Wood gathering time again.

[ianab]

Here in NZ it's hard to get nice hardwood to work with.  The native species are slow growing and heavily protected. Some are harvested, but it's VERY small scale. Commercial forestry is pretty much all Pine or Douglas Fir. Good stuff if you want to build a house, not so good for furniture etc.  Things like Oak, Cherry and Walnut are imported "exotics". You can get them, but it's big $$.  

Hence I basically harvest my own wood, from whatever trees I can find.  Todays volunteers are some River Sheoak, or "Australian Pine" as it seems to be known as in the US.

Getting a tree on the ground.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsOK8L_H1B0

I'm not showing pics of the first one.  New progressive lenses are messing with my perspective and I made a dogs breakfast of that one. I got it down where I wanted it, but the stump was an OSH fail. I took some more time on this one and referenced the saw from the notch before making the bore cut, rather than relying on what "looked" level. 

And some sawing action. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7PeBqGD1O4

That was NOT a "nice" log as it had some cracks and bark inclusions. You can see some of the smaller boards fall apart in Harry's hand as he picks them up. But there was some very nice clear and quarter sawn 6x1 boards come off there as well.  Eventually we got down to some pretty clear wood, and stopped sawing. We can flip the log over and saw from the other side to leave a small live edge table slab, and the 1/3 log is now light enough for the tractor to lift. We have a heap more smaller logs to saw, most of them actually better looking. 

Did I mention this stuff is heavy and hard? Think White Oak, but about 50% harder. 

[FloridaRetiree]

Here in NZ it's hard to get nice hardwood to work with.  The native species are slow growing and heavily protected. Some are harvested, but it's VERY small scale. Commercial forestry is pretty much all Pine or Douglas Fir. Good stuff if you want to build a house, not so good for furniture etc.  Things like Oak, Cherry and Walnut are imported "exotics". You can get them, but it's big $$.  

Hence I basically harvest my own wood, from whatever trees I can find.  Todays volunteers are some River Sheoak, or "Australian Pine" as it seems to be known as in the US.

Getting a tree on the ground.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsOK8L_H1B0

I'm not showing pics of the first one.  New progressive lenses are messing with my perspective and I made a dogs breakfast of that one. I got it down where I wanted it, but the stump was an OSH fail. I took some more time on this one and referenced the saw from the notch before making the bore cut, rather than relying on what "looked" level. 

And some sawing action. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7PeBqGD1O4

That was NOT a "nice" log as it had some cracks and bark inclusions. You can see some of the smaller boards fall apart in Harry's hand as he picks them up. But there was some very nice clear and quarter sawn 6x1 boards come off there as well.  Eventually we got down to some pretty clear wood, and stopped sawing. We can flip the log over and saw from the other side to leave a small live edge table slab, and the 1/3 log is now light enough for the tractor to lift. We have a heap more smaller logs to saw, most of them actually better looking. 

Did I mention this stuff is heavy and hard? Think White Oak, but about 50% harder. 

Interesting post.  Keep 'em coming please.

My British wife is headed down there just before Christmas to be with her nephew and family for a month or so.  He manages a sheep ranch and not into woodworking far as I know.

Cheers!

[FloridaRetiree]

Also enjoyed the videos.

Nice looking portable mill. Don't remember ever seeing one with a circular saw.

You also mentioned Australian pine. In old Florida they were widely planted last century as wind breaks for citrus groves. The wood was usually considered junk because of drying problems.

[ianab]

Also enjoyed the videos.  

Nice looking portable mill.  Don't remember ever seeing one with a circular saw.

You also mentioned Australian pine.  In old Florida they were widely planted last century as wind breaks for citrus groves.  The wood was usually considered junk because of drying problems.

The saw is a NZ built machine. That style of mill is more common in NZ and Aus, but some are getting sold into the US now. Very portable and still able to handle big logs. 

We are expecting a bit of warping and checking as we dry it...  I suspect it would be pretty tough sawing with a US style band sawmill too.

My British wife is headed down there just before Christmas to be with her nephew and family for a month or so.

Cool, what part of the country?  Christmas is basically the start of Summer here, and is the main holiday season. Nice time to get away from the Northern Winter.

[EightFingers]

Looks just like the ironwood here in Hawaii. Lots of cracking when drying!

[ianab]

Looks just like the ironwood here in Hawaii. Lots of cracking when drying!

I think it's a closely related species.  It's still Winter here, so we can let it air dry slowly and hope for the best.  I suspect fast drying would wreak havoc with it.

[FloridaRetiree]

. . . .

Cool, what part of the country?  Christmas is basically the start of Summer here, and is the main holiday season. Nice time to get away from the Northern Winter.

She is still sleeping so I don't know yet.  Shall enjoy getting back to you later.

I know her nephew, his wife and two young kids just moved from the north island to the south to be close to his new farm/ranch(?).  Have seen some great photos of the new house and area.

--------------------------------------------------- 

So far as "Northern Winter" here in southeast Florida goes it usually means we get to open our windows for a few weeks and turn off the A/C.

Cheers, and later . . . .

[FloridaRetiree]

Just found out they are living in Otatara, near Invercargill on the south Island.

(Hope the spelling is correct and that makes sense?)

[ianab]

Just found out they are living in Otatara, near Invercargill on the south Island.

(Hope the spelling is correct and that makes sense?)

Invercargill isn't all that interesting (we visited there over last Christmas / New Year) but you are close to a lot over VERY scenic country, and in Summer the weather should be OK. It's pretty cold and miserable there at this time of year. 

Tell your wife the trip to Milford Sound is highly recommended, as is the trip around the Catlins coast.

[ianab]

Some pictures from today. 

Stacking up yesterdays boards for drying. 

   

Big live edge slab. Lucky I have the use of a tractor on site. That thing is HEAVY.

   

Close up of that big slab. Really weird grain effects going on. 

   

And some live edge boards cut from one of the smaller logs. WIll be interesting to see how badly they misbehave as they dry