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The $5000 log

Started by Tam-i-am, July 03, 2019, 02:32:15 PM

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Tam-i-am

When Kevin had the portable sawmill business customers would call and ask us if we wanted their valuable logs that were just recently cut and laying in their yard.  They knew it was valuable because it was "walnut".  So anytime someone tells me the value of their log I am skeptical!!!

Well yesterday, a man wanted to bring his $5000 log over to be milled.  To my surprise it was the real thing!  It was a 6 ft ebony log.  The gentleman didn't leave a scrap of it anywhere!  But I suppose at that price I would have picked up every piece too.



 

 

 


The pics don't do it justice as the wood was black as black could be.  So rich and almost a satin look to it.
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barbender

That's cool, and definitely something you won't be milling every day!
Too many irons in the fire

sprucebunny

There must be more to the story !!! Was it super hard ? 
How does one get an ebony log ? Can't exactly put it in your suitcase to bring back from another continent  :D
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Tam-i-am

Sprucebunny you are correct he did not bring it back in his suitcase. :D  He actually bought it from a wood dealer in California.

Schuyler (I think he is member W) and Jane had no problems sawing it.  Wasn't hard.

Personally, I would make me nervous to cut something like that for a customer, but no one seemed to treat it differently.
I only got to see it because they milled it in the Logrite parking lot where they were milling wood for pallets just before the customer showed up.

All in a days work I guess.
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lxskllr

Wonder what he's gonna do with it? I wouldn't think boards would be the best shape, but I guess it depend on what he has in mind. You could do some interesting stuff turning it I bet.

Resonator

I'd saw that for shares! :D
Under bark there's boards and beams, somewhere in between.
Cuttin' while its green, through a steady sawdust stream.
I'm chasing the sawdust dream.

Proud owner of a Wood-Mizer 2017 LT28G19

doc henderson

the sawdust would make great filler. add it to resin ect.   :)
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Peter Drouin

Where does it grow?   South America?
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

sprucebunny

Ebony - Wikipedia

Africa and India. I wasn't sure, either.

It says 'dense' and I've seen it as wear surfaces on old planes which is why I thought it might be hard.
MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

lxskllr

Fretboards would be a good use for boards. Thought of that after seeing Resonator post.

WV Sawmiller

   I have a number of ebony carvings I bought in Cameroon on the west coast of Africa. It is extremely dense and very beautiful wood. @WDH Didn't I hear persimmon is an ebony wood.
Howard Green
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btulloh

I think redbud and ebony are closely related.
HM126

WDH

Yes, persimmon is in the ebony family.  The instruments makers call it American ebony. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

btulloh

Quote from: btulloh on July 03, 2019, 09:45:57 PM
I think redbud and ebony are closely related.

Rosewood. Different exotic. Both ebony and rosewood are related to Les Paul.
HM126

Tam-i-am

Apparently, it was 1 of 3 ebony logs brought here in 1995.  Ebony does not grow very big so this was an exceptional log.  

yes it is dense.  2 guys could not lift it.  they ended up using the tractor (I just want to state for the record all the guys were kind of old ;D)

The man is commissioned to build a table.
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Chuck White

The only thing I can think of where Ebony is commonly used is "forearm tips" on gun stocks!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

SwampDonkey

Dense and heavy like iron. I've only seen a wood sample in person in the forest products lab at university.

Cool opportunity though. 8)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

btulloh

Ebony used to be used for piano keys - the black ones of course.  Ivory veneer was used for the white keys.  Those days are long gone.

Tam-i-am, you witnessed a truly rare event.  Thanks for sharing it.
HM126

Magicman

Two exotic gavels.

 

 
One Rose Wood and the other Ebony.  These were turned in the early '60's.
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SwampDonkey

Years ago, I could imagine a high end Crokinole set with ebony and maple.
A quick google just shows ebony used on the board surface, but maple disks. $275 UK pounds. Odd, I would request ebony and hard maple disks. :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Resonator

QuoteEbony used to be used for piano keys - the black ones of course.  Ivory veneer was used for the white keys. 
Ebony and ivory, live together in perfect harmony,
Side by side on my piano keyboard, oh Lord, why don't we?

(Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder 1982)
Under bark there's boards and beams, somewhere in between.
Cuttin' while its green, through a steady sawdust stream.
I'm chasing the sawdust dream.

Proud owner of a Wood-Mizer 2017 LT28G19

btulloh

HM126

barbender

Ebony is still the fretboard material of choice in high end guitars, especially classical guitars. I'm sure that holds true for stringed instruments like violins as well. As it gets rarer, ebony migrates toward the more expensive instruments. Some cheap guitars have the fretboard dyed to look like ebony. They go well with the jewelry that makes your skin turn green😊
Too many irons in the fire

curved-wood

Years ago I've read in Fine Woodworking magazine that a guy went to get a quilted mahogany in Africa saying that the log worth $25,000 !! . So big that even the bulldozer was not strong enough to pull it, they had to dynamite in half. Floated on a river to the mill, got it saw and send to US . Went all in slicing veneer. Quite an expedition

Tam-i-am

Wow, that's what I love about the forum - I post something and you all teach me something!

So I went digging around in the sawdust and found a small sliver of a piece.  I promise to bring it to the pig roast this year.  Then I have to figure out something to make out of it!

Doc  -   Jane, the sawyer's partner, did scoop up as much sawdust as she could to use it as fill in something.
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