Don't be bamboozled into believing that gum poles are only "black painted" logs. Oh, no brother Gum poles obtainable in South Africa are particular specimens. To begin with they are cultivated in contracted plantations to specification of the manufacturer. This is important because the producer has to conform to SABS (South African Bureau of Standards) specifications on the poles manufactured.
So, the entire process of gum poles begin with the choice and grading of the timer in the plantation by the manufacturer. In terms of the SABS standards poles must be measured for defects, they must undergo strength tests and the moisture content needs to measured before treatment can start. So, at this initial phase the standard of the pole is set in line with the SABS specifications. Production plants are audited fairly often by the SABS to guarantee compliance to standards.
In addition to the SABS standards manufacturers further have to abide by the standard specifications of users like Telkom, Eskom and others. Further consider the fact that there is a log home business in South Africa which also set their high specifications on log manufacturers.
When the wet gum poles are transported to the manufacturer, the poles need to be dried. They can be either air dried or they are kiln dried, after which they again are graded. Once dried the gum poles have to be treated. They can be either Creosoted or tanalised in line with the end- user specification.
The process process entails a treatment vessel (bath) to which the poles are packed and subjected to high pressure and high temperature when the additive is added. Pressure is maintained until the preservative has reached the required preservative absorption is reached. The preservative will then be pumped from the vessel and a vacuum created to allow the gum poles to "surface dry".
On discharge from the treatment vessel the gum poles are again inspected to ensure the absolute minimum penetration of 15 mm of preservative, where after the ends are clad with a metal disc to prevent the ends from splitting.
So, by the point you buy your gum poles from the timber yard you obtain a quality product with which you can tackle any project in the full knowledge that you have a product that will stand up to weather and any attack by insects, like termites. Creosoted treatment increases the characteristic black colour to gum poles, while the tantalised variety retains the colour of the natural wood.
Gum poles are splendidly versatile in their application and require minimum of tools for construction purposes. With a drill, a saw, a hammer, wide chisel and bolts and nuts together with a spanner you can construct. Gum poles can be used as the building of homes, cabins, garden sheds, swings for the kids and fences, in fact most things that you can think of. A tree house or a Wendy house will see to it that you get an extra embrace and kiss from the little one.
The best way to please Mom? Well maybe a couple of flower boxes or an outside counter by the braai or a new fence or a lapa - a bit of imagination can go a long way
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