A lot of a puzzle

[John Plater]

Just collected the top half of a chilean pine tree. Some interesting looking timber here especially the very top of the tree and some of the multi branch knuckles.
ATB John

[Les Symonds]

Beware the sap.....it'll all turn white and sticky soon!
Les

[bodrighywood]

The wood can be beautiful but as Les said the sap.....still scraping it off the lathe a year later. LOL

pete

[fuzzyturns]

This looks very similar to monkeypuzzle or araucaria. As Les and Pete have pointed out, loads of extremely sticky white sap. However: the sap is only in the bark. Remove the bark as soon as you can and you won't have any further problems with the sap.

[bodrighywood]

Chilean pine is monkey puzzle. It is now protected due to being over logged. Only way go legally get it in this country is if someone cuts one down on their own property.

Pete

[John Plater]

In its native Chile, (it is the national tree of Chile), araucaria araucana is listed on Appendix 1 of the CITES Convention as an endangered specie. Many were planted in the UK during victorian and edwardian times. Many of those trees are now reaching their maturity and are dying. That is why they pop up as a source material for woodturners. There is still quite a healthy trade in young trees which have been propogated in this country.
This particular tree was standing but dead, possibly from honey fungus, and had to be taken down before it fell down. All of the correct permissions and paperwork were in place. Much of the bark is already coming away from the timber so I am hoping for gum free turning !
ATB John

[Derek]

Only way go legally get it in this country is if someone cuts one down on their own property.

Pete

And I have security cameras on the one in my front garden