hinge wood

[Aclarke]

Why would the wood in the center of the hinge be failing in compression and wood on the sides be failing in tension.

 

[Burnham]

I suspect rather than your analysis of what's happened there, it's that the older wood is more brittle than the younger wood and doesn't fight the tension as well.

 

[SkwerI]

The wood in the center is more brittle with less elasticity. It doesn't bend as well as the outer rings.

Jay will probably bring up something about moisture content as well.

 

[Jed]

Yeah, what them boys said. Actually though, your suspicion was a quite valid one. I suspect what led you to it was the way the wood looks on a side-leaner stump--it exhibits a quite similar (to the center of your stump) look on the compression side, doesn't it? Isn't wood fascinating stuff? Btw, what kind of tree was that. Looked a tad "brashy".

 

[Aclarke]

Odd grain structure in the center. Much like a horizontal limb that fails on the bottom first. (Compression) and ultimately the top fails and the limb drops. The trunk is Blue gum Eucalyptus (Globulus)

 

[Jed]

Aha. Euc.... Never cut one myself... Talked to some dummies down in Southern CA before though, who said that as firewood, it released a toxic fume when burned. Talked to some Nor Cal gentlemen later on and they told me that that was nonsense. You ever burned it?

 

[Aclarke]

Burns clean and long! Stuff gets hard a rock when its dried. Kinda sketchy climbing dry/dead trees as spurs barely enter the wood.

 

[Aclarke]

here's a few pics of the removal....

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[Aclarke]

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[Aclarke]

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[Jed]

Wow Really beautiful job. Love that first shot. I miss 361's--awesome saws i.m.o.

Yeah, I'll bet those pigs will make you bust out the flat-file on the spurs when they're dead.... about like our Pacific Madrone. Just as hard as a rock when dead, and absolutely no resistance at all on the flipline in the rain. You don't want to kick out, and you don't want to leave nubs in case you do.

 

[Aclarke]

Yeah, i really liked the 361. Just got two new 362's (strato-charged motor) and they really run good too. Anti vibe is set up similar to the 361, nice to use! We've got some native Madrone here as well and its similar in hardness to the Eucalyptus.

 

[MasterBlaster]

What's up with 5 lines on pic no 2?

 

[Aclarke]

Butch, tag line and bull rope on the piece being roped. just two lines wrapped a few times. We like to make a couple half hitches with the bull rope as the Eucalyptus is slicker than shit and the bark will slide right off the cambium allowing the piece to fall. LOL!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Cool. I usually make a 'lil cut for the rope to catch on, myself.

 

[Aclarke]

yeah, we do the same too

 

[MasterBlaster]

So why five lines?

It's all good...

 

[woodworkingboy]

I believe that Brian is essentially correct. The older wood in the center of the tree is considered harder and stronger, sometimes by as much as fifty percent (species variation). I assume that the tendency to resist bending, and break when the wood reaches a certain point of tension or compression, is a characteristic given to stronger wood within the same tree. The inner older cells may be considered dead, no longer utilized for water transport. The accumulated resins and other things that have deposited in the dead cells make it harder and less resistant to decay and insects (harder), and also gives the deeper color. Perhaps the tendency for the juvenile wood to bend better is due to the higher water content, I think that is a deduction that could be made.

 

[Burnham]

So Brian is correct, and my post preceeding his saying the same thing is what?...

 

[Aclarke]

Interesting that the wood fails along a common line much like a compression failure. That's what had me wondering...

 

[woodworkingboy]

So Brian is correct, and my post preceeding his saying the same thing is what?...

Haha...actually, I thought long and hard about your post, B. I have no doubt that the spirit of it was right on, but your choice of the word, "brittle", kind of through me off. Subject to fracturing as a result of lack of flexibility, it seems a little different from brittle, when the wood is actually harder. Perhaps I was being too picky.... You still get the award of merit, just not the first place ribbon. Oh, I see Brian used the word, "Brittle, too! He must now give you the ribbon for being faster with the answer. The judges blew it! I bet he never mails it.

 

[Burnham]