[TheForge] I need a piece of tree...

[Michael Horgan]

At 11:12 PM 9/18/2008, you wrote:
>Thanks Grant; Answers my Q .
>I agree about taper being important. The local oaks have nice hard 
>wood but it doesn't stand up well as handles. The wood rats just 
>loved the black locust i planted with handles in mind....sapling was 
>completely gone in 2 days.
>Been wondering about some of the eucalyptus species..seems like 
>tough, stringy stuff, and very available.   pf

My experience with eucalyptus is that it tends to be brittle, Peter 
works ok when worked green but cracks easily when drying,  I tried 
splitting some out for tool handles (lathe turned chisel handles) 
after drying for a year, here, but the handles still tended to 
shatter on impact


Michael D. Horgan , lughaid at earthlink.net
http://members.aol.com/lughaid/
posting from
  A BRAZEN FORGERY
Blacksmithing and Metalwork
Claremont, Ca.