Dead Finish

    (Archidendropsis basaltica)

Also known as: Red Lancewood

Endemic to Central Queensland, Dead-Finish can be found on most soil types as far east as Dysart and Bluff but gets more common as you go west. Dead-Finish regrowth is actually quite a problem out Alpha way on some grazing land (which is a good thing for woodies!). Dead Finish grows to about 10 metres and the largest trunk I've seen is about 450mm diameter at the deck.

  The name apparently comes from Aboriginal pidgin english "When this tree die, this country, him dead - finish" showing that the aboriginals were aware of the drought hardiness of the tree. The fact that the recent drought saw so many trees give up the ghost shows just how severe it was. 

The range of colour and figure in some Dead Finish is just amazing. It has very little movement during drying and little splitting if the end-grain is sealed. The timber is very hard, close grained and heavy but still turns well and sands very well. You can obtain a high finish just by sanding to fine grits, the finer the better. 

A good sized (400mm) log being milled with a Lucas mill.

The finished articles pictured have just 2 coats of Danish oil, one coat would have achieved the same result.

The egg-box below is finished with Shellawax.

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