# Its a Conifer but, which one...???



## robutacion (Jun 22, 2012)

Hi peoples,

I have been claiming that, the 66 wood species in my list from this area, are about 1/3 of what I believe is around, between government land and land owned privately so, this is one tree (the only one I know/saw in town that was planted long ago as part of a long strip of land dividing the highway and some town building.

I went pass them, literally hundreds of times and while looking at them, and or, the many tree species planted in there, I remembered to have seem 3 or 4 that looked identical and some sort of exotic pines/conifers but, never taken much notice as I have already a few of them.

This time, I was driving very slowly and happens to be looking at some cones that were close to the road and on the very last tree of that strip when, I noticed something different so, backed-off a little and stopped to have a closer look.

I looked on the ground first, looking for some that may have fallen but, I failed to see any, the only thing that soil under that tree was covered with was some sort of brown petals like those from roses...!

With the aid of a long stick, I manage to lower one of the branches down, enough for me to collect (separate) half a dozen of this strange heavy cones that were very different of what know and seen so, I got really intrigued.

Decided to get the camera, take a few pics of the tree and other stuff, hopping that they would help me to identify this tree species but, when I done a Google search, the closest thing I saw was a pic taken by someone and that was on sale as a computer/desktop screen-saver, with absolutely no information about the contents of the pics, which was a shame...!

I thoughts where, use those pods/cones for making pen blanks with (Resifills) so I slice one up when I got home and soaked the inside with thin CA as I could see that, the cone was formed exactly the same way as a rose flower, where the petals, at this time all close it, were making the cone quite solid but, as soon as it dries or nature tells them to open, the whole thing starts to separate/open and petals start to fall, together with the seeds that are present in between the petals.

The one I sliced and soaked with CA, looks exactly the same as when I done it a couple of weeks ago but the other I picked-up at the same time, and that were totally closed, are now opening...!

Apart from being very pretty, the same goes for the leafs/needles formations/colour, I have not worked out how I'm going to utilise these type cones, or if I'm going to use them in the first place however, I would like to find out what tree species this one is so, I share here with everyone the pics I took and hopefully, someone will identify it successfully...!

So what do you thing, it is...???

Cheers
George


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## leehljp (Jun 22, 2012)

Get some, stabilize or PR the whole as you wrote and SELL the blanks!  That should make some very interesting blanks! I have seen those type before. 

IF you do decide to stabilize or make with PR, I would be interested in buying a few!

OR you could cast a few open ones in PR and make a beautiful bowl out of it. He you could sell a few of those too!


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## TellicoTurning (Jun 22, 2012)

George,
I can't be certain from your pictures, but looks very much like a Cedrus  Deodara .. Deodar Cedar from the Himalayas... I had a call from a  fellow locally that he had one to be cut down, but he didn't call back  after he cut it, so I missed out on the wood... 
This is some information I found on Google put out by University of Delaware... might be helpful?

Cedrus deodara
Cone Identification Quiz


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## plantman (Jun 22, 2012)

George: I think Chuck is close and in the correct family. The only problem I can see , is that the Cedrus Deodora is a short needle tree with needle displacement much like a Christmas tree branch. My guess, without seeing the tree or cone, would lean towards the male Cedrus Atlantica. Both are in the Pinaceae family. The Cedrus Atlantica ( botanical name ) has the longer needles in clusters of 15-30 much like the ones in your photos. This tree is native to the Atlas mountains and is also called the Atlas Cedar. It can be found from Algeria to Morocco and grows to a height of 40-60 ft. in the usual tree shape as opposed to the normal ornamental cedars we are used to seeing here in the USA. It's not gospel, just my best guess from looking through my book collection on trees of the world. Jim S


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## robutacion (Jun 22, 2012)

Well, it is certainly something that I never seen before, as far as I can remember and interestingly one of the reasons I never took much attention is that, this tree in planted very close to some others that are identical in shape (canopy) and colours but the other have either no cones/pods or have the small round cones typical of Cedars...!

I have took a few extra pics that I show a few different aspects of this tree, such as bark and tree structure (limbs), they may share some more light into the species identification...!

In relation to *leehljp's* suggestions, I don't know if it is going to be possible or not but, I particularly like the shape/formation of the cones that are opening since I collect them.  As far as I understand, these will separate completely all by themselves (well, they do in the tree...!) so, I would like to try casting some, when they are open but still together as the one on the pic shows.  

I will say that they will open more and is only a matter of time and I haven't though yet how to dry any moisture within the cone for casting and maintain the "open rose flower" type look.  I reckon, filling all the spaces with some nice contrasting PR mix and then turn them as mini jewellery boxes, bottle stoppers or something where the symmetry of the pine structure is maintained, some how...!

There will a point I believe where, the petals will separate and then will be too late to do anything but, casting with a material that is not dry, will not work so, I have to put some though into it, if I'm to utilise them for something, otherwise I may regret of not trying...!

Thanks to everyone that have so far, collaborated on this thread...!

Cheers
George


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## Jgrden (Jun 23, 2012)

i DON NOT know what it is, but turn it. The multiple leaves will make a beautiful pen. I might like to buy some from you. 

John
Lake Arrowhead, CA.


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## PenMan1 (Jun 23, 2012)

I can't help at all with the taxonomy, other than XXX Coniferous. BUT,  I could sure tell you how they would look when turned! 

I'd be happy to purchase some of these!


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## robutacion (Jun 23, 2012)

I don't know what happened to the pics I had selected to add on my previous post, as I believe they never come up in the first place so, and unless there is some other reason for the pics disappearance, I'm adding them again and see what happens...! sorry folks.

I see that, these unusual cones are attracting some attention and that was not what this post was about however, is perfectly understandable that those that know me know that I will do something with them, the problem is, I don't know myself...!

Each cone has to be picked up from the tree, as I only have 4 or 5 left and quite honestly, if I knew that I won't get into troubles for picking them up, some how, I would have no problem in "sending" some as is to you guys but, Customs will never allow these cones to leave Australia un-processed, unless I'm wrong and they are allowed, which would surprise me considerably...! 

I don't enjoy the health problems the PR use gives me so, the idea of having another material to cast, is not something that I'm that keen about but, being a sucker for self imposed pain, I may continue being, me...!

Cheers
George


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## robutacion (Jun 27, 2012)

*A few tests made with this strange cone and PR...!*

Hi peoples,

After my finding of these "green" cones, I needed to see how they would look when cast in resin,  and sliced up...!
Is obvious that these cones are not long enough for a normal full size pen blanks but certainly big enough for shorts so, and after buggered about to find a way to microwave the 4 cones I have left and keep them in on piece, endup with 1 totally destroyed as all petals fall off inside the microwave at the second burst of 1 minute which was quite unexpected.  

One was all wrapped as I do with the Palm Root material/blanks and the other 2 that were there by themselves, lost the top half of the cone just getting them out of the circular glass tray of the microwave.  Unbelievably too sensitive when the petals move from the cone centre, very much the sale as trying to put together/back all the petals of a Rose after they fall on the ground, just not possible...!

Anyway, casting round(ish) stuff wastes too much resin, unless proper silicone molds are made to accommodate the half a dozen of shapes and sizes.
Just a question, can that silicone used for mold making be put in the microwave...???

I endup casting the 2 halves (maybe a little more that half the cone) and a small full one and when cured was almost impossible to see where one ends and the other starts as they were all cast on top of each other.

The small round one, I though in making a mini jewellery box but, when I got it in the lathe, it just didn't seem that it wanted to be a box so I though that the best way to keep that Rose centre look, I needed to round it to its natural shape and then, cut a little deeper at the back of it and, straight away I though that a large round top bottle stopper would be one of the best applications, even tough, a smaller cone would be better so, and know that the one I was working on was already a small cone, I decided to shape it as a door knob, or simply a paper weight that I can always fill with lead, later...!

I did not spend much time with the finish for now, simple gave it 2 light coats of clear can spray, reason why some tinny holes and some soaking from the softer cone petal protruding through the PR so, some sealer/sanding and a proper filling varnish such as the Floorseal, will make gloss as glass...!

Looking at the close ups, is interesting to see the pine structure all sliced up like layers with some of the seed heads showing at the piece "neck"

    


When it comes to the pen blanks,  3 were made from the same cone, I used (the biggest one) of the ones I lost the top to cut on the bandsaw.  First cut was through the middle following the cones centre, then I ripped one half at 21mm from the centre cut, rotate 90° and rip it again at 21mm, repeated the process  on the other quarter and endup with 2 shorts that where cut vertically to the cone "spine". We will call this sample blank "centre vertical".
All shorts were drilled and glued in pairs to a turned small diameter dowel for a close representation of a double barrel pen...!

   

Out of the left overs of the above mentioned cuts, I got left 4 quartered edges that I glued together to make a short blank and this is blank 1 of 2 of the sample blanks, we will call "edge quarters".  These where turned very much to normal pen size and is obvious that the blue is not solid enough to stop the see through to the wooden dowel.  On the other samples I did turn as small to allow the blue to look as if the brass and or blank was reverse painted blue...!

 

 The other 4 quartered edges were cut from the other half of the original cone, after I decided this time to rip the half at 21mm and then instead of cutting vertically, I went horizontally, which is cross cut from the cone "spine", which we will call, "cross cut"

     

Cutting 2 x 21mm I endup with 2 edges plus the full edge from the 21mm rip from the half so that I cut in half and is when I endup with the 4 quartered edges to glue and make up the other short blank for the sample we called the "edge quarters".

In conclusion, yes I think they are very "interesting" blanks but, I reckon is far too much work and wasted resin to make any sort of quantity, particularly due to the fact that I don't have the right molds to cast them and that, everything single one of these cones is up in the tree, and would need getting up the tree to cut them down, I don't think is worth it...!

What are your thoughts on them...???

*ATTENTION:* Please, whatever you do, DO NOT "order" any of these blanks in this post, you will get me into troubles with the mods...!
If you have anything to say in that respect, send me a PM instead...!

Thank you,
Cheers
George


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