What I mean when I say figured timber

[Iron.and.bark]

Been pretty sick lately, so been browsing more than usual. Came across this site.

http://australianburls.com/AustralianBurls/Aussie_Hardwoods/Aussie_Hardwoods.htm

The Birdseye sheoak pieces here were originally milled by me (still have some left). Abit sad to see the two biggest slabs had been broken up (had visions of a butterflied natural edge table).

Needless to say, I didn't get remotely the prices the end seller asked and got.

Birdseye like this is rare on a monumental scale, must confess makes me feel abit proud.

 

[TimRD]

That is some beautiful wood, and great work milling it!

Are sheoaks common trees, and the figured nature is what sets these apart from other pieces, and how large of a tree/slabs did it produce before being resawn?

Thanks for posting, I had never heard of that species before.

 

[Iron.and.bark]

That is some beautiful wood, and great work milling it!

Are sheoaks common trees, and the figured nature is what sets these apart from other pieces, and how large of a tree/slabs did it produce before being resawn?

Thanks for posting, I had never heard of that species before.

This link will give you a basic run down on west Australian sheoak.

http://www.fpc.wa.gov.au/node/1001

It is incorrect on the size though (both in diameter and height - 15m = ~ 50 feet). It does get larger, but who want to argue with college/university degree holders.

The shape of the tree is very random though. Get a book, open it holding both covers. Any shape you can make a sheoak will and can grow in. It has a reputation for splitting badly, mostly because people don't know how to mill it.

Now I want to clarify, birdseye sheoak isn't a sperate species. It is as far as I know an extremely rare and random growth pattern, like a burl (though it's not a fissure in the tree like a burl is) that can occur in a lot of varieties (heck maybe ever tree species). For example birdseye maple is still maple.

Anyway these slabs were around 6 foot from memory. 6 foot of straight sheoak is a large slab, milled over 12ft only a could of times. Tree will fork, then you need to mill again above fork etc

 

[Brewz]

That is amazing timber mate.
Makes me excited about getting into a bit of milling.

Finding the timber is the tough bit