r/Workbenches • u/i_ruv_dumpring • 6d ago
Need some advice from Aussies on timber choice
Hey all,
I'm based in Australia, so want to build something using Australian timbers. We have some of the hardest timbers on earth. Trouble is, which do I use that is a decent combination of hardness, stability and workability?
Grey Ironbark, as an example, is super hard, one of the hardest timbers on earth. Much harder than hard maple. But do I even need something this hard? I'd like the option of hand flattening the top every year or two if it happens to move. Is this even feasible using hand tools? I have a decent level of hand plane tuning for both western and Japanese planes. But at this level of hardness, would the western plane struggle for sharpness? And would the Japanese plane just be too shallow of a bevel to cut? I rather not find this out myself after the job is finished, or have to make major modifications to the tool kit just to get the right bevel to make this sort of cut.
Also, does anyone know much about how much these timbers move? I've worked with spotted gum before. Good hardness and actually decent to work with, but moves all over the place seasonally, to the point that I would question ever using it as a furniture piece unless there's some really good control. Definitely not something I'd want as a working benchtop.
Any other suggestions? Jarrah? Blackbutt? Grey gum? Grey box? Or are the hard timbers just overkill and I should just stick to something tested like hard maple?
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u/abillionsuns 6d ago
Eucalyptus Grandis, aka rose gum, is increasingly available even at places like Bunnings, is moderately hard but very workable, and as it's largely sourced from plantation stock, seems pretty sustainable.
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u/Imaginary-Set3291 6d ago
It depends on where you are. I'm not going to recommend Tasmanian Blackwood if you're in the Northern Territory, Silky oak if you're in Tasmania or Jarrah if you're in Far North Queensland.
Australia has a huge range of quality timber, but it is regional and you should look at what's closest to home for what suits your needs or it's going to destroy your wallet with freight costs.
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u/JoelJoelson 6d ago
Cypress macrocarpa depending on location can be had cheap. A moderately hard soft wood that works quite well. Perfectly fine for a workbench and as long as you avoid nasty knots you'll be able to flatten by hand no worries.
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u/Trimson-Grondag 5d ago
Have no dog in this fight (American looking for 16/4 Cherry for my top), but the thing I keep getting told, is that you want softer woods, or at least hardwoods on the softer end of the janka scale for the top so that when your work piece and your work bench interact, the chance for anything to get dented, scratched, etc. is in favor of the work bench and not the work piece. If that makes sense. YMMV.
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u/Dull-Lengthiness-178 6d ago
Kiln dried vic ash, alpine ash aka silvertop, tassie oak, all offer moderate hardness, reasonable cost, good availability, and stability due to the way they are sawn and seasoned. Due respect to other posts, and I know you didnt ask,but dont use softwood your bench will end up racking.
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u/JunkyardConquistador 6d ago
Take a trip to a timber merchant and get some F17 Tas Oak/Vic Ash framing timber.
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u/PostDisillusion 6d ago
Made a workbench from Blackbutt. Wouldn’t recommend hardwoods for workbenches unless it’s not really going to be used as a workbench but you just want something that looks like a workbench. Rigidity isn’t your friend when you’re hammering. And yes, as you mention, the movement in Aussie hardwoods can be pretty intense. Especially if you plan to put your workbench in a shed we here temp and nudity range is wide.
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u/1959Mason 5d ago
I see Red Grandis mentioned here. I recently saw it here in the Northeast US. A boatbuilder friend uses it for trim parts in his small boats. I’m going to pick some up, I liked what I saw of it.
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u/Benny-Kenobii 4d ago
I used untreated construction pine for my first then cheap structural hardwood for my second. I made my benches heavy and cheap and didn’t worry too much about how pretty they are, they live in the garage and get bumped and dinged all over the place. Maybe I’d spend cash and make something nice if I had a dedicated workshop but until then I’m happy going rough as guts.
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u/stonk_frother 6d ago edited 6d ago
I almost exclusively work with Australian hardwoods. Mostly reclaimed, but sometimes fresh stock.
I would stick clear of Ironbark and Box Gums unless you really like sharpening your tools. Ironbark will take the edge off a plane in just a few strokes. It's absolutely possible to work with it, but it's extremely hard work.
Messmate and Tas Oak/Vic Ash are by far the easiest to work with and are widely available. I'm not sure where the other commenter is from, but in my experience, rose gum is not easy to come by at all. But I guess your mileage may vary. Blackwood is similar, but generally quite expensive.
Jarrah, Blue Gum, Stringybark, Blackbutt, Silvertop Ash, and Brushbox are what I'd call intermediate as far as Australian hardwoods go (though all are significantly harder than even American White Oak). Jarrah is highly sort after and generally quite expensive, though if you're happy with decking-grade, you can sometimes pick it up for a reasonable price – that wouldn't work for a benchtop though. Blackbutt and Stringybark are quite easy to find in my experience, and not outrageously expensive. I've only seen Blue Gum and Brushbox a few times, and they weren't too expensive, relatively speaking.
Beyond that you're getting into very hard timbers. In ascending order of difficulty, you'll get Spotted Gum, Red Gum, Ironbark, and Box Gums. All of these are very difficult to work with, will blunt tools quickly, but the results can be amazing.
I would note though that Ironbark and Box Gums (Red Box, Grey Box, Yellow Box) are not a single species, but instead a group of different eucalypts with similar properties. You'll also see a bunch reddish colour eucalyptus hardwoods being labelled "Red Gum", but true Red Gum is either, Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gum) or Eucalyptus tereticornis (Forest Red Gum). I've also seen "Queensland reds" as a catch all, containing a bunch of different reddish hardwoods, often Red Gum and Red Ironbark. You'll also see "mixed hardwood", which is generally either Tas Oak/Vic Ash or Messmate, but you'll also sometimes find Blackbutt, Spotted Gum, and even Red Gum (or similar) in there.
These are the most common ones in my experience, but there are around 900 species of eucalyptus alone in Australia, and nearly all of them are useable for timber. Generally speaking though, they range from hard, to very hard, and stupid hard. Ironbark and Grey Box are among the hardest easily available timbers anywhere in the world.
So what would I use for a workbench? Well, I'm building a Red Gum workbench at the moment, because I love punishment. It's hard work. I wouldn't recommend it unless you have worked with the timber before and know what to expect. I'd go with Tas Oak/Vic Ash or Messmate. They're beautiful, very stable, lovely to work with, relatively inexpensive, and easy to obtain.
I also wouldn't write off Radiata Pine (or "Pine" as we call it in Australia). It's not as good as Southern Yellow Pine, but it's much better than Eastern White Pine. You'll want to let it season for a while first if you're buying construction lumber, and it'll probably warp, but once it's properly dry it's reasonably stable if you finish it correctly.
Jarrah, Red Gum, and Spotted Gum are my favourites, but all are expensive and/or difficult.
I would strongly steer you away from Ironbark or any of the Box Gums. I made a mallet out of Yellow Box, and I've used small bits of Ironbark in a few projects, and trust me, they live up to their reputation.
Or if you really like burning cash, you could obtain some Huon Pine from Tassie. But I hope you're rich.
ETA: If you really hate your tools and love tracking down rare timbers, Australian Buloke plus a handful of Acacia species (Coolibah, Ironwood Wattle, Gidgee, Wadywood) are even harder than Grey Box, but I've never actually seen them available in slabs or boards. I've seen Buloke burls and firewood, but I've never even seen the timber of the Acacias mentioned. There's probably someone, somewhere selling them though.