Thread: What was your more expensive piece of timber?

my dearest piece of timber was when i decided to give up woodwork due to health, and i advertised all my timber for sale and i was stupid enough to give it away for $100 which was double what i was offered, there was huon slab,ironwood slabs,camphor,coachwood,bribie pine,cedar,leatherwood,silky oak,lignum vitae, etc. there was the back of a 4wd full, every time i think about i get off because i sold it for bugger all ,because i was in a vulnerable phase of my life at the time ,someone got a good deal probubly still laughing.......god i,m an idiot........bob

I think "Sasunnach" means Scots??
Which I presume, China, you are comparing to a "penny pincher", or some such kind of frugal person.
Yep, I am that. [everything I own is paid for] Don't see much point in paying for something that is free for the taking. Of course, if I ever want some exotic wood, I may need to get off my wallet.

Originally Posted by China

Seems like there are a few Sasunnach's among us

<table id="entries"><tbody><tr><td class="index">1. </td> <td class="word"> Sassanach </td> <td class="tools" id="tools_2969782"> 15 up, 1 down </td> </tr> <tr> <td>
</td> <td class="text" colspan="2"> Word used in the English spoken in Scotland, which is directly from the Scottish(Gaelic) language. Sassanach literally meaning Saxon. This originally meant an Englishman. Then as Scottish(Gaelic) lost it's footing as the majority language of Scotland(geographically and 'de facto'), Scottish(Gaelic) speakers used the word to describe anyone who spoke any Anglian based language(i.e. the English language as spoken in England, Hiberno-English, Scoto-English/Lallans/('Scots') e.t.c) Nowadays, it has become common in Scoto-English/Lallans ('Scots'), and is used to refer to English people. Although not explicitly derogatory, some people (notably the English) consider it to be so.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
I think you meant Scots?

It was a gift, so it cost me nothing, but it came at a cost.

My young friend was undertaking the first comprehensive on-the-ground geological survey of the Gawler Craton, a vast remote area in Central South Australia. One of his solo two-week 'expeditions' took him through the sand dune country which has no roads, tracks or human habitation for many hundreds of kilometres. Difficult country to traverse in which a 10-tyre puncture day is a good day. If you have ever removed a heavy-duty 4WD tyre from its rim and then replaced it by yourself once, let alone up to 14 times in one day, you can appreciate the difficulty of travelling through this country.

In a remote area on this trip he came across the remnants of a large Western Myall stand. The tree trunks had all weathered (sand blasted) away over the centuries leaving just the root formation exposed. He selected a manageable root burl to bring back for me. It wasn't the purpose of his expedition but it was retrieved with some difficulty and considerable effort on his part, and he could have jettisoned it many times to lighten the vehicle just a bit to reduce the frequency of his punctures, but he didn't. A valuable bit of wood.

Western Myall (Acacia papyrocarpa) lives for up to 1000 years and has a density of 1235 kg/m3. My piece would have been dead for at least 250 years and going by its size would have lived for at least 500 years, perhaps 750 years. The wood was preferred by desert aboriginal people for fire making. It burns longer than almost any other wood and was ideal for carrying fire between camps. The fact that the Myall root cluster from which mine came was still so intact indicates that there never had been any human habitation in the area (perhaps no local surface water), making it just that bit extra special for me. Perhaps not seen by human eyes until then.

The best I can do for a photo is a WIP shot (not so close up) taken for the exhibition into which the piece went.

Neil

Fascinating story Neil, and from the looks of the piece on the lathe you did it justice.

My single most expensive piece of timber for wood turning was a Tiger Myrtle Blank that I picked up in Tassie for $46. It was a blank 20cm X 7cm.
Waxed and wet, it was very easy to work and polished up nicely.
Interestingly, that 4.6kg blank now weighs a tad under 550Grams.
Should I ask for a $40 refund?????

Thanks saved me the trouble


china

I don't want to pay too much for wood until I can be sure I can do something with it.

Loved the story Neil. Story wood is best I reckon.

Originally Posted by

Laminated Jarrah Beam.

450mm x 450mm x10.5 metres. $6000.00. freighted from W.A.

Sheeeesh.........to what use did you put that?

Colin.

The inner support for a spiral staircase.

Originally Posted by

The inner support for a spiral staircase.

Aaah........that would work and look good.

I couldn't think of a use for a beam that size.

Colin.

Originally Posted by

The inner support for a spiral staircase.

I imagine that's before you put your costs or installation costs into it? Yowsers!

Originally Posted by

Nowadays, it has become common in Scoto-English/Lallans ('Scots'), and is used to refer to English people. Although not explicitly derogatory, some people (notably the English) consider it to be so.
[...]
I think you meant Scots?

Huh? If I call someone a sassenach, it's derogatory.

... and somehow I think he got it right the first time.

Originally Posted by chippy 71

Sheeeesh.........to what use did you put that?

Colin.

He made Tooth picks Tooth pick???
Sorry, couldn't resist

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

I imagine that's before you put your costs or installation costs into it? Yowsers!Yep.



Huh? If I call someone a sassenach, it's derogatory.

... and somehow I think he got it right the first time.

I must admit that when asked for my name I say " Robertson."

They generally ask, "which one."

To which I reply, " E.R.T, not the sassanach one."

Might have to stop it now.