Slicing & dicing a big BlackBean

**dai sensei** · 9th July 2011, 10:09 PM

Zanev00 from this forum was having an old backbean removed by council on his property for a new bridge and offered it up here. It was a very big old tree (my guess 120-150 years old), but unfortunately the 1.4m trunk had a hollow/rot area on the river bank side, although we were not sure of how far it extended.

Anyway, the council chopped it up, leaving the main branches and the trunk in large lengths (with strangler fig still attached). I went down today to mill up what I could. The first 4 photos are what I found. A lot of the big branches were hollow

, and unfortunately the main trunk was in 2 halves, lengthwise because it had split along the rot line that extended the entire length

.

I managed to cut most of the branches into dia lengths with the STIHL660 and 25' bar, then sliced off 2 sides to remove the sapwood, leaving small slabs 75-250mm thick heartwood that I can cut up further on the bandsaw. I did manage to cut a large chunk 400 wide x 250 thick x 600 long from the main trunk of the dark heartwood, but the rest involved too much rotten dirty stuff, so I left it behind

.

I then attacked the largest branch piece ~300-650 dia x ~2m long (stumpy one in 2nd photo) with the 42" bar on the blue beast. The first slice was 125mm thick to remove the sapwood and unfortunately exposed a huge rotten soil filled hole, 5th photo, but did exposed some nice grain

. The dirt took the edge of the chain, but I kept going to take the next 65mm slice as the sun was going down fast. A very nice slab, apart from the hole. The next slice should only have a little bit of the hole (last photo) but that will have to wait until another visit. The same log should give at least 4 no. 65mm slabs before I am through to the sapwood on the other side.

I still have 3 branches ~350mm dia x up to ~4m long with 150mm max heartwood and another big branch or 2 to slab, although one is probably hollow most of the way along it's 3m length, but they will have to wait for another day

.

The chainsaw went really well, so did the mill until I hit the dirt, but the ol body didn't fare so well

. Loaded up the trailer with all the chunks (20-50kgs), but left the slabs and other pieces I had not removed the sapwood on, still half filled the big trailer though. I was lucky I didn't take more, with cow poo everywhere and a few steep grassy slopes to get past, the front wheel drive couldn't get up. Lucky Zane turned up when he did, he ended up giving the car that extra push to make it up the hill and back out the gate

.

I take some more photos of the trailer load soon, it's too dark now, and I'm stuffed

.

Cheers

**gawdelpus** · 9th July 2011, 10:45 PM

Looks a lot like gold prospecting ,got to go through tons of rubbish to get to gold

Pity about the dirt inclusions , I guess its not as bad as nails and spikes though . I would have no Idea how to go about chosing where to cut for best results ,lucky for me I only need lttle bits for my addiction lol. Great effort Neil ,hopefully next trip will go a bit easier as you seem to have got to the heart of matters

, Cheers John

**RETIRED** · 9th July 2011, 11:22 PM

Extending the carport, are we?

**Ashore** · 9th July 2011, 11:25 PM

Don't extend the carport, I know a great spot to store the excess Neil

**dai sensei** · 10th July 2011, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by

Extending the carport, are we?

I extended the racks at the back, and have room for another pallet load at the front, where I emptied one to fill the racks at the back

. There is where my son used to park his motorbike

, I've already taken over his room

We must make room for our addictions

**itsposs** · 10th July 2011, 01:31 PM

Jesus thats shattering but you did make a bloody great job out of the mess. Great job an well done. I ll be on the look out for black bean now.

**artme** · 11th July 2011, 08:46 PM

Have to agree with Itsposs!!

**Stopper** · 12th July 2011, 07:59 PM

Looks like hard work but some really nice grain there.

Cheers
Steve
Dai gakusei

**dai sensei** · 17th July 2011, 09:10 PM

Unloaded the trailer from last weekend, coating all the chunks with Boron to keep the bugs away, and sharpening the chains for the next trip. I had already given away some of them and more later, as once I pick up the remainder from the site, the pallet will be overflowing.

I've got problems with my bandsaw, the guides' frame has broken, so cutting more sapwood off will have to wait. I always wanted to replace the discs with bearings, now I have to

. Need some new blades too.

Cheers

**dai sensei** · 23rd July 2011, 09:55 PM

Well went back today to finish the slabs and get some more blocks. John (Gawdelpus) came to help today, lucky he did, don't think I would have finished what I did without him (I'm getting too old for this crap). Lucky Zane turned up at the end, us old bug_ers were too stuffed to lift the last blocks into the trailer

.

Ended up getting another six 50mm slabs from the big log, and another 16 blocks from the other logs. Unfortunately the other bigs logs had hollow centres. The biggest 2 slabs only just fit in the 7' trailer, the biggest block was from a large fork ~1m x 0.8m x 0.4m and ~80% dark

. I still left behind 2 long logs with dark centres between 150mm to 250mm at one end, so if anyone else want to grab some, send Zane a PM.

Photos are of the slabs and a few of me milling that John took. Some beautiful grain and interesting animal shapes if you have a good imagination

I left Zane with 2 big 50mm slabs for table tops, the 65mm slab with a hole in it for legs, and a small 50mm slab for a bedside table (?).

Great day with perfect weather. Had a ball, but now very tired and sore

. I'll unload tomorrow and work out who is getting what from the club/forum

Cheers

**zanev00** · 25th July 2011, 09:38 PM

photo's look good Neil, shame I didn't keep those big sally wattles that the excavator knocked down....we would have had another week's work for you down here

. I'm sure more timber will come up and I will let you know.
In the mean time, if there is anyone who is keen on a large sally wattle for milling let me know. I am guessing it to be about 60 - 80cm in diameter and straight for about 3-5 metres. I will help with the felling and milling. If I can get a couple of slabs, the rest is for the keeping of whoever comes with the machinery.

**artme** · 26th July 2011, 07:50 PM

Some stunning grain there Neil!! Lucky you!!

**nifty** · 27th July 2011, 05:08 PM

Wicked colours in that blackbean stuff, nice work

**eli szoko** · 28th July 2011, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by zanev00

photo's look good Neil, shame I didn't keep those big sally wattles that the excavator knocked down....we would have had another week's work for you down here

. I'm sure more timber will come up and I will let you know.
In the mean time, if there is anyone who is keen on a large sally wattle for milling let me know. I am guessing it to be about 60 - 80cm in diameter and straight for about 3-5 metres. I will help with the felling and milling. If I can get a couple of slabs, the rest is for the keeping of whoever comes with the machinery.

Hi Zanev00 what do you mean by sally wattle.If you mean Acacia malenoxylon or black wood I will do it.Im in kyogle and will be free in a week or so.

**Stopper** · 28th July 2011, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by eli szoko

Hi Zanev00 what do you mean by sally wattle.If you mean Acacia malenoxylon or black wood I will do it.Im in kyogle and will be free in a week or so.

thought you would be the man for the job eli. If it's got any fiddle back in it don't tell anyone except me OK.

(Especially not luxemburg)

regards
Steve

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