AnyTips for milling ironbark??

[Morgan]

Let me know what's best to put on end of logs to reduce cracking? I heard roof sealant not bad??
Will be receiving iron bark logs soon any tips for milling it with an Alaskan mill using Husq 395.
Thinking maybe be bigger saw?? more$$$$, not sure..

[Stopper]

There is a commercial product available for timber sealing. Pretty sure it's from caltex and is called Timber Seal. Costs about $70 for a 20ltr drum.
The Husky should handle the iron bark but get it cut sooner rather than later.
Cheers
Steve.

[echnidna]

hard yakka cutting that stuff even when its green.

[Sigidi]

Morgan, it'll be really hard to stop ironbark cut ends from splitting. I've had ironbark which I've docked at one end, ran a tape over, marked my distance with paint and made the second cut, gone back to the first cut and it already had a star shaped split. Nothing will be able to stop splitting that quick. If you can, get the logs cut over length, this will allow you to dock any bad splits from it. Once they are boards, the splitting will be much smaller/shorter

As for cutting - your 395 will be good enough for it, but like Steve said, once the ironbark starts drying out, it'll get much harder on the saw, all saws like it green.

Hope it helps. let us know how you go - post some pics:)

[jaksam]

Another tip for cutting iron bark (and other trees with rough bark that dust and grit can hide in) is to remove the bark before you cut the log. This will hopefully help your chains last longer between sharpenings. Cutting green as also mentioned will make life easier.

[BobL]

This stuff, like most hard eucalyptii, case hardens pretty quickly so the end of the log you first plunge your chain into seriously blunts the chain just as you are getting started on a log. What I do, even on fairly green logs is dock an inch or so of the ends of the log just before I mill it. Chain sharpness lasts a bit longer that way.

[nifty]

Totally agree with BobL,over here in WA the equivalent eucalypt would be wandoo, to cut this with my bandsaw I have to take 3 inches off the leading end or my blades will dive at the start of each cut. Debarking is a big thing to, and even then pressure cleaning logs can also help.Another good tip for blade and band mill owners to is to put dish washing liquid in your water bottle with such dense, sappy eucalypts. With a chain mill dont be afraid of spraying diesel on your chain before each cut, helps to slow sap build up.:2tsup: ALL THE BEST ON OZ DAY, Nev:2tsup:

[weisyboy]

you shouldn't have any problems milling Ironbark(depending on the type). it mills better than most of the hardwoods round here even thow it is so hard.

ya shouldn't have any problems with sap buildup nothing like in spotty or blue gum.

it defiately needs barking or you will never get threw it.:2tsup: