Salvaging another twig!

**tassietimbers** · 28th October 2017, 11:52 PM

Hi all

I have been away from the forum for a while but thought a few might be interested in our latest project. This old tree blew down in a storm earlier this year on a property we salvaged timber on a few years back. As soon as it hit the ground the phone rang and we were invited back. Fortunately we have a few more toys with horsepower now and the job was a bit easier, but still challenging. Log measures 6.3m long, 1.7m diameter on the butt end, 1.4m on the head end, probably weighs around 10 tonnes and was nicknamed "The Twig".

Managed to get it on the float by lifting one end with the 25t digger, backing the float under it as far as we could, then riggling it up onto the deck without damaging the float or log. Despite the bend, plan is to mill the one straight side at full length down to the heart, then cut the log at 4.0 and 2.3m and mill the remaining porting at a better orientation. The log is rock solid with a low heart, a great opportunity for some ripper slabs.

I will post a few pics next year when we mill it in the cooler months.

Hope all the old regulars are still kicking about and making sawdust (yes, you know who you are!) while I'm sure a few new ones have been bitten by the timber bug and entered the milling game, poor buggers.

Cheers

James.

**MAPLEMAN** · 29th October 2017, 08:12 PM

Always a bonus when the big old logs have a low heart...helps so much with volume recovery,and is often a precursor of lovely figure within.
Can you reveal the species at all?...MM

**tassietimbers** · 29th October 2017, 08:26 PM

The old log is a redgum. The size is common for this area but all too often the white ants and rot have taken their toll, but not this time. It is rock solid all the way through luckily.
Cheers

**MAPLEMAN** · 29th October 2017, 08:43 PM

Really no better sight than to see a tree of this size and quality obtained through salvage efforts

I note that you are going to slab a portion of the log...I hope you mill some wide boards on the quarter as I reckon they will be eye candy!
What a beast of a log...MM

**tassietimbers** · 29th October 2017, 09:22 PM

The log should produce some beautiful slabs, but yes, I will be milling some matched sets of boards along both sides of the heart. There is a fair amount of birdseye and fiddleback in the log, so this will ultimately determine whether they are backsawn or on the quarter. The timber milled in this area a few years back was some of the best we have ever seen, super clean and full of feature. I can only hope this log can produce the same!

Cheers

**dai sensei** · 30th October 2017, 09:56 PM

Holy crap that is a beast. Good luck with the processing, looking forward to more photos

**Christos** · 1st November 2017, 06:32 AM

Next year you say. Waiting and watching with interest.

**tassietimbers** · 22nd September 2018, 10:13 PM

Hi all,

Finally got "The Twig" into the mill this week, and as expected, ripper slabs. Ended up cutting the log back to around 4.5m long at the bend to maximise recovery in the thicker section of the log. Slabs are rock solid and up to about 1.4m wide with beautiful grain, such a pleasure to mill these grand old trees when they finally fall over.

These slabs are cut at 60mm thick and will be racked away for 5 years minimum before being ready for sale. A long time but worth the wait.

Cheers,

James.

**gungy** · 26th September 2018, 09:38 AM

Can I ask a dumb question?
What do you mean by a "low heart"?

**BobL** · 26th September 2018, 09:53 AM

We need a new sub-forum - large timber milling!

**tassietimbers** · 29th September 2018, 11:51 PM

Hi Gungy,

It is not a dumb question mate, just something to be explained to those who are new to the game. A 'low heart' is when the heart is off centre in the log, producing a nice big section of timber to cleanly mill through. Usually the off-set heart is placed towards the bottom of the log when sitting it in the mill, allowing the miller to get into the big clean area easily on top of the log. It is particularly good when slabbing as it can yield a few extra slabs in some cases.

Hope that clears it up for you. Anytime you want to come and learn a bit of milling we can always do with the free labour!

Cheers,

James

**gungy** · 2nd October 2018, 09:12 AM

Thanks for the reply James.
Cleared it up nicely. I would love to come and give you a day or so, but I won't be down your way this week. FNQld is bit far for a day. Keep the offer open...you never know.

**railer** · 30th October 2018, 10:05 AM

If the offer is still open James, I'd be keen to help you out one day - are you guys in Rochester or FNQ as @gungy mentioned?

**tassietimbers** · 30th October 2018, 10:31 PM

Hi Railer,

We are in Rochester, Vic, just south of Echuca. All our furniture milling is finished for the year now, too hot for the fresh sawn timber. We only mill a bit of post and rail material as ordered and turn our attention to salvaging logs and tree work over the next few months. Come next April/May we will be firing up the furniture milling again and have a good stash of 4-8 tonne logs to work through. You are welcome to come up and learn a bit anytime, just email me at [email protected]

Cheers,

James.

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