2023...

[Mackka]

That is the hardest timber I have ever tried to turn. After sharpening my roughing gouge about 10 times in an hour, I gave up. Good luck with the project Moneybox. Mackka

 

[Moneybox]

That is the hardest timber I have ever tried to turn. After sharpening my roughing gouge about 10 times in an hour, I gave up. Good luck with the project Moneybox. Mackka

Mackka, my wood is still green so it's not too bad. If I have to get more the other trees have been dead for quite a while so I don't know what condition they are in.



I've found it very difficult to cut a straight piece of timber from a crooked tree

 

[axtyr]

The wood looks beautiful though, fantastic grain.

Regards Axtyr.

 

[Nightjar]

Phil, Maybe I've been naming trees in our area Mulga when they are actually Gidgee? Is there a distinct difference?
Back in the 70's a Geraldton crayfisherman was fed up with continually replacing the ball bearings (salt water ingress) on the pot tipper roller and experimented with machined mulga bushes/bearings.
It was a winner and many fishermen followed his idea, the bushes lasted for years.
The wood is that hard it gives off sparks when machined, well you would think so.

 

[Mackka]

Now that you mention it Nightjar, when i was turning some old railway sleepers, sparks would happen. It was due to the wood ingressing the gravel due to grain movement. From memory Mulga is a deep browny red heartwood and Gidgee is a greenish colour when working it and dries to a red-brown, both beautiful timbers. Mackka
ps another very hard timber is Purple Heart which is bright green when turning it and dries to a Bright red/brown.

 

[Nightjar]

Frames I made thinking mulga?

 

[Moneybox]

Phil, Maybe I've been naming trees in our area Mulga when they are actually Gidgee? Is there a distinct difference?
Back in the 70's a Geraldton crayfisherman was fed up with continually replacing the ball bearings (salt water ingress) on the pot tipper roller and experimented with machined mulga bushes/bearings.
It was a winner and many fishermen followed his idea, the bushes lasted for years.
The wood is that hard it gives off sparks when machined, well you would think so.

Peter, You might be right. I don't really know one tree from the next. As far as I know the Mulga is usually a shorter bushier tree than the Gidgee. What I believe to be Gidgee grows quite tall with branches opening out rather than an enclosed shrub.



Black Gidgee.

 

[Simmo]

Hmm dunno if THIS LINK will help??

 

[Moneybox]

This one is not on the list.

Black Gidgee

 

[Moneybox]

I'm trying to get rid of the problem of leads running to the dining table where I usually sit with my laptop.



Last year I built this rack in the kitchen for the saucepans. I used timber found at CueBunno but I couldn't find anything suitable this time.



I'm trying to match this light rack in a similar look.



I've found this wood very hard to work with even though its still green. I tried to sand out the burn marks from the circular saw using the orbital sander but the paper wears away before the wood. I've decided to go with the rustic look. I can plane it but the plane picks up the change of grain an pulls out little chips so we'll stick with a sawn finish. It's developing little cracks as it dries but I'm going to ignore that. It's going to shrink back a bit and try to warp so I'm putting a tubular frame inside and I'll screw the wood back to it. Then I'll workout some way to suspend it from the ceiling with concealed wiring.

 

[Mackka]

In the floorsanding game when cutting back decking they sometimes use a wirebrush attachment under a Polyvac and that gets rid of the rubbish before sanding and that might be a solution to your blade burn issue. I hope you have strong beams to attach that to mate as it looks like its got a bit of weight in it. Mackka

 

[Moneybox]

In the floorsanding game when cutting back decking they sometimes use a wirebrush attachment under a Polyvac and that gets rid of the rubbish before sanding and that might be a solution to your blade burn issue. I hope you have strong beams to attach that to mate as it looks like its got a bit of weight in it. Mackka

Yes we have a trussed roof and I will span a rail between two or three depending what I find for positioning when I get up there.

 

[Moneybox]

Justs for you Mackka, to help you sleep better at night. It's about 400mm high directly above the dining table. It's all I could get out that old pine log but I think it'll do

 

[Mackka]

Gonna sleep like a baby now Phil hahahaha

 

[Moneybox]

I'm committed now, I have holes in the ceiling

View attachment Light rack mounting.mp4

I wanted to have it finished for when Mrs M came home but she's picking up the varnish and some of the electrical wiring so that threw a spanner in the works.



Tomorrow I should get the supports in the ceiling sorted out. The wiring will be hidden inside the tubular hangers.

 

[Simmo]

How are ya gonna get China in there to lift the bugger up?

 

[RM Outback]

How are ya gonna get China in there to lift the bugger up?

Phil being skinny is going to paint himself yellow first

Nice work as usual Phil

 

[Moneybox]

How are ya gonna get China in there to lift the bugger up?

Mrs M is picking up these in the morning on her way home from Perth.



I don't have any fencing wire but I do have some 3mm braided stainless cable. I'll just mount them a little higher in the roof space and winch it up

The strainers will remain in place because there will be no other fastners.

 

[RM Outback]

Mrs M is picking up these in the morning on her way home from Perth.

View attachment 8224

I don't have any fencing wire but I do have some 3mm braided stainless cable. I'll just mount them a little higher in the roof space and winch it up

The strainers will remain in place because there will be no other fastners.

What weight are they capable of lifting Phil. I understand they hold strain but I'm not aware of the lifting ability. I've used tie down straps and ratchets with success previous if you're looking for options. Whatever you choose to lift with tying off and tensioning with your ratchet idea sounds like a plan.

 

[Moneybox]

What weight are they capable of lifting Phil. I understand they hold strain but I'm not aware of the lifting ability. I've used tie down straps and ratchets with success previous if you're looking for options. Whatever you choose to lift with tying off and tensioning with your ratchet idea sounds like a plan.

I have no idea of their lifting capacity but any strainer like this I've used is capable of snapping a fence wire if tensioned too tight and you tow a vehicle with a piece of wire.