Thread: The James Anderson Experience 2012

Cool, have you measured the moisture content of the timber, now that you've milled it?

I don't worry about the moisture content, I just assume they are all 'green'. These logs are of a size they don't dry out at all when laying on the ground, even for 30 years. So 1" boards get racked out for 3 years, 1 1/2" & 2" for3-4 years and all slabs for 5 years minimum. I know they are well dried after this time and will not be subject to warping. Nothing worse than seeing a nice red gum slab table with a bowed top. It is a real shame that a tree that may have taken 400 years to grow spoilt by rushing the milling or drying process. I believe this is not showing respect to these great old tress. So, regardless of the time it takes to mill and dry, I always aim for quality.
Cheers
James

Originally Posted by tassietimbers

These logs are of a size they don't dry out at all when laying on the ground, even for 30 years.

James

Even dead, standing timber can take many years to dry. I cut some ironbark for a customer who said they had been dead and standing in his paddock for ten to fifteen years. They were nowhere near as big as your trees. I think the largest was about 900mm diameter. Even the smaller logs were slightly green towards the centre.

At four years or more to dry it is a long time before payday.

Regards
Paul

Hi Paul

Yes, you are correct in saying 4 years is a long time until payday, and trust me, the first two or three years is the hardest when you don't have anything dry unless you kiln it. So then comes the dilema of cutting it into a low grade product just to make a sale, or selling something that really should be dried for another year, or selling something cheap. There are many sawmillers out there who rely on selling their timber constantly to pay the weekly bills, and I take my hat off to them. It is a gutsy call to earn an income from milling alone, so I have never gone down this path.

Fifteen years ago when I made my start with an old 090 fitted with my homemade mill, dragging huon pine logs from the lakes in Tassie with a 10' tinnie, I made the commitment to get the very best out of each log, an never cut an inferior product from a better grade log. And yes, there was time when I laid every cent on the line, bit off more than I could chew and then started chewing like hell. Weeks on end pushing myrtle and blackwood flitches on trolleys through an old breast bench and other crazy things. Smashed three diff centres and broke four axles using my old Hilux as a skidder, but I look back cherrish those times. (Could have made a show about logging!)So now when I look at my racks of timber ready for use, I know they have been earnt with long days and plenty of sweat and determination.

But four years passes quickly, just look how fast kids grow up! Before you know it the rack is dried and ready. I am just stripping down racks of blackwood we racked in 2008, and it only feels like yesterday we milled it. And to put it into perspective, 4 years to dry a 400 year old slab, not much really.

I'm sure all of the guys on the forum with a few years in the game started from scratch with not much more than a chainsaw and a dream, and there are plenty out there just starting there vision. And good luck to them!

Cheers

James

James

That's a very creditable philosophy. I hope it brings you dividends.

When I was milling for a living (Haven't now for 12 years) I cut a few slabs, but only ever used them myself because of the lead time. The consequence was my milling was primarily building timber. It was rarely high value.

Regards
Paul