Thread: What would you do with this piece of timber ??

Originally Posted by SpiritFlutes

Post all entries here to this thread and lets just say under 500 words (seems hard to get poetry outa you blokes) but I want to hear about you and your passion for timber like this and exactly what it can be in your eyes, dont be scared....best entry at end of month gets it....
Mate it is dry as....

Matt

As far as the piece of wood goes. It's clearly a very nice piece. Maybe I am just not worthy but it's not talking to or even looking at me. This is not unusual as I rarely hit it off with a piece of timber via an on-line photo. I'm with Neil, ". . . I would need to see and feel it, then perhaps think about it for a few years before deciding what to do with it . Even then, it may take years to finish it, to give the timber its due".

I also think you are maybe pitching to the wrong choir. The sort of poetry we know and our "passion about using eco sustainable woods" is expressed in a very different way. It's expressed in the things that are made, how they are made, and the materials from which they made. That is why I joined and participate in these forums. As soon as folks start posting poetry about their future activities I'm outta here. There are already enough gunna's on the forums.

Maybe the problem is the time limit Matt. Maybe extend the period a bit (or a lot).

Hi Matt,
Great offer. And very nice of you to give the piece away. Heres my entry.

<style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> </style> If I were given this piece of timber I would make a cabinet (about 700mm high x 400mm wide and 400mm deep) that could show off all of the timbers grain and figure, I would do this by making the centre panels thin so the timber would not be hidden. It would have two panel doors maybe with glass in the centre or the timber and a dove tail draw maybe with some other timber. It could have a natural edge on the top if the one in the picture would look any good. It would have inlay down around the legs and ebony and kauri banding around the top. I would use ebony or a very dark wood as it would be eye catching but not over powering. As a student I could use the machinery at the TAFE night class I’m doing to sand it and finish it properly.


Reasons I like using Eco friendly timber because

• It saves trees being logged from native forests and it can save the environment to. I don’t like rare trees being cut down (rare as in being very old, large or there is not many of them left around) as it is not necessary as we could recycle timber or collect it.
• It is better for the environment
• You can often get larger pieces of wood as the trees have died a long time ago when there was no rush to make the tree in to boards.
• Eco friendly can be more cost effective, produces less carbon emissions when it is being collected and doesn't take up space in land fill being reused. Using Eco friendly timber means there is less carbon emissions produced when resourcing the timber, like with kauri the timber is extracted from the ground, the land is returned to its natural state and the land is not permanently damaged.

I have attached a drawing of my thinking.
Regards Ben

onya Ben!

If I were to use the piece as described in my earlier post. I would first enter it into the quaterly wood turning comp. Then donate it to charity.

Originally Posted by Travis Edwards

I would look at cutting it into veneers with the finest blade I I could find for my small bandsaw, then I would look at what timbers I could find which would work well as a contrast to it and make a bike

something like this Elisabeth's R4, birch, purpleheart, Vancouver BC - Gallery: R4 Pursuit - Renovo Hardwood Bicycles

Unfortunately there is no possible way I could do this in the available time I have in the next few months, but it wood look good...lol!!!

Its' only pine Travis ,
I doubt that it would be strong enough for a bike .
The result could be painful

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

I wish I had a bandsaw . I'd use the wood to make a traditional leather skived writing box with a set of matching pens, and maybe some pen boxes like Dave Lim's.

Unfortunately I can only resaw using a Triton WS or a good old fashioned ripsaw, so the wastage would be unacceptable.

I visited NZ back in '99 and was fascinated by the kauri industry. I visited the Kauri Museum, the Kauri gallery that was showcased in AWR a few years ago, even went to the Waipoua Kauri Forest and saw Tane Mahuta. In the Kauri museum they have a piece of kauri that is still recognisable as being a piece of wood, despite the fact that it's about 5 million years old and stuck in the middle of a coal seam! Swamp kauri has a beautiful grain even without the figure shown by your piece.

I saw Tahne Mahuta too and the other smaller ones (not really the right word they are all huge) I played Tahne Mahuta a flute song and will stick the vid up on YT one day soon I hope. The Kauri Museam was shutting when I arrived.. bugger...

Really interesting about the 5 million yo piece of wood in the coal seam, I hadn't heard that, what an awesome wood to last like that...

Thanks for your thoughts on the piece of wood

Matt

Originally Posted by BobL

As far as the piece of wood goes. It's clearly a very nice piece. Maybe I am just not worthy but it's not talking to or even looking at me. This is not unusual as I rarely hit it off with a piece of timber via an on-line photo. I'm with Neil, ". . . I would need to see and feel it, then perhaps think about it for a few years before deciding what to do with it . Even then, it may take years to finish it, to give the timber its due".

I also think you are maybe pitching to the wrong choir. The sort of poetry we know and our "passion about using eco sustainable woods" is expressed in a very different way. It's expressed in the things that are made, how they are made, and the materials from which they made. That is why I joined and participate in these forums. As soon as folks start posting poetry about their future activities I'm outta here. There are already enough gunna's on the forums.

Thanks for your views mate, a thought and plan is where it starts, the rest is up to your intention and will....I agree that holding and feeling the timber makes a huge difference.
I don't believe in wrong, and I am not talking about giving it away I am serious as I believe anyone interested in the piece of wood would be also...Yes there,s always dreamers so be it, we often believe we can do more than is possible, I know I do but that inspires me none the less.

When you say "we" I take it you are attempting to speak for the group as a whole which is out of touch as we all have different views obviously, which may be entirely different to those you express.

Matt

Originally Posted by Toymaker Len

Where are the instrument makers ? This block has the makings of half a dozen fantastic violins, maybe guitars, maybe a cello or two. What about an ANZAC acoustic guitar with the ancient kauri soundboard and back, blackwood sides, NZ black myrtle neck and gidgee fingerboard... huon pine bridge, whalebone nut, paua shell or jade inlay... Come on fellas get a bit stirred up this really is a once in a lifetime offer.

I like the sound what you see

Matt

Originally Posted by dai sensei

It is a great generous offer Matt

I'd love to have a go at such a beautiful hunk of timber, but I would need to see and feel it, then perhaps think about it for a few years before deciding what to do with it . Even then, it may take years to finish it, to give the timber its due.

My first thought was a rocking chair, one of Rocker's design, but I have Osage Orange sliced up in the shed still waiting after 2 years to become a rocking chair. I also have some logs of Blackwood waiting for the same fate that has been there for 4 years

Can't wait to see what someone does with it.

Cheers

Thanks Neil, I hear ya...Hope that Osage Orange chair comes up nice mate

Matt

Originally Posted by Travis Edwards

I would look at cutting it into veneers with the finest blade I I could find for my small bandsaw, then I would look at what timbers I could find which would work well as a contrast to it and make a bike

something like this Elisabeth's R4, birch, purpleheart, Vancouver BC - Gallery: R4 Pursuit - Renovo Hardwood Bicycles

Unfortunately there is no possible way I could do this in the available time I have in the next few months, but it wood look good...lol!!!

I agree this wouldn't have structural strength but would be a great addition in a non structural place on your bike, I have seen wooden bikes before and they amazed me.

Matt

Originally Posted by Bupton

Hi Matt,
Great offer. And very nice of you to give the piece away. Heres my entry.

<style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> </style> If I were given this piece of timber I would make a cabinet (about 700mm high x 400mm wide and 400mm deep) that could show off all of the timbers grain and figure, I would do this by making the centre panels thin so the timber would not be hidden. It would have two panel doors maybe with glass in the centre or the timber and a dove tail draw maybe with some other timber. It could have a natural edge on the top if the one in the picture would look any good. It would have inlay down around the legs and ebony and kauri banding around the top. I would use ebony or a very dark wood as it would be eye catching but not over powering. As a student I could use the machinery at the TAFE night class I’m doing to sand it and finish it properly.


Reasons I like using Eco friendly timber because

• It saves trees being logged from native forests and it can save the environment to. I don’t like rare trees being cut down (rare as in being very old, large or there is not many of them left around) as it is not necessary as we could recycle timber or collect it.
• It is better for the environment
• You can often get larger pieces of wood as the trees have died a long time ago when there was no rush to make the tree in to boards.
• Eco friendly can be more cost effective, produces less carbon emissions when it is being collected and doesn't take up space in land fill being reused. Using Eco friendly timber means there is less carbon emissions produced when resourcing the timber, like with kauri the timber is extracted from the ground, the land is returned to its natural state and the land is not permanently damaged.

I have attached a drawing of my thinking.
Regards Ben

Thanks for all your ideas and entries , for me this fits the criteria the best and so Ben Gets it , I will however donate other Kauri wood to Bevan and Jarrod to see thier projects through because I like thier ideas a lot and they sound serious, I will PM you guys soon.... In excitment I am dreaming of the finished works

Matt

Well, I am honoured I must say. Hope to speak with you soon Matt.

Cheers
Bevan

Originally Posted by Enfield Guy

Well, I am honoured I must say. Hope to speak with you soon Matt.

Cheers
Bevan

Hi Bevan, I trust you got the Kauri I left at your place I realised the wider board wasnt whitebait when I got home, as I had an offcut of that board, maybe uit was I still havent planed it, but its hard to pick sometimes rough sawn like that Matt