medico made a plea for some of the stuff. That may date it to before I retired as it may have been in the Police Federation mag asking for old truncheons. IIRC they wanted to use it for heart valves. All a bit vague now. I also have the idea from somewhere that it was once used for canal lock gates.
Mike Sales
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by Mike Sales »

thirdcrank wrote: I also have the idea from somewhere that it was once used for canal lock gates.


Greenheart, I think. Possibly oak too.
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Jdsk
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by Jdsk »

rjb wrote:Lignum vitae was used extensively as shielding in the nuclear industry. The refuelling equipment at the magnox Hinkley Point A is a case in point. The Hole preparation and the Fuelling machine used 100s of tons of it.

I've heard of wood laminate being used but not that. Sounds fascinating, Any further reading available, please?

Thanks

Jonathan
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ncutler
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by ncutler »

Lignum vitae was commonly used for ships' stern tube bearings. Wearing properties were surprisingly good and the bearing was lubricated with salt water.

... just googled, and surprised to find that these things are not confined to the nautical history of cast iron, rivets and the temple of steam; still in current use: https://lignumvitaesolutions.com/marine/
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Jdsk
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by Jdsk »

Yes, isn't that fascinating?

Jonathan
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Mick F
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by Mick F »

ncutler wrote:Lignum vitae was commonly used for ships' stern tube bearings.
Not in my knowledge of RN frigates.
Bronze (phosphor bronze?) was and still is used I think.

Sea story alert! :D

I joined HMS Achilles in March 1971 as a wide-eyed young 18yo apprentice for my year at sea.
We sailed from Devonport via Gib, Ascension, St Helena, Simonstown (near Capetown), Madagascar, Mombassa, Gan (Maldives) and Singapore where we stayed a couple of weeks.

From there, right round the bottom of Oz to Sydney, then across to NZ (Aukland, Gisborne, Nelson) then Fiji, Villa in the New Hebrides (now called Vanuatu) on our way to Hong Kong ................................ but ......................

One of the stern bearings "wiped" and we had to limp on one shaft back via Port Morseby (Papua New Guinea), Darwin Oz, and back to good old Singapore where we went into dry dock for a couple of months whilst they replaced the bronze bearings and possibly a whole shaft. Can't remember it specifically, but they had to remove the propellors and at least one of the shafts.

Home via Cochin (India), Bahrein (Persian Gulf) and Mombassa where I flew home as my year was up and carried on with my apprenticeship. Achilles went via the same route back to Devonport and was away for 15months in total.

You tell the children of today all that, and they wouldn't believe you! :wink:
Mick F. Cornwall
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Mick F
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by Mick F »

Try a chunk of eucalyptus.
I can assure you all, that it's so heavy it doesn't float.

Tried it just now in the kitchen sink. The chunk just sat there on the bottom whilst completely covered with water.
Mrs Mick F bears witness to this.
Mick F. Cornwall
Pebble
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by Pebble »

Is it seasoned and otherwise dry ?

few woods are denser than water, but apparently a 'Blue Gum' (which i think is a type of eucalyptus?) is close
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wood ... -d_40.html
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Mick F
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Re: Eucalyptus Firewood

Post by Mick F »

Yep.
Dead and dry and excellent firewood ............. but heavy.
Mick F. Cornwall
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