About ten years ago I cut down a "Silver Dollar" eucalyptus tree in my front yard. I cut the trunk into rounds about 18" - 24" long, the diameter ranged from 14" to maybe 20". I tried splitting them right afterwards for firewood, but the stuff was tough as magic nails, and didn't split at all. So I threw them in my sideyard and let them sit since. The other day I noticed the rounds were covered with fungus and looked weathered. "Lightbulb: spalted wood".
So I hauled a small round into my woodshop and tried to saw a flatsawn board off to see all the pretty grain and stuff, using a bow saw with a rough ripping blade (I got no other means). An hour later, I'd made a cut maybe 1" deep into the end of the log. The sawdust looked like it came from a fresh log, and the wood is still hard and tough. This method isn't efficient, and that dog won't hunt.
Any better way to mill boards from these rounds? I have a light-duty chain saw, but don't see that working either. I can't imagine a saw mill would take such a small job, or that it would be economically feasible.
Sacramento - Fairfeild area, CA
Thanks a heap, Zz