FDH - this one is for you - and anyone else

[sigidi]

I was cutting yesterday and got to the bottom of this log and thought especially of you and your recent q's regarding swingers.

Basically I only had small logs for this job and wanted to get out as much as I could...

This one is the bottom flitch or cant, I stuck my ballpoint pen on for perspective



This one is a close up of the bunks/log supports I use - you can see the blocks I knock into the bark of the log and then screw them down so the log doesn't move



and this last one is the bunks with my 'loading taper' so I can roll the logs up onto the bunks.



I do all my work with a cant hook, iron bar and sometimes the truck and a snigging chain.

I just thought you might like to see some pics and it gave me an excuse to try my hand at the new system ;)

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Sigidi, I would say that ya done good on all points  8)

  What kind of wood is that ???  It's pretty stuff.  If I was cutting that, I believe at least one of them logs would have been table slab material. I love the contrasting colors of Sapwood and heart.

  I have some ideas about clamping logs, but, without a swinger to play with,  : I have to just wait a spell, until I get one.  :( ;D ;D

  Thanks for posting. Like the pics. Need more.  : :D :D :D

[sigidi]

FDH the timber is a local Euc, commonly called "ironbark"

Here is some info if your interested, http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/hardwoodsqld/13167.html

I just love the stuff, it is so useful and 'cause of it's density it is just so durable. A little bit hard on the blade and much sharpening is needed but even more sharpening is needed when it carries the odd nail :(

I got the timber free (about 14 ton the crane truck fella's said) so I can't complain about the metal too much

[Fla._Deadheader]

  We have trees here called Lignum Vitae. It is very dense and has Black wood. It supposedly resembles Ebony.  I heard there are lots of those trees in CR, right where I plan on living. Anyone got a use for Black Wood ???  ;D

[Steve]

I'll take some!
Very usefull wood. Very dense and oily. Originally used for shaft bearings in boats.

[sawwood]

Sigidi i looked at your photos and i sure do like the look of that wood. You guys
sure have some good wood to cut. We have Black Locust and honey locust
that sure is nice look. Herold i all ways looking for diff, woods for my turning.

Sawwood

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Well, who'd a thunk I could market black wood ?????? Guess I gotta get some and try sawin it.  ;D ;D

  Let's see, Denim Pine, Black Oak?, Brown Cypress, Red Cedar, Tropical Hardwood of all shades, Hmmmm. Just MIGHT get into the Wood Business. ;D :D

[Jeff]

I could market black wood

Just dont get those wordsout of order. :D

[Ianab]

Yeah some of that eucalyptus is really neat wood.
I've not cut any ironbark, but it looks like the wood equivalent of a length of railway line  :D
Makes oak etc look like a softwood.

Cheers

Ian

[SwampDonkey]

FL_D,

Persimmons are of the 'ebony' family to. Common persimmon is mostly sapwood though. It's heartwood is small and blackish brown to black. It is very heavy and very hard and used commonly in golf club heads. So next time ya hit the ball around the course think of the persimmon wood in your golf clubs. ;)

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Donkster, That's ONE THING you will never find me doing. No way, no how.  ;D ;D ;D

[SwampDonkey]

:D :D

Me either, and I never thought I'de see my father doing it. But, after he done sold the old farm, and retired,  he's been chasing balls like it's a whole new career. Now he's down your way chasing them white things for 4 weeks in Davenport. :D :D  My grandfather would just role his eyes if he were still with us.  : :

[Arthur]

Sigidi

Beware of the Iron Bark.  You need to mill as soon as you can.  Do NOT leave it too long as it just get harder and harder.  One old miller told me to store the stuff in my dam to keep it millable.

I think it is an amazing wood.  Turns candle sticks and bowels that never twist like blue gum can.

We use it alot for 8"x3" beams for pool decking.

Once had a half milled log that we went back to some 10 months later.  Every cut needed the sawblade resharpening.

arthur

[sigidi]

It's pretty dense timber, I just did a 1 for 1 cutting job and the fella mainly had ironbark, with some yelloww stringy. The missuss wasn't too happy with how much I brought home for 3 days work, but your right it's DanG hard stuff and a blade killer for sure.

I have had my first metal hit too - almost broke my heart, took out the tips of all 5 of my TCT, so I am very wary of this stuff now. Which as you are saying if I back off it now then I guess I will just have to leave it to rot??? :

FDH - I would love to be able to use black wood, I've heard Lignum is hard as .... and we get a show on cable called Woodworks with some chap called Mark somebody, but he is alwasy making really exotic timber peices - they look great.

[Ianab]

I guess I will just have to leave it to rot???

I dont think thats an option either  :D
Not even termites will eat that stuff.
If you dont cut it up now... well you are just gonna be stuck with a heap of logs you can bequeath to ya grandchildren  :D

[Arthur]

Sigidi

if you get the bark off (best with a long crowbar) and you have 12" plus in diameter left you could sell 3 and 4m lengths for strainers.  We have them in on the ends of our fence line and you can tighten the wire and play music on it. 

Although we have just renewed the fence line we reused the strainers where they where.  From one of the old locals whos dad owned the farm they have been in the ground for over 50 year with almost no rot.

You should get $30 per for good ones.

I would get that bark off as soon as you can whatever you do.  Most nails and blade damage will come from the bark.

arthur

[NZJake]

That Iron bark sure is fun to cut, cut a whole bunch of it on the Aus ASM road trip. I hated the fur from it's bark, its like fibre glass that sticks to your sweat. The acid from it ruins anything you might be wearing too. I learn't very quick to tone down the power feed.

Hey Herold, I've got some cool log holding systems coming into production shortly (some of you guys might be impressed), the die casts should be made in a week or two. For sure you guys will be the first to see them. Some of the features are...log taper adjustment, up to 3 logs at a time and no steel for the blade to munch. The dogs work on any mill too. Looking back on some of your guys's posts I do agree that certain situations require a good dogging system, removing cants, small logs and the abillity to power through the bottom slab without slowing production, convenience is also another(having to cut wedges for the logs).

Looking good Sigidi.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Hi Jake. Back from my trip to Costa Rica.  Working with Fred to see what we need for sawing. Will get back with you as soon as we decide what we are going to do.  Love them pics on the other thread.  SOME big logs ;D