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  Anti-kickback fingers

  Anti-kickback fingers are standard safety equipment on most new table saws. The anti-kickback fingers are incorporated into the blade guard and prevent the stock from being thrown at the operator by biting into it when kickback occurs. As long as the stock if fed through the blade in a normal fashion the anti-kickback fingers don't come into play. It is only when the stock binds and kickback occurs that they are important.

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Softwood Species

Australia has a number of native softwood species — namely, the conifers or cone-bearers — including hoop pine, celery top pine, white cypress, to name just a few. These species occur naturally and are grown in plantations throughout Australia, particularly in the eastern states and Tasmania. Other non-native softwoods, such as radiata pine and slash pine, are also grown extensively in plantations throughout Australia.

Australia has approximately one million hectares of established softwood plantations (mostly radiata pine) and about 70 percent of the softwood timber we consume is domestically grown, highlighting the ready availability of softwood timbers for the Australian building industry. One of the advantages of farming softwoods is that they grow very fast, meaning that they can be harvested and replanted within a relatively short period, providing a renewable source of timber and wood products for construction and other purposes.

Softwood timbers and engineered wood products provide specifiers and builders with products that are structurally strong, lightweight, easily transported and worked on-site. Softwood timbers, such as those from white cypress or Douglas fir, can have higher durability and strength ratings than many hardwoods. Common uses for softwood timbers include structural framing, cladding and panelling, benchtops, flooring, decking, joinery, beams and poles. Plywood, LVL, MDF and other products that utilise softwoods are popular in shop-fittings, furniture and cabinetry, for their appearance, thermal and acoustic properties as much as for their durability.

To find the right timber for your project, search softwood species using botanical name, common name or applications.

16 result(s) found

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  Caribbean Pine

  Botanical name: Pinus Caribaea, Common name: Caribbean Pine.
  Caribbean Pine is a durable and easily workable softwood widely used for construction, engineering and decorative purposes.
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  Celery Top Pine

  Botanical name: Phyllocladus asplenifolius, Common name: Celery Top Pine.
  Celery Top Pine is an attractive, durable and easily worked softwood, pale when cut and then darker with age, used in boat building, joinery and turnery, and interiors.
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  Douglas Fir

  Botanical name: Pseudotsuga menziesii, Common name: Douglas Fir.
  Douglas Fir is one of the world’s best-known timber species. Imported sawn timber products are readily available in Australia.
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  Hoop Pine

  Botanical name: Araucaria cunninghamii, Common name: Hoop Pine.
  Hoop Pine is a softwood widely used in general construction purposes, interiors, and for furniture.
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  Klinki Pine

  Botanical name: Araucaria hunsteinii, Common name: Klinki Pine.
  Klinki Pine is a Papua New Guinean softwood usually seen as plywood in Australia. It is used for battery separators, ice cream spoons, joinery and furniture.
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  Norway Spruce

  Botanical name: Picea abies, syn. P. excelsa, Common name: Norway Spruce.
  Norway Spruce is an economically important coniferous species grown in Europe and North America. It is used widely in general construction. Superior grades are prized as a premium tonewood.
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  Queensland Kauri

  Botanical name: Agathis robusta, Common name: Queensland Kauri.
  Queensland Kauri is an Australian native softwood with a fine even texture, pale cream to light or pinkish brown heartwood and a straight grain.
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  Radiata Pine

  Botanical name: Pinus radiata, Common name: Radiata Pine.
  Radiata Pine is a softwood whose availability and ease of use make it popular for all kinds of construction and decorative uses.
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  Redwood

  Botanical name: Sequoia sempervirens, Common name: Redwood.
  Redwood’s rich colouring and durability make it a natural choice for use indoors and out.
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  Scots Pine

  Botanical name: Pinus sylvestris, Common name: Scots Pine.
  Scots Pine is a softwood used for general construction purposes, flooring and joinery.