Pushing the gear to the limits with a big log...again!

**tassietimbers** · 9th October 2013, 10:28 PM

Hi all

Thought you might be interested in out latest adventure. We have been busy milling lately on another salvage job, with some good and some average results. Have stopped on the furniture grade due to the warmer weather but now onto the lower grade post, rail and sleeper material. The last log to recover was this beauty, which we will have to wait until next March to mill in the cooler months. It is not me driving my digger, had a friend with plenty of experience pulling the levers. As you can see, he was using every single horse power the 25 tonner would give, and a bit more. She is a strong machine, but even this tested her to her limits. Once we had the log in a safe position, trimmed the rootball off and a few metres from the head end still to leave a log 4.5m long x 1.3-1.6m in diameter. Surprisingly, the digger lifted the log outright onto the truck and it went back to the farm. Not a bad one for a morning's work.

The log in the mill is a ripper, nicknamed the "iceberg" log, as only the very top of it was showing out of the ground, the rest of its large mass submerged in old flood debris and mud in a gully. It took 4 hours to get it out and clean it up, but the reward was a rock solid fiddleback log that cut about 10 full dining table matched sets.

MM2013 029.jpg MM2013 032.jpg MM2013 036.jpg MM2013 035.jpg MM2013 037.jpg

Anyway, hope you are all ripping into some good logs.

Cheers

James

**Mr Brush** · 10th October 2013, 08:14 AM

Woo - a dancing 25 tonner

Nice looking timber though.

**Sigidi** · 10th October 2013, 08:33 AM

You lucky Bugger James

good onya mate

**Barterbuilt** · 10th October 2013, 10:35 AM

Keep them comming James.
Just love your big log stories.

**rustynail** · 10th October 2013, 12:41 PM

Nothing better than sticking your chainsaw nose into other peoples business

**dai sensei** · 10th October 2013, 04:24 PM

Any photos of the cut pieces?

**code4pay** · 10th October 2013, 05:38 PM

Why only furniture grade in cool weather,?

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**Scott** · 10th October 2013, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by dai sensei

Any photos of the cut pieces?

Yeah, where are they? hehe. No photos, doesn't exist

Originally Posted by code4pay

Why only furniture grade in cool weather,?

Yup, that question came to me as well.

Thanks for sharing

**rustynail** · 11th October 2013, 01:55 PM

We stop milling furniture grade timber in September. Anything milled after that is too prone to checking due to rapid drying during the warmer months.

**Scott** · 11th October 2013, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by rustynail

We stop milling furniture grade timber in September. Anything milled after that is too prone to checking due to rapid drying during the warmer months.

Thanks, simple explanation.

**tassietimbers** · 11th October 2013, 08:01 PM

Hi all

As Rustynail informed, surface checking can be very damaging to furniture grade boards, especially in a hairline form that only becomes apparent once the timber is dried and dressed. In northern Victoria, October can throw up the odd 30+ degree day or days, putting all the hard work to acheive a premium product at risk. It is just not worth it. I figure some of the trees we mill took 300+ years to grow, so why not wait a few months until the cooler period to get the absolute best out of them.

I have found it is much easier to stabalise slabs milled in March to August, preferring to mill only boards in September/early October then downgrade material after that, but only as orders come in.

Cheers

James

**Bushmiller** · 11th October 2013, 10:30 PM

James

Another good job with the logs and the thread.

Regards
Paul

**keenwoodworker** · 12th October 2013, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by code4pay

Why only furniture grade in cool weather,?

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Dries out and cracks instantly in warm weather?

**artme** · 13th October 2013, 12:48 PM

Why is the mill operator grinning like a Cheshire cat I ask myself!!

Nice one mate!!!

**BobL** · 13th October 2013, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by tassietimbers

Hi all
As Rustynail informed, surface checking can be very damaging to furniture grade boards, especially in a hairline form that only becomes apparent once the timber is dried and dressed. In northern Victoria, October can throw up the odd 30+ degree day or days, putting all the hard work to acheive a premium product at risk. It is just not worth it. I figure some of the trees we mill took 300+ years to grow, so why not wait a few months until the cooler period to get the absolute best out of them. I have found it is much easier to stabalise slabs milled in March to August, preferring to mill only boards in September/early October then downgrade material after that, but only as orders come in.

Good point TT. I found that even when it's not that hot if there is a very dry wind blowing it can generate those fine surface cracks you refer to.

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