Promoting Jarrah and She-Oak from West Australia

Question:

spelce writes: Moxon Hardwoods in Portland, Oregon, and Virginia (USA) is an Aussie based company and has many varieties of wood from down under, including jarrah and she-oak.

Where in VA: hate to say it, but with more than 7,000,000 people in the state, and many, many cities and even more towns, I’d hate to have to check all the phone books. Charlie Self Word Worker

Response:

spelce writes: Moxon Hardwoods in Portland, Oregon, and Virginia (USA) is an Aussie based company and has many varieties of wood from down under, including jarrah and she-oak. Where in VA: hate to say it, but with more than 7,000,000 people in the state, and many, many cities and even more towns, I’d hate to have to check all the phone books.

A quick search shows there is a Moxon and Company located in Australia (http://www.ajh.com.au/en/members_name/moxon_e.htm) . It does have a Virginia office but no address is given. The phone number given is 540 869 5661. While there is a Moxon Hardwoods in Portland, OR, it’s not listed on the Moxon and Company web page so I don’t know whether they are really related. …Lou — Louis F. Fernandez Sequent Computer Systems

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I agree that both are beautiful woods. I brought back a couple of turning blanks of each from a recent business trip to Australia. Very nice wood. I’ll try to get some pictures of before and after working on my web site. Of course I not done with both yet…why did I promise to build that deck? Rusty Myers Dear NG, I and my partner own a small sawmill in Perth, Western Australia. I notice that two of our most popular timbers, Jarrah and She Oak (also known in as "Australian Lacewood" I think), are not readily available in the US and UK for reasons that puzzle me. You seem to be able to get esoteric timbers like Zebrawood and Bubinga and Wenge and Pink Ivory and a whole bunch of East Asian timbers in your countries, but our own Jarrah and She-Oak appear to be relatively unknown. Over here they are stock in trade timbers, used for furniture, turning and, in the case of Jarrah even as structural timber and (shudder!) for railway sleepers. To increase awareness of these timbers, I would like to promote our Jarrah and She-Oak in the US and UK. So if anybody is interested in getting a small sample of these timbers for a small project, or just a polished square or two to see what they look like, We’ll be kiln-drying some of these very shortly and it will take a while to dry, so be prepared to wait. Regards, Joseph Lieberfreund.

Moxon Hardwoods in Portland, Oregon, and Virginia (USA) is an Aussie based company and has many varieties of wood from down under, including jarrah and she-oak. I can recommend them for service and quality. — —– Tom Spelce 211 Augustine Drive Martinez, CA 94553

Response:

Jarrah: My outdoor furniture is made of the stuff. It’s been out there in the UV-rich Australian sun and pissing rain for two years now. Colour is still

original. As I live in Jarrah country (Southwest Australia) virtually all outdoor furniture here and 90% of high quality indoor furniture is made of Jarrah. It’s also used for housing (roof frames, floors, doors, windows), some small boats, trophies, woodturning, carving etc, but most of it unfortunuately is turned into woodchips and charcoal. Jarrah is not a renewable source. There are no plantations. When all the old growth Jarrah is cut down only a few reserve forrests will be left. There are no plantations because to produce a fully grown Jarrah tree takes 300 to 500 years. Many of us here are lobbying to limit Jarrah usage to high value-added products such as furniture and other internal housing needs. — John D Newman Hillcrest Woodcraft, Darlington, Western Australia. Restorer/collector scientific instruments.

Response:

Larry – I can’t swear, but I think the latest issue of AW has a outdoor table pattern with an article on Jarrah.

I’ll take a peek at a bookstore tomorrow. (Wouldn’t think of buying a copy after hearing all the crap they’re pulling with subscriptions, tho.) Save the + http://www.diversify.com Endangered SKEETS! + Executive Gifts Online

Response:

I agree that both are beautiful woods. I brought back a couple of turning blanks of each from a recent business trip to Australia. Very nice wood. I’ll try to get some pictures of before and after working on my web site. Of course I not done with both yet…why did I promise to build that deck? Rusty Myers

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dear NG, I and my partner own a small sawmill in Perth, Western Australia. I notice that two of our most popular timbers, Jarrah and She Oak (also known in as "Australian Lacewood" I think), are not readily available in the US and UK for reasons that puzzle me. You seem to be able to get esoteric timbers like Zebrawood and Bubinga and Wenge and Pink Ivory and a whole bunch of East Asian timbers in your countries, but our own Jarrah and She-Oak appear to be relatively unknown. Over here they are stock in trade timbers, used for furniture, turning and, in the case of Jarrah even as structural timber and (shudder!) for railway sleepers. To increase awareness of these timbers, I would like to promote our Jarrah and She-Oak in the US and UK. So if anybody is interested in getting a small sample of these timbers for a small project, or just a polished square or two to see what they look like, We’ll be kiln-drying some of these very shortly and it will take a while to dry, so be prepared to wait. Regards, Joseph Lieberfreund.

Response:

remember correctly althought it’s a great inside wood, they say it’s one of the best woods for outdoor use also. It’s suppose to be virtually waterproof and

Well, FWIW: My outdoor furniture is made of the stuff. It’s been out there in the UV-rich Australian sun and pissing rain for two years now. Colour is still original. Last year I gave it a good wash to take out all the bird poo marks. Coated it with oil/varnish mix. Been looking like I bought it last week since. Deep brown-red colour. It was a bit expensive, but compared to the other el-cheapo stuff I got at the same time that lasted 3 months, I reckon it was a great deal. It used to be turned into railway sleepers before someone woke up and figured it would make a great outdoor furniture wood. Thank God for that! I’m also using it for the top of my new family room table. This needs to be kid-proof and I think Jarrah will fit the bill. Not even my little Sam can put a dent on it! — Cheers Nuno Souto Is there a nospam domain? http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/the_Den

Response:

But interestinly enough, it’s not too bad to work with hand tools. If you’re used to working woods like Goncalo Alves and tulipwood (the rosewood, not the poplar), it’s not really a problem. Jarrah timber turns like a dream; Jarrah burl is a little tricky because of the interesting voids and the contrast between the hard and soft regions.

Response:

Larry – I can’t swear, but I think the latest issue of AW has a outdoor table pattern with an article on Jarrah. My magazine is in the truck, so I might be wrong on some of this but if I remember correctly althought it’s a great inside wood, they say it’s one of the best woods for outdoor use also. It’s suppose to be virtually waterproof and harder than hard maple and I believe they said oak – hard on tools. Only grows in one little section of Australia. And, the look is similar, though more figured than mahogany. And, it’s suppose to run about $5.50 bf in the US. Looks interesting enough that I might even look for it on my next trip to the lumber yard. Jolyn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -It’s a good thing I put "probably" in there, huh? <vbg I’ll have to look up that tree and take a peek at the grain. It sounds quite interesting. The conifer the painter drew didn’t give me enough information.

Response:

Small world. I attended an oil painting session with a countryman of yours (Robert Hagen) on Friday. He mentioned painting "she-oak" trees and everyone in the group went "HUH?!?" After painting one, he showed us that they were fir trees, probably what we call Pines. And your Jarrah probably translates into a common in Southern California, the Eucalyptus (red gum). Larry, she-oak is a casuarina. That is far removed from pine or firs. Their wood has internal "eyes", like bird’s eye maple, but is much darker and more reddish than maple.

It’s a good thing I put "probably" in there, huh? <vbg I’ll have to look up that tree and take a peek at the grain. It sounds quite interesting. The conifer the painter drew didn’t give me enough information. Also, note the following re Eucalypt trees. What you have seen in the US are fast growing varieties that are mainly useful for paper making or cheap wood battens. They are throw-away wood over here, although with luck one can find good pieces.

They sure weren’t any good for RR ties, I tell ya. "Marginata" is the species that Jarrah comes from . You can’t get a more different wood from Mountain Ash for example, which comes from species "Regnans". Yet they are both the same genus Eucalyptus.

I’ve seen clear-finished Jarrah pieces on Aussie websites which look quite similar to the American Eucalyptus pieces I’ve seen here. Yes, I’m aware that there are far too many species I haven’t seen hereabouts and bow to your (half?) vast knowledge on the subject. <gd&r If you can get hold of Jarrah or River Red Gum or one of the many high quality gum tree woods, I urge you to do so. It is an unforgettable experience!

Will do. All I can find around here is that May hog schtuff. G’day, mate. Like peace and quiet? Buy a phoneless cord. http://www/diversify.com/stees.html Hilarious T-shirts online

Response:

hereabouts and bow to your (half?) vast knowledge on the subject.

Yeah, right! More like (tenth?) vast? <G — Cheers Nuno Souto http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/the_Den

Response:

For your Information: Please see pages 52-53 of Issue # 73 (June,1999) of "American Woodworker". This issue features a project made from Jarrah wood as well as a description and list of sources. Hope this helps. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

The Jarrah from the land of Oz is very very hard, it is not nice to carbide router bits or saw blades. Worked some for a cd/video stand that I built after I returned from Oz. Made me really appreciate some of the burl woodturnings I saw down there. George – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Small world. I attended an oil painting session with a countryman of yours (Robert Hagen) on Friday. He mentioned painting "she-oak" trees and everyone in the group went "HUH?!?" After painting one, he showed us that they were fir trees, probably what we call Pines. Casuarina (she-oak) what we call pine? Not quite old boy. The she-oaks reside in the family Casuarinaceae and in the genus Allocasuarina. The helpful chaps at the Australian National Botanic Gardens http://155.187.10.12/aborig.s.e.aust/casuarina-sp.html as well as the plethora of Aussie tree centerfolds at http://www.anbg.gov.au/images/photo_cd/casuarinaceae/ give a great tour of the Allocasuarina/Casuarina genus. And your Jarrah probably translates into a common in Southern California, the Eucalyptus (red gum). I’m not sure if the red gum you speak of is really of the genus Eucalyptus or is perhaps the sweet red gum Liquidambar styraciflua. Even if it is of the genus Eucalyptus, I doubt that it’s Eucalyptus marginata (Jarrah). Bottom line, Jarrah and the She-Oaks are unlike any trees you’ll find in the USofA and are indeed, quite nice hardwoods to work with. /stephan – shameless woodslut and collector of timbers from the land of Oz.

Response:

Larry, she-oak is a casuarina. That is far removed from pine or firs. Their wood has internal "eyes", like bird’s eye maple, but is much darker and more reddish than maple. Also, note the following re Eucalypt trees. What you have seen in the US are fast growing varieties that are mainly useful for paper making or cheap wood battens. They are throw-away wood over here, although with luck one can find good pieces. There are hundreds of varieties of Eucalypts in Australia. They range from small garden shrub-type trees to the tallest hardwood in the world. The range of colours, textures, grain patterns, work properties and wood properties is no less wide. "Marginata" is the species that Jarrah comes from . You can’t get a more different wood from Mountain Ash for example, which comes from species "Regnans". Yet they are both the same genus Eucalyptus. (or maybe I have the species/genus the wrong way around, doesn’t matter, the message is: they are completely different). If you can get hold of Jarrah or River Red Gum or one of the many high quality gum tree woods, I urge you to do so. It is an unforgettable experience! — Cheers Nuno Souto http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/the_Den

Response:

Casuarina (she-oak) what we call pine? Not quite old boy. The she-oaks reside in the family Casuarinaceae and in the genus Allocasuarina. The helpful chaps at the Australian National Botanic Gardens http://155.187.10.12/aborig.s.e.aust/casuarina-sp.html as well as the plethora of Aussie tree centerfolds at http://www.anbg.gov.au/images/photo_cd/casuarinaceae/ give a great tour of the Allocasuarina/Casuarina genus. And your Jarrah probably translates into a common in Southern California, the Eucalyptus (red gum).

I’m not sure if the red gum you speak of is really of the genus Eucalyptus or is perhaps the sweet red gum Liquidambar styraciflua. Even if it is of the genus Eucalyptus, I doubt that it’s Eucalyptus marginata (Jarrah). Bottom line, Jarrah and the She-Oaks are unlike any trees you’ll find in the USofA and are indeed, quite nice hardwoods to work with. /stephan – shameless woodslut and collector of timbers from the land of Oz.

Response:

To increase awareness of these timbers, I would like to promote our Jarrah and She-Oak in the US and UK.

Small world. I attended an oil painting session with a countryman of yours (Robert Hagen) on Friday. He mentioned painting "she-oak" trees and everyone in the group went "HUH?!?" After painting one, he showed us that they were fir trees, probably what we call Pines. And your Jarrah probably translates into a common in Southern California, the Eucalyptus (red gum). Note to Rob for the FAQ: http://rare-woods.com/woodpic.htm has pics of quite a few woods. Poverty is easy. * http://www.diversify.com It’s Charity and Chastity that are hard. * Typesetting-Graphics-Internet

Response:

Dear NG, I and my partner own a small sawmill in Perth, Western Australia. I notice that two of our most popular timbers, Jarrah and She Oak (also known in as "Australian Lacewood" I think), are not readily available in the US and UK for reasons that puzzle me. You seem to be able to get esoteric timbers like Zebrawood and Bubinga and Wenge and Pink Ivory and a whole bunch of East Asian timbers in your countries, but our own Jarrah and She-Oak appear to be relatively unknown. Over here they are stock in trade timbers, used for furniture, turning and, in the case of Jarrah even as structural timber and (shudder!) for railway sleepers. To increase awareness of these timbers, I would like to promote our Jarrah and She-Oak in the US and UK. So if anybody is interested in getting a small sample of these timbers for a small project, or just a polished square or two to see what they look like, We’ll be kiln-drying some of these very shortly and it will take a while to dry, so be prepared to wait. Regards, Joseph Lieberfreund.

Response:

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