Chainsaw Repair

Yes. Tasmanian Blue Gum. (Eucalyptus  globulus) Brought over to this area in the turn of the century to be used as RR ties. Wood proved to be too unstable and wasn't used for this purpose.  The trees in the above picture was planted in the early 1900's.  These are are about 110' tall.  There is a specimen on our local channel islands that was measured at 236ft a few years back.

My mother had a couple smaller ones in her yard at one time. They were only in the 25'-30' range. Wood grain is different from what I'm used to.

The eucalypts are a strange tree if you cut one that has been growing in a water starved area as it dries the splits are small and the wood tight and stable. But if you get the same species grown in swamp or wet lands cut it down and try to season it it splits open like a hookers legs. I found this often when trying to season gum for bowl blanks for the lathe still got a few examples of the various seasoning attempts somewhere There were large bluegum plantations put in around my area over the last 15  behind my workshop will get some pics.  Over here redgum and jarrah were the main timbers used for railway ties/sleepers. There were large bluegum plantations put in around my area over the last 15 years or so carbon offset plantings destined for woodchipping but the company went bust and the farmers were not getting paid the lease for there land so hundreds of acres were pulled up and burnt, but a few of the smarter ones are now running firewood from these trees and thinning as they go but they are planted so close together they don't obtain massive height.

That's interesting.  I've milled some small pieces of  Red Gum (camaldulensis) and Robusta and  it has been very stable. As you mention, arid climates yield tighter/denser wood that's less prone to move while drying.  We've removed some Eucalyptus in irrigated garden/ landscape settings and they literally pour water out while making a cut.

Where did you live in southern Calofornia. I'm about 90 miles north of Los Angeles

Orange County, city of Cypress.    Same house for about 38 years and I retired and moved to Wyoming.
This is where all my wife's family lives.