Milling a Silky Oak

**BobL** · 7th January 2012, 11:06 PM

I know you eastern staters see this stuff every day of the week but the chance to mill one in WA is pretty rare so I have to show it off when I can. On the menu today was a Silky Oak.

I milled a scrawny Silky back in 2007 but it was small and badly cracked and I only got a few pieces of craft wood out of it. This is the first one of any decent size I have milled and has ~36 ft of millable trunk which was divided into 4 sections. I started with the base section which is about 26" wide at the base and about 20" at the other end.

The tree lopers yard where I mill is next door to a limestone block factory which is not ideal - when the morning easterly blows, it sends a white smog of concrete dust over onto the logs which is why you will see a hose in some pictures which I use to wash the logs down. In the afternoon the Fremantle doctor blows it all back the other way!

The big logs behind the silky oak are Queensland Kauri Pines which should make interesting milling.

Getting closer to the middle

The 880 and the BIL mill were a pleasure to use on this log and only touching up the chain on every 3rd cut (probably could have made 6 cuts) made a change from the usual once per cut. I measured the cutting speed mid-log and was getting around 0.28 to 0.31 "/s (cutting width ranging from 20 to 26") without optimizing all the cutting variables - I was using an 8 pin drive sprocket.

I was really pleased with the finish I was obtaining with this chain and could have probably reduced the slab thickness to get one more slab out of the trunk.

My favorite shot

Now to think there are 3 more logs and one interesting crotch to play with!

**dai sensei** · 7th January 2012, 11:39 PM

Great to see you in action Bob

**specialist** · 7th January 2012, 11:42 PM

Thanks Bob, Silky is my second favorite timber. There is some nice looking stuff in there.

**BobL** · 8th January 2012, 12:00 AM

Cheers Guys.

Yeah I have to say I am pretty sore after milling that log today, a lot sorer than after milling that ironbark a couple of weeks back where I had a fair bit of help. This one I did on my own and still don't quite have the level of fitness I had a year or so back. I guess there is only one cure and that is keep milling!

**fubar** · 8th January 2012, 08:33 AM

Now to think there are 3 more logs and one interesting crotch to play with![/QUOTE]

Bob loverley timber but could you plese leave this sort of thing in the bedroom where it belongs

**spray-tech** · 8th January 2012, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by fubar

Now to think there are 3 more logs and one interesting crotch to play with!

Bob loverley timber but could you plese leave this sort of thing in the bedroom where it belongs

Some great timber you're milling there BobL.
I rekon the above post is was classic

**pjt** · 8th January 2012, 12:29 PM

Good looking wood there Bob, the crotch should look good.
Are you going to take the sapwood off? the borers like it, although it's no real drama as they only eat the sapwood but if you want to have a natural edge you will have to spray it with something.

Pete

**BobL** · 8th January 2012, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by pjt

Good looking wood there Bob, the crotch should look good.

Thanks PJT

Are you going to take the sapwood off? the borers like it, although it's no real drama as they only eat the sapwood but if you want to have a natural edge you will have to spray it with something.

I don't know if we have a borer problem here.

**rsser** · 8th January 2012, 06:06 PM

Spekky stuff.

Only thing I can add is that with thicker sections star shakes develop in the bowl blanks that I've tried to air-dry. V. disappointing.

**pjt** · 8th January 2012, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by BobL

Thanks PJT

I don't know if we have a borer problem here.

Attachment 193937
This is a cropped pic with what looks like borer damage (in the sapwood) to me in your local WA sheoak, I see the exact same thing in our G. robusta in the sapwood and others,

little brown beetles, a drink of white spirits fixes the active ones, based on that I would say you have them there.

Pete

**artme** · 8th January 2012, 08:01 PM

Nice timber Bob!!

Wish I was there to solve your disposal problems!

- and I think you have borers.

**charlsie** · 8th January 2012, 08:04 PM

you'll soon find out if you have borers' around,they absolutely love g.robusta i have it in my shed to keep them out of everything else

**BobL** · 8th January 2012, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by pjt

Attachment 193937
This is a cropped pic with what looks like borer damage (in the sapwood) to me in your local WA sheoak, I see the exact same thing in our G. robusta in the sapwood and others,

little brown beetles, a drink of white spirits fixes the active ones, based on that I would say you have them there.

Pete

OK - I see what you mean by borers, yes we have them but I have not seen them in our area. The SO logs have been on the ground for nearly 3 months and they still look OK. Must be that dry limestone dust bath they get everyday.

**pjt** · 8th January 2012, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by BobL

OK - . Must be that dry limestone dust bath they get everyday.

Is that what we call a silver lining to every cloud? or a blessing in disguise or some such old saying...

**Bushmiller** · 11th January 2012, 12:37 PM

BobL

Just love the medullary ray effect particularly evident in the last pic. I guess that is what silky oak is all about. It is as the boards become quarter sawn from memory.

Glad to see you up and (nearly) running again.

Regards
Paul

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