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Hello everyone happy to report I have purchased some Big Island Land And we got the big old Albizia's on our lot. Some people see this as a nuisance, I see it as free resources. I've fallen many trees, and luckily there's no homes around our property so I can fall these trees really easily without worry. I plan to use an "Alaskan lumber mill" to turn these trees into planks and lumber. Be it 1X4 2x4 4X4 to whatever the chainsaw bar allows you to do. You got a 24" bar, you can make 1X24, 2X24 and so on dimensional lumber, just adjust your mill for desired thickness. I read Albizia is used in furniture, and its used in home flooring as well. Its considered a soft wood and recommend not to be used in high traffic area's. I won't be using the lumber for anything structural, but do plan to use it for fencing and raised gardening beds. My Big question is, does anybody know if Albizia is naturally rot resistant like redwood and cedar? I'm guessing its not but with a coat of water seal on the fence I should get decent protection. Here's a video of the "Alaskan Lumber Mill" at work. There are other makers for this chainsaw style of backyard milling but this one seems to be the most well known. Also he doesn't show it in this video but to get your first straight edge you screw on a 2X6 or whatever to the top of your log (level it) and use that as your first guide, after your first cut you now have smooth straight surface on your log for the mill to slide on for the rest of your cuts.
Albizia, aka "The Tree That Ate Puna," is a highly invasive pest. Land with a lot of albizia growing on it is less valuable than an equivalent lot with no albizia on it, because of the cost of removing the undesirable trees.
The wood is weak and brittle, leading to its most notorious feature... dropping heavy branches with no warning. It has been responsible for numerous downed power lines, crushed roofs, injuries, etc. as well as strangling out ohia forest. It is unsuitable for structural uses.
It can be burned.
* * * *
PSA from the Writers Guild of America: Remember! Every time you use an apostrophe to mark a plural ( 's) a kitten dies.
Well if you can make a canoe out of it fence planks should be no problem. Wonder how fast it'll break down for raised garden beds? Then again I can make the planks 3 inches thick if I want to lol....
Here are some common woods and there hardness ratings according to the Janka Hardness Scale.
Red Cedar, Western - 350
Pine, Sugar/Eastern White - 380
Pine, Western White - 420
Redwood - 420
Albizia, Falcataria - 450
Pine, Lodgepole - 480
Douglas Fir - 510-710 (this is what is used in most home framing)
Mahogany, African - 830
Walnut, Black - 1010
Oak Northern Red - 1260
Here is some more information about Albizia Falcataria from here Species Information
(English) : albizia, batai, Indonesian albizia, moluca, paraserianthes, peacock plume, white albizia
(Filipino) : falcata, moluccan sau
(Indonesian) : jeungjing, sengon laut, sikat
(Javanese) : sengon laut
(Malay) : batai, kayu machis, puah
(Trade name) : batai
Botanic description
Paraserianthes falcataria is a fairly large tree, up to 40 m tall; bole branchless for up to 20 m; grows to 100 cm or sometimes more in diameter, with a spreading flat crown. Leaves alternate, bipinnately compound, 23-30 cm long, with rusty pressed hairs and slender angled axis bearing gland above base; leaflets paired, 15-20 pairs on each axis, stalkless, small, oblong, 6-12 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, short-pointed at the tip, topside dull green and hairless, underside paler with fine hair. Inflorescence axillary consisting of paniculate racemes, the spikes sometimes arranged in panicles; flowers bisexual, 12 mm long, regular pentamerous, subtended to bracts; calyx hairy, valvate, gamosepalous, tubular to cup or bell shaped; corolla sericeous all over, gamopetalous, funnel or bell shaped, cream to yellowish. Fruit a chartaceous, flat, straight pod, 10-13 x 2 cm, not segmented, dehiscent along both sutures and winged along ventral suture, puberulous but glabrescent, many seeded (15-20); seed subcircular to oblong, 6 mm long, flat to convex, without aril, dull to dark brown, with a thick sclerified exotesta, not winged; endosperm absent; cotyledons large. Ecology and distribution
History of cultivation
P. falcataria is native to the Bismarck Archipelago including the Admirality Islands, the Moluccas, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It is widely planted throughout the tropics. Its origin probably lies in the eastern Malesian area, as the largest diversity is found here. Natural Habitat
A pioneer species, P. falcataria occurs in primary but more characteristically in secondary lowland rainforest and in light montane forest, grassy plains and along roadsides near the sea. It is adapted to peri-humid and monsoonal climates with a dry season of up to 2 (4 max.) months. It is sensitive to fire and easily damaged by strong wind. In natural stands in Irian Jaya, P. falcataria is associated with species such as Agathis labillardieri, Celtis spp., Diospyros spp., Pterocarpus indicus, Terminalia spp. and Toona sureni. Geographic distribution
Native : Haiti, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands
Exotic : Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Philippines, Samoa, Thailand, Tonga, United States of America, Vanuatu, Vietnam
Biophysical limits
Altitude: 0-1 200 m, Mean annual temperature: 22-29 deg. C, Mean annual rainfall: 2 000-4 000 mm. averaging 2 800 mm Soil type: Deep, well drained fertile soils, such as friable clay loam. Prefers alkaline to acid soils.
Reproductive Biology
Trees may flower as early as 3 years. Two flowering periods per year have been observed in Peninsula Malaysia and Sabah. Ripe pods appear approximately 2 months after flowering. The pods dehisce when ripe, often when still attached to the tree, scattering the seeds on the ground.
Propagation and management
Propagation methods
P. falcataria requires great amounts of light and regenerates naturally only when the soil is exposed to sunlight. In the forest, wildings sprout in abundance only when the canopy is open and when soil is cleared from the undergrowth. Wildings can be successfully collected and potted for planting but are delicate and must be carefully handled. The species can be planted from seedlings, direct seeding or stump cuttings. Small seeds are difficult to collect from the ground and are usually collected by cutting down branches bearing ripe, brown pods. Untreated seeds germinate irregularly; germination may start after 5-10 days but is sometimes delayed for up to 4 weeks. To hasten and ensure uniform germination, soak in boiling water for 1-3 minutes or immerse in concentrated sulphuric acid for 10 minutes followed by subsequent washing and soaking in water for 18 hours. Germination rates can be as high as 80% to almost 100%. Seeds of P. falcataria are usually sown by broadcasting, pressed gently into the soil and then covered by a layer of fine sand up to 1.5 cm thick. The soil in the seedbed must be loose and well drained; application of a surface layer of mulch is advisable, and excessive shading should be avoided. Seedlings can be transplanted when they have reached a height of 20-25 cm with a woody stem and a good fibrous root system; this stage can be reached in 2-2.5 months. Container plants are often transplanted into the field when 4-5 months old. Seed tissue has been successfully used in the Philippines for propagation by tissue culture. Seedlings have epigeal germination.
Tree Management
P. falcataria grows so fast that it is sometimes called the ‘miracle tree’. It is even mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s fastest growing tree. On good sites it can attain a height of 7 m in just over a year. Trees reach a mean height of 25.5 m and a bole diameter of 17 cm after 6 years, 32.5 m high and 40.5 cm diameter after 9 years, 38 m high and 54 cm diameter after 12 years, and 39 m high and 63.5 cm diameter after 15 years. P. falcataria coppices although coppicing vigour is highly variable. It has been found that growth at 2 x 2 m spacing is significantly faster than at 1 x 1 m. If sawn timber is desired, stands can be thinned to 6 x 6 m at 6-8 years and harvested at 15 years. P. falcataria is commonly used in agroforestry systems, usually in a cutting cycle of 10-15 years, in combination with annual crops in the 1st year and grazing animals in subsequent years. When planted, it can grow on comparatively poor sites and survive without fertilizer. However, it does not thrive in poorly drained, flooded or waterlogged soils. Growth of young trees in a phosphorous-deficient soil is promoted by inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi Gigaspora margarita and Glomus fasciculatum in combination with Rhizobium. Nitrogen-fixing nodules containing leghaemoglobin are found on roots. P. falcataria plantations should be kept weed free during the 1st few years.
Germplasm Management
Seed storage behaviour is orthodox. There is no loss in viability during 1.5 years in air-dry storage at 4-8 deg. C. For storage, seeds are air dried for 24 hours and then packed in polythene bags. When stored at 4-8 deg. C, the germination rate after 18 months may still be 70-90%. There are 38 000-44 000 seeds/kg.
Functional uses
Products
Fodder: An activated tree metabolism at the beginning of the wet season synthesizes a complex polysaccharide that increases palatability for cattle of the bark. Leaves are used to feed chickens and goats. Fuel: Widely used for fuelwood and charcoal production in spite of its low density and energy value. Fibre: P. falcataria trees coppice fairly well, an advantage for pulpwood production. The wood is suitable for pulping and papermaking. It can be used to produce good-quality pulp by mechanical, semi-chemical or chemical processes. Because of its light colour, only a little bleaching is required to achieve good white paper. The neutral, semi-chemical process produces pulp with excellent strength properties. It has also been used for the manufacture of viscose rayon. Timber: The comparatively soft timber is suitable for general utility purposes, such as light construction, furniture, cabinet work, lightweight packing materials and pallets, and chopsticks. Because the wood is fairly easy to cut, P. falcataria is also suitable for wooden shoes, musical instruments, toys and novelties, forms and general turnery. P. falcataria is an important source of veneer and plywood and is very suitable for the manufacture of particleboard, wood-wool board and hardboard and has recently been used for blockboard. Tannin or dyestuff: The bark of P. falcataria has tanning properties.
Services
Erosion control: Pure stands give a good protective cover to prevent erosion on slopes and are recommended in the Philippines for this purpose on catchment areas sheltered from typhoons. Shade or shelter: The plant is extensively planted in Southeast Asia as a shade and nurse crop for coffee, cocoa, tea, other crops and young timber plantations. Its fast growth and good shading properties outweigh the disadvantages of its sensitivity to strong winds and its relatively short life. Reclamation: Plantations of P. falcataria have been established even on tailings left after tin mining. It is planted extensively for reforestation and afforestation of denuded and eroding land. Nitrogen fixing: Nodulates and fixes atmospheric nitrogen. Soil improver: The natural drop of leaves and small branches contributes nitrogen, organic matter and minerals to upper layers of soil. The plant’s extensive root system further improves soil conditions by breaking up soils to provide channels for drainage and aeration. Ornamental: Suitable as an ornamental, although its brittle branches can be a problem in windy areas.
Pests and diseases
Nursery seedlings are susceptible to damping-off caused by fungi of Rhizoctonia, Sclerotium, Fusarium, Pythium and Phytophthora. Sterilizing the soil before sowing and applying fungicides to soil and seeds may control the disease. The fungus Corticum salmonicolor causes a disease known as pink canker or salmon canker. Light brown lesions appear on the bark of young trees, they gradually enlarge and develop cracks, the colour turns to pale salmon or pinkish, and mycelium mats appear around the lesions. The disease may seriously damage plantations. Plantations can also suffer from other fungal diseases like red root caused by Ganoderma pseudoferrum. An anthracnose seedling disease caused by Colletotrichum species has been observed in Sumatra. In 1988 and 1989, gall rust disease caused by Uromycladium tepprianum provoked severe damage in Bukidnon Province (Mindanao, the Philippines). The government banned the transport of logs in and out of Bukidnon Province, and planting was suspended. Plantation pests in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines include stem borers such as the longicorn beetle Xystrocera festiva and the red borer Zeuzera coffea (a cossid moth). Leaf-eating caterpillars (e.g. Eurema blanda, E. hecabe and Semiothesa emersaria) may attack seedlings and trees. Aphids have on occasion been a problem. Insecticides are commonly used in controlling these pests. The small bagworm Pteroma plagiophleps is a serious pest in Sumatra.
[/SIZE]
Here are some common woods and there hardness ratings according to the Janka Hardness Scale.
Red Cedar, Western - 350
Pine, Sugar/Eastern White - 380
Pine, Western White - 420
Redwood - 420
Albizia, Falcataria - 450
Pine, Lodgepole - 480
Douglas Fir - 510-710 (this is what is used in most home framing)
Mahogany, African - 830
Walnut, Black - 1010
Oak Northern Red - 1260
Here is some more information about Albizia Falcataria from here Species Information
[SIZE=1]TaxonomyCurrent name: Paraserianthes falcatariaAuthority: (L.) NielsenFamily: Fabaceae - Mimosoideae[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Synonym(s)Adenanthera falcata L.Adenanthera falcataria L.Albizia falcata (L.) BackerAlbizia falcata sensu Backer.Albizia falcataria (L.) Fosb.Albizia moluccana Miq.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Common names[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1] (English) : albizia, batai, Indonesian albizia, moluca, paraserianthes, peacock plume, white albizia[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1] (Filipino) : falcata, moluccan sau[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1] (Indonesian) : jeungjing, sengon laut, sikat[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1] (Javanese) : sengon laut[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1] (Malay) : batai, kayu machis, puah[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1] (Trade name) : batai[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Botanic description[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Paraserianthes falcataria is a fairly large tree, up to 40 m tall; bole branchless for up to 20 m; grows to 100 cm or sometimes more in diameter, with a spreading flat crown. Leaves alternate, bipinnately compound, 23-30 cm long, with rusty pressed hairs and slender angled axis bearing gland above base; leaflets paired, 15-20 pairs on each axis, stalkless, small, oblong, 6-12 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, short-pointed at the tip, topside dull green and hairless, underside paler with fine hair. Inflorescence axillary consisting of paniculate racemes, the spikes sometimes arranged in panicles; flowers bisexual, 12 mm long, regular pentamerous, subtended to bracts; calyx hairy, valvate, gamosepalous, tubular to cup or bell shaped; corolla sericeous all over, gamopetalous, funnel or bell shaped, cream to yellowish. Fruit a chartaceous, flat, straight pod, 10-13 x 2 cm, not segmented, dehiscent along both sutures and winged along ventral suture, puberulous but glabrescent, many seeded (15-20); seed subcircular to oblong, 6 mm long, flat to convex, without aril, dull to dark brown, with a thick sclerified exotesta, not winged; endosperm absent; cotyledons large.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Ecology and distribution[/SIZE] [SIZE=1][/SIZE] [SIZE=1]History of cultivation[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]P. falcataria is native to the Bismarck Archipelago including the Admirality Islands, the Moluccas, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It is widely planted throughout the tropics. Its origin probably lies in the eastern Malesian area, as the largest diversity is found here.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Natural Habitat[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]A pioneer species, P. falcataria occurs in primary but more characteristically in secondary lowland rainforest and in light montane forest, grassy plains and along roadsides near the sea. It is adapted to peri-humid and monsoonal climates with a dry season of up to 2 (4 max.) months. It is sensitive to fire and easily damaged by strong wind. In natural stands in Irian Jaya, P. falcataria is associated with species such as Agathis labillardieri, Celtis spp., Diospyros spp., Pterocarpus indicus, Terminalia spp. and Toona sureni.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Geographic distribution[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Native : Haiti, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Exotic : Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Philippines, Samoa, Thailand, Tonga, United States of America, Vanuatu, Vietnam[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Biophysical limits[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Altitude: 0-1 200 m, Mean annual temperature: 22-29 deg. C, Mean annual rainfall: 2 000-4 000 mm. averaging 2 800 mm Soil type: Deep, well drained fertile soils, such as friable clay loam. Prefers alkaline to acid soils.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Reproductive Biology[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Trees may flower as early as 3 years. Two flowering periods per year have been observed in Peninsula Malaysia and Sabah. Ripe pods appear approximately 2 months after flowering. The pods dehisce when ripe, often when still attached to the tree, scattering the seeds on the ground.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Propagation and management[/SIZE] [SIZE=1][/SIZE] [SIZE=1]Propagation methods[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]P. falcataria requires great amounts of light and regenerates naturally only when the soil is exposed to sunlight. In the forest, wildings sprout in abundance only when the canopy is open and when soil is cleared from the undergrowth. Wildings can be successfully collected and potted for planting but are delicate and must be carefully handled. The species can be planted from seedlings, direct seeding or stump cuttings. Small seeds are difficult to collect from the ground and are usually collected by cutting down branches bearing ripe, brown pods. Untreated seeds germinate irregularly; germination may start after 5-10 days but is sometimes delayed for up to 4 weeks. To hasten and ensure uniform germination, soak in boiling water for 1-3 minutes or immerse in concentrated sulphuric acid for 10 minutes followed by subsequent washing and soaking in water for 18 hours. Germination rates can be as high as 80% to almost 100%. Seeds of P. falcataria are usually sown by broadcasting, pressed gently into the soil and then covered by a layer of fine sand up to 1.5 cm thick. The soil in the seedbed must be loose and well drained; application of a surface layer of mulch is advisable, and excessive shading should be avoided. Seedlings can be transplanted when they have reached a height of 20-25 cm with a woody stem and a good fibrous root system; this stage can be reached in 2-2.5 months. Container plants are often transplanted into the field when 4-5 months old. Seed tissue has been successfully used in the Philippines for propagation by tissue culture. Seedlings have epigeal germination.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Tree Management[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]P. falcataria grows so fast that it is sometimes called the ‘miracle tree’. It is even mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s fastest growing tree. On good sites it can attain a height of 7 m in just over a year. Trees reach a mean height of 25.5 m and a bole diameter of 17 cm after 6 years, 32.5 m high and 40.5 cm diameter after 9 years, 38 m high and 54 cm diameter after 12 years, and 39 m high and 63.5 cm diameter after 15 years. P. falcataria coppices although coppicing vigour is highly variable. It has been found that growth at 2 x 2 m spacing is significantly faster than at 1 x 1 m. If sawn timber is desired, stands can be thinned to 6 x 6 m at 6-8 years and harvested at 15 years. P. falcataria is commonly used in agroforestry systems, usually in a cutting cycle of 10-15 years, in combination with annual crops in the 1st year and grazing animals in subsequent years. When planted, it can grow on comparatively poor sites and survive without fertilizer. However, it does not thrive in poorly drained, flooded or waterlogged soils. Growth of young trees in a phosphorous-deficient soil is promoted by inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi Gigaspora margarita and Glomus fasciculatum in combination with Rhizobium. Nitrogen-fixing nodules containing leghaemoglobin are found on roots. P. falcataria plantations should be kept weed free during the 1st few years.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Germplasm Management[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Seed storage behaviour is orthodox. There is no loss in viability during 1.5 years in air-dry storage at 4-8 deg. C. For storage, seeds are air dried for 24 hours and then packed in polythene bags. When stored at 4-8 deg. C, the germination rate after 18 months may still be 70-90%. There are 38 000-44 000 seeds/kg.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Functional uses[/SIZE] [SIZE=1][/SIZE] [SIZE=1]Products[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Fodder: An activated tree metabolism at the beginning of the wet season synthesizes a complex polysaccharide that increases palatability for cattle of the bark. Leaves are used to feed chickens and goats. Fuel: Widely used for fuelwood and charcoal production in spite of its low density and energy value. Fibre: P. falcataria trees coppice fairly well, an advantage for pulpwood production. The wood is suitable for pulping and papermaking. It can be used to produce good-quality pulp by mechanical, semi-chemical or chemical processes. Because of its light colour, only a little bleaching is required to achieve good white paper. The neutral, semi-chemical process produces pulp with excellent strength properties. It has also been used for the manufacture of viscose rayon. Timber: The comparatively soft timber is suitable for general utility purposes, such as light construction, furniture, cabinet work, lightweight packing materials and pallets, and chopsticks. Because the wood is fairly easy to cut, P. falcataria is also suitable for wooden shoes, musical instruments, toys and novelties, forms and general turnery. P. falcataria is an important source of veneer and plywood and is very suitable for the manufacture of particleboard, wood-wool board and hardboard and has recently been used for blockboard. Tannin or dyestuff: The bark of P. falcataria has tanning properties.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Services[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Erosion control: Pure stands give a good protective cover to prevent erosion on slopes and are recommended in the Philippines for this purpose on catchment areas sheltered from typhoons. Shade or shelter: The plant is extensively planted in Southeast Asia as a shade and nurse crop for coffee, cocoa, tea, other crops and young timber plantations. Its fast growth and good shading properties outweigh the disadvantages of its sensitivity to strong winds and its relatively short life. Reclamation: Plantations of P. falcataria have been established even on tailings left after tin mining. It is planted extensively for reforestation and afforestation of denuded and eroding land. Nitrogen fixing: Nodulates and fixes atmospheric nitrogen. Soil improver: The natural drop of leaves and small branches contributes nitrogen, organic matter and minerals to upper layers of soil. The plant’s extensive root system further improves soil conditions by breaking up soils to provide channels for drainage and aeration. Ornamental: Suitable as an ornamental, although its brittle branches can be a problem in windy areas.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Pests and diseases[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1]Nursery seedlings are susceptible to damping-off caused by fungi of Rhizoctonia, Sclerotium, Fusarium, Pythium and Phytophthora. Sterilizing the soil before sowing and applying fungicides to soil and seeds may control the disease. The fungus Corticum salmonicolor causes a disease known as pink canker or salmon canker. Light brown lesions appear on the bark of young trees, they gradually enlarge and develop cracks, the colour turns to pale salmon or pinkish, and mycelium mats appear around the lesions. The disease may seriously damage plantations. Plantations can also suffer from other fungal diseases like red root caused by Ganoderma pseudoferrum. An anthracnose seedling disease caused by Colletotrichum species has been observed in Sumatra. In 1988 and 1989, gall rust disease caused by Uromycladium tepprianum provoked severe damage in Bukidnon Province (Mindanao, the Philippines). The government banned the transport of logs in and out of Bukidnon Province, and planting was suspended. Plantation pests in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines include stem borers such as the longicorn beetle Xystrocera festiva and the red borer Zeuzera coffea (a cossid moth). Leaf-eating caterpillars (e.g. Eurema blanda, E. hecabe and Semiothesa emersaria) may attack seedlings and trees. Aphids have on occasion been a problem. Insecticides are commonly used in controlling these pests. The small bagworm Pteroma plagiophleps is a serious pest in Sumatra.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
I met her at a bar one night...come to think of it...several times!
If albezia was worth a **** for lumber, don't you think people would be using it for lumber? Heck, Puna would be as rich as Kuwait. An albezia is an amazingly fast growing tree. That's because it's mostly air and water and pith. Does it rot? I hope so, because then it might be worth something for composting and building soil. As is, it's not even that good for firewood. Once you get it dried out, you can almost crush it between your fingers.
The only thing I can think of that it's good for is quick and dirty shade. The road from Pahoa to Lava Tree state park used to be a lot narrower with albezias growing right up to the edge. There was a section of that road which was spectacular with a tunnel of those trees shading the road, making it slippery with moss that you'd skid on if you ever had to hit the brakes for a falling branch. A sign said "Watch for falling branches".
I'd trade that Alaska mill for a chipper if I were you. Eucalyptus is no good for lumber, either. It warps like crazy.
As a rule, the faster a tree grows, the softer and pithier the wood. Ohia is the best wood for lumber in Puna. It grows very slowly. An albezia will grow more in a year than an ohia will in 50. (guessing, because the longest I've "watched" any ohia trees, was for 20 years, and they didn't grow noticeably at all, except for the babies.
I'll give it a test run, I was going to compost the remainder anyhow. Can't be too weak if people are making furniture with it. Should be suitable for raised gardening beds and fence planks.
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And we got the big old Albizia's on our lot. Some people see this as a nuisance, I see it as free resources. I've fallen many trees, and luckily there's no homes around our property so I can fall these trees really easily without worry. I plan to use an "Alaskan lumber mill" to turn these trees into planks and lumber. Be it 1X4 2x4 4X4 to whatever the chainsaw bar allows you to do. You got a 24" bar, you can make 1X24, 2X24 and so on dimensional lumber, just adjust your mill for desired thickness. I read Albizia is used in furniture, and its used in home flooring as well. Its considered a soft wood and recommend not to be used in high traffic area's. I won't be using the lumber for anything structural, but do plan to use it for fencing and raised gardening beds. My Big question is, does anybody know if Albizia is naturally rot resistant like redwood and cedar? I'm guessing its not but with a coat of water seal on the fence I should get decent protection. Here's a video of the "Alaskan Lumber Mill" at work. There are other makers for this chainsaw style of backyard milling but this one seems to be the most well known. Also he doesn't show it in this video but to get your first straight edge you screw on a 2X6 or whatever to the top of your log (level it) and use that as your first guide, after your first cut you now have smooth straight surface on your log for the mill to slide on for the rest of your cuts.
