Native Hardwoods ...
When I got the land, the first thing I did was put a stop to the logging that was going on. The property is rich with a variety trees, including some choice hardwoods. But a number of trees were down already, either naturally, or cut and left to rot, and so I hired a chainsaw expert to cut the fallen trees into lumber ...
3 people like this album ... beautiful, will you be doing any reforestring? There's already a forest there ... the only cleared area is the point (about 1/10th of the property). It was cleared when I got it, as someone, probably 20 years ago or more, built a house, of which some of the posts still remain. Obviously, I would not clear so as to plant trees ... but I will be sheparding the existing trees, learning how to make sure they stay healthy ... there are tons of baby and adolescent nisporos ... Not that there's much that you can do to help the jungle live ... it's more about not hurting it ... ... but I've always been told-never trust a gringo with a machete and a local with a chainsaw.At least the last part is untrue...Seriously, you have to have a license to legally operate a chain saw! ... That is truly beautiful wood. I have thought for a while it would be lovely for the back and sides of a guitar, but I probably couldn't get it into the states legally....sigh. Nice job Pat. Where are the plans? :-) ... Sent a couples file via message with some ideas to save that lumber scraps for. ... Beautiful wood for a conscious owner. YEA! Marcos, an expert with a chainsaw, can cut 200-300 board feet of lumber a day ,,,,
1 person likes this photo 
These are Nisporo 2x4's ... a word about Nisporo. This is a super heavy, dense, and special hardwood that grows here. The wood is heavier than water (it sinks), and very water resistant, as well. A 10' 4x4 weighs about 60lbs, and is about all that one man can carry. The trees are usually over 100 years old, and are increasingly hard to find. We will NOT be cutting any of the remaining 10-20 mature trees on the property, but it's ok in my opinion to utilize the ones that are already fallen. The wood is beautiful coming in a variety of red and blonde tones, and it's almost a sin to use it for construction. Later, when I get a workshop, I will get the scraps, of which there will still be plenty, and make furniture, boxes, and art out of it 1 person likes this photo ... You should definitely use the fallen trees! Looks like gorgeous wood. It is Liz ... brings out a lot of emotions in me to see, touch and smell it ... a reverence for the spirit of the land and jungle expressed in these nisporos ... ... nothing like nature to bring us back to our roots! ; ) I wanted to add one more thing about nisporo ... the wood is so hard that there is no way to drive a nail in ... they will just bend and barely penetrate the surface ... so when we build, for each nail, we have to first drill a hole for the nail ... a little smaller in diameter than the nail ... through both pieces of wood ... and then drive the nail into the hole ... that's what I'm talkin about :-) ... Sounds a lot like the manzanita we have on our property in the Philippines. 
14' Nisporo 2x4's ... heavy heavy heavy 
A pile of beautiful red nisporo 2x4's ... at one of the 5 or so sites where we are cutting already felled trees on the property ... 1 person likes this photo 
We will gather everything that can be carried. Later I can come back and cut the smaller, less easily worked side and pieces and the remaining tops and limbs of the trees (which are too heavy to pick up) ... 
Beautiful (boy I'm using that word a lot) blond and red nisporo from the 2nd (already fallen) tree .... 1 person likes this photo ... gorgeous wood! 
4x4's .... 60lbs each ... check out the shine on the rough chainsaw cut lumber and imagine what it would be like cut and finished to perfection as furniture, boxes, or art ... 1 person likes this photo 
3rd site, a more brownish nisporo ... 4x4's, 2z4s and an attempt at a 2x12 ... 
and more ... so far, after 3 days of work, we have about 20 4x4s of 10 or 12 feet in length, about 30 2x4s of various lengths, and a variety of 2x6's and other odd sizes ... 
This is a different type of wood ... not nisporo ... and I didn't quite get the name ... it is lighter, and not UV or weather resistant, so will be utilized for indoor sub-construction, furniture, etc. 
Marcos 1 person likes this photo |