Camphor Laurel at Mac farm

[dai sensei]

Well after finishing the Crows Ash it was time to get stuck into the Camphor Laurel. Here are some shots of the 2.1x1m dia log (at branches a bit wider) I finished yesterday. Right next to where the Crows Ash was, so again very sloping rocky ground to work on. Although wider than the Crows Ash, so I used the largest 5' bar, it cut like butter so I often had to use the rope to slow the cut down.

I actually had to wear a dust-be-gone mask during milling, the smell was so overwhelming I had to tone it down a bit . At least my oncoming cold got stopped in its tracks . Absolutely amazing colour and grain, shame the bright orange colour doesn't last long in the sun, but it is still good and I can't wait to see its final colour when dry. When wet, the cylindrical grain in the first few slabs looks like a deep hole, to my eyes anyway.

I will be going back to do the larger but shorter trunk that is still standing next weekend. There are also some smaller dia logs around, ~600mm, but will probably leave them for the club as I am getting really tired and running out of time and I still have a large Blackwood to do.

Cheers

[gawdelpus]

Looks like it was worth the effort there Neil , have you cleaned it all up yet or to go ? Cheers ~ John

[Bushmiller]

Neil

Even if the colour tones down a little, the grain is still going to be remarkable.

Regards
Paul

[dai sensei]

Just got back from the farm again after milling up the big camphor laurel stump. To get the most of the stump I did a cut from each side at an angle, to avoid rocks, but needed a little help from the car to tip it over. Used a choker chain at the top and pulled it over, unfortunately the chain came off and although it fell the right way, the ultimate V at the base was sloping backwards so the log slid down the hill. As it went, it roilled over my chainsaw (behind the tree in a safe position ), but it was between two rocks, so only damaged the handle and a few other aesthetic features. Lucky I didn't need the handle for milling. I managed to haul the trunk back up the hill with the car, so was able to mill on the level top area.

Anyway, 9no. 50mm and 2no. 100mm slabs with average width 1.1m (max 1.3m) and length 1.7m. The tree was a triangle shape with each side a dual trunk from the 3 main branches at the top. Typical, the way I sat the trunk with 2 big branches at the bottom, was separated most of the way by a bark inclusion for a lot of slabs. If I am to keep them for slab tables, I'll need a lot of stitching ties.

Grain not as good as the last log, but still pretty good, not that I am trying to compete with MM

Back saturday for club collection day, still heaps of all species available.

Cheers

[Cliff Rogers]

[gawdelpus]

Looks nice enough to me Having rubbed my nose up against this particular stump ,it was a mighty effort to drop it and slab it all on your own ,just shows what a determined "wood hound" can achieve hehe, cheers ~ John

[MAPLEMAN]

was a mighty effort to drop it and slab it all on your own

Massive effort i'd reckon .just getting them on the ground,and docked is major,let alone the milling/transport/stacking etc...my back is hurting just at the thought ...onya Neil,not many people realise how much work is involved getting the wood from the paddock to the shed,again,good effort..MM

[In2Wood]

Well done again Neil - it's hard work and we probably pay for it with added aches and pains as we get older, but worth the effort! Cheers Clive

[dai sensei]

... added aches and pains as we get older..

Absolutely. Apart from just the hard work, I am averaging 1 nose dive per trip due to being clumsy, loose rocks or things not going right . When slabbing the first big camphor trunk I was pulling the cut slab from the bottom up the slope leaning back on the rope from the pulley, when suddenly the slab pivoted, with no resistance on the rope I went flying into the bush . Took me 1/2 hour just to get out and stand up, I was tangled in branches etc, lucky I didn't get "speared". Last weekend I tripped on the mill ladder, straight into the log , still counting the bruises .

[BobL]

Take it easy Neil.

[MAPLEMAN]

Absolutely. Apart from just the hard work, I am averaging 1 nose dive per trip due to being clumsy, loose rocks or things not going right . When slabbing the first big camphor trunk I was pulling the cut slab from the bottom up the slope leaning back on the rope from the pulley, when suddenly the slab pivoted, with no resistance on the rope I went flying into the bush . Took me 1/2 hour just to get out and stand up, I was tangled in branches etc, lucky I didn't get "speared". Last weekend I tripped on the mill ladder, straight into the log , still counting the bruises .

If it makes you feel any better Neil,i feel out of a tree last week trying to cut a cockspur vine from its branches,and landed from a height of nearly 3 metres,onto the cockspur plant itself ..its long (nearly 4 inches) spikes that protude from its stem opened my leg up bad enough to warrant 8 stitches ,luckily my shin bone prevented the cut going even deeper...'murphy' often follows me around the farm,with varying consequences..MM

[Bushmiller]

Jeez... With this level of hazzard out there even amongst you young blokes, I'm reluctant to step outside the house for fear of what will get me .

Nope..Live on the edge. It makes for entertaining reading and some great pix.

Oh.... and stay safe .

Regards
Paul

[Sawdust Maker]

Neil

Nice lookin bits of wood there
You must be pleased with the results of the effort

Absolutely. Apart from just the hard work, I am averaging 1 nose dive per trip due to being clumsy, loose rocks or things not going right . When slabbing the first big camphor trunk I was pulling the cut slab from the bottom up the slope leaning back on the rope from the pulley, when suddenly the slab pivoted, with no resistance on the rope I went flying into the bush . Took me 1/2 hour just to get out and stand up, I was tangled in branches etc, lucky I didn't get "speared". Last weekend I tripped on the mill ladder, straight into the log , still counting the bruises .

If it makes you feel any better Neil,i feel out of a tree last week trying to cut a cockspur vine from its branches,and landed from a height of nearly 3 metres,onto the cockspur plant itself ..its long (nearly 4 inches) spikes that protude from its stem opened my leg up bad enough to warrant 8 stitches ,luckily my shin bone prevented the cut going even deeper...'murphy' often follows me around the farm,with varying consequences..MM

So no insurance company will cover either of you

[MAPLEMAN]

Neil

Nice lookin bits of wood there
You must be pleased with the results of the effort





So no insurance company will cover either of you

Nick,i have $10 million public liability cover,but i am more a danger to myself ..MM

[dai sensei]

If it makes you feel any better Neil,i feel out of a tree last week trying to cut a cockspur vine from its branches,and landed from a height of nearly 3 metres,onto the cockspur plant itself ..its long (nearly 4 inches) spikes that protude from its stem opened my leg up bad enough to warrant 8 stitches ,luckily my shin bone prevented the cut going even deeper...'murphy' often follows me around the farm,with varying consequences..MM

Ouch . But the important question, did you still get the Cockspur?