Wood cores

From: felling@hawaii.edu
Subject: Wood cores
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 12:12:51 -0010

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Aloha everyone,

	I am investigating the variation in the wood anatomy of 
populations of native Acacias here in Hawaii.  Some of the wood I 
am collecting is very hard and I am having difficulty collecting wood 
cores.  I am using a Haglof increment borer (10" long steel bit, 3-
thread, 0.2" width, made of case-hardened steel).  I lubricate the bit 
and extractor with surf wax (my Hawaiian adaptation) before boring 
the tree.  Some of the wood is so hard that I have problems getting 
the wood cores.  For example: one tree did not want to let loose of 
the borer.  I tried all sorts of tactics to extract it (ice, WD-40 
lubricant, muscle power) but could not remove it from the tree so I 
broke the borer close to the trunk and kissed that sample goodbye.  
I can only surmise that heat produced during the coring (which was 
not easy!) caused the borer to expand and it got stuck in the tree. 
	My other common problem is that once I have extracted 
my borer (I now take it out of the tree once it becomes difficult to 
continue to turn the borer), I cannot get the core out of the borer!  
My extractor bends, I have to pound the extractor into the borer, 
and then I have difficulty pulling it out.  Also, some of the wood 
core pops out of the end of the borer and gets stuck there.
	Does any one have any suggestions?  This wood is a far 
cry from pine!
	Thank you!    Candace Lutzow-Felling
****************************
Candace Lutzow-Felling
Botany Department and Ecology, Evolution, & Conservation 
Biology Program
3190 Maile Way, Room 101
University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96822
(808)956-3925
felling@hawaii.edu


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****************************
Candace Felling
Botany Department
University of Hawaii

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