Can someone identify this log

[Boon]

Hi all, went to alot of trouble to get this log delivered home. I had the impression it was a red cedar from the look of the cut branches on the trunk, milling showed otherwise. Not quiet what I had envisioned inside but was there and set up to mill so finished the job.

Can any one identify what kind of pine this is, all I have is the photo of the log and bark.

 

[Boon]

 

[abbott295]

Knotty?

 

[abbott295]

It may not even be a pine but some other softwood that I would have no idea what they might look like inside. Oh, and you're in Australia. What do they have for choices over there? (Down there)

 

[Boon]

At first I was thinking cypress pine but to me it does not fit the bill but it was fairly hard for what I though was pine.
Down under mostly hard woods, turpentine is a favourite....contains silica and is used in wharves, boat building and railway sleepers. We don't have alot of the nice soft woods like in the U.S.. Some area's have alot of Radiata Pine. They used to make mouse traps from it and match sticks, now millions of acres for building materials also high in turpentine within the resin. Do have the exotic species but not native so fewer to choose from.
How about where you are?

Sent from my RM-915_apac_australia_new_zealand_215 using Tapatalk

 

[Boon]

Here are photos from a tree I think is the same species






Have searched but not been able to identify, to me it does not look like cedar but am no expert

 

[Homelite410]

Looks like Atlantic white cedar.

 

[Tree Feller]

Not sure what kind, but it's a cedar for sure!

 

[abbott295]

So if it's not native to Australia, it could be anything from anywhere? Arborvitae? A true cedar maybe? Certainly not Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginana) that I think of when someone says red cedar.

 

[Boon]

Not sure what kind, but it's a cedar for sure!

Is it good for anything?

 

[Boon]

So if it's not native to Australia, it could be anything from anywhere? Arborvitae? A true cedar maybe? Certainly not Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginana) that I think of when someone says red cedar.

Yes, I agree to me a cedar is red and has that unmistakable smell

 

[Tree Feller]

Is it good for anything?

I don't really know? We have Eastern Red Cedar here! Real good for post and such. The bugs don't eat it and it takes forever to rot. Not sure if thats the case with this one?

 

[Tree Feller]

Yes, I agree to me a cedar is red and has that unmistakable smell

Google white cedar. It looks real similar to your pics.

 

[Boon]

Google white cedar. It looks real similar to your pics.

Yes it seems like you are correct, the thing is a native also.
Looked foreign to me but suppose anything looks foreign when gum trees out number everything else in the area. It was the unusual pattern in the off shoot branches that got me in to thinking it was a red. Next time!
Thanks all for helping solve that one

 

[psgflier]

When I first saw it I thought it was an Alaskan yellow cedar, then I looked at your tag, long way from Alaska. Looks a lot like some of the trees that grow here on the verge of muskeg, with the shaggy, ropy bark.
Probably some kind of cyprus, which is what what we call cedars, as well as junipers and redwood, are. True cedars are a different cat altogether.
Just found this doing a search: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Cedar
and: http://www.conifers.org/cu/Libocedrus_bidwillii.php

 

[Boon]

When I first saw it I thought it was an Alaskan yellow cedar, then I looked at your tag, long way from Alaska. Looks a lot like some of the trees that grow here on the verge of muskeg, with the shaggy, ropy bark.
Probably some kind of cyprus, which is what what we call cedars, as well as junipers and redwood, are. True cedars are a different cat altogether.
Just found this doing a search: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Cedar
and: http://www.conifers.org/cu/Libocedrus_bidwillii.php

from the Wiki:"The timber seldom becomes commercially available. It is very light in weight and a distinct light purple when cut. The timber in small dimension sizes is prone to spiral and twist when cut"

It seems to be one of those logs where not sure comes into it. The fresh bark had a purplish color to it and the edges of the grain on the log a bit pink/purplish. I am on the East coast of Australia and this one comes from New Zealand, there seems to be quiet a few in the area planted in private gardens so it could be from elsewhere. The boards when cut did not twist, perhaps when drying they will do it..........time will tell. Thank you for the input

 

[psgflier]

From an urban area it could be anything planted as a decorative shrub. You could check around and see what kind of trees are sold for landscaping.
I don't see any spiraling in the bark, which is a pretty good indication of twist in the wood. If it didn't arch when you released the boards from the log,it probably doesn't have much tension in it.
If it has a strong smell and shows pitch, it's probably pretty decay resistant, most cedars are.
Keep the boards out of the sun and dry them slowly and they should be ok. They will probably cup and check around the pith or heart

 

[Boon]

From an urban area it could be anything planted as a decorative shrub. You could check around and see what kind of trees are sold for landscaping.
I don't see any spiraling in the bark, which is a pretty good indication of twist in the wood. If it didn't arch when you released the boards from the log,it probably doesn't have much tension in it.
If it has a strong smell and shows pitch, it's probably pretty decay resistant, most cedars are.
Keep the boards out of the sun and dry them slowly and they should be ok. They will probably cup and check around the pith or heart

Will do, it is winter here so temps are 8 - 24 degrees, drying should be a bit easier on the slabs.

Milled some really nice Chinese Elm in mid summer and the result was undesirable...never again! Made sure to cut through the pith on this one, see what happens.

 

[allaboutfishin]

Plus one on the cedar.

 

[BC WetCoast]

Looks like Western Red cedar to me. Thuja plicata