Island Specialty Timbers (IST) Geeveston has recently salvaged some musk logs with root burls from a Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) eucalypt harvesting operation in the Derwent Valley.
Musk/daisy bush, ‘Olearia Argophylla’, is a common, small understory tree which grows beneath mature wet forests in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales. Musk logs with root burls contain valuable, attractive, colorful timber, where burl figure and fiddle-back grain are easily identifiable.
Upon being delivered from the salvage operation, IST inspected some of the logs received and were impressed by the value of the pieces pulled by the harvesting crew in the forest.
Island Specialty Timbers Manager Chris Emmett said the team at IST were excited by the salvage and selected two of the musk logs from the salvage to cut in their Woodmizer bandsaw mill.
“It’s always exciting cutting into a musk log, because we never quite know what variety of colour and detail might be inside,” said Chris.
IST found that the timber produced from the two musk logs cut was of great value.
“The variety of size, colour and detail of just a single cut of musk from one of these logs is great. The logs we have salvaged will make beautiful musk timber products and furniture,” said Chris.
“Musk is always full of surprises and these kinds of surprises are what make our jobs exciting and our customers happy.
Chris said that some of the pieces cut from the two logs produced outstanding bookends when put together.
“Hopefully we can find our salvaged musk logs and timber a great home, where it can be crafted into some spectacular timber products.”
Selected musk logs with burls will be offered in upcoming log tenders conducted at IST Geeveston and other musk pieces can be purchased directly for removal or milled to order on the IST Woodmizer bandsaw mill.
The salvaged logs have trunks between 20 and 40 centimeters in diameter, with valuable roots still attached. The root burls at the base of these trunks vary between 5 and 20 centimeters thick. The log sections vary from 1 to 4 metres in length and are solid timber.
Seasoned boards of musk timber will be available to purchase directly from IST Geeveston early next year.
If you have a great creative idea for how you can use musk, and wish to purchase from our recently salvaged logs and timber, please contact Island Specialty Timbers Manager Chris Emmett by phoning (03) 6295 7161 or 0419 998 452 during business hours or email chris.emmett@sttas.com.au.
We would love to see what you are using musk for, if you have crafted timber pieces into furniture or have made innovative use of your musk logs, please share your photos with us on Facebook, and tag @islandspecialtytimbers!