Steel shot and forestry

[johnnytheboy]

So reading about non toxic problems abroad one that keeps cropping up is the use of steel shot in forestry, from what I’m reading the obvious problem is ricochet from Steel the second but more important problem is steel getting stuck in trees, apparently if the wood is to be used for vernier then the cutter that trims the thin sheet is susceptible to damage from steel shot. 
 

I know of a couple of clay grounds that mandate no steel shot for this reason, is it likely to affect many diy and rough shoots? 

[Farmboy91]

Every now and again in the mill at work you'd come across a length that had a bullet lodged in it and it would ping out with enough force to damage the saws or anything else it hit. Certainly wouldn't want it hitting me.

There will be those who say it's not an issue but it will be.

[Dave at kelton]

Yep I raised this in another thread. Forestry Commission does not allow steel shot in its forestry. Was stated in my lease when I used to rent.

[Scully]

I worked at a sawmill in my youth; much of the wood came from what was a range during the second world war and contained shrapnel. We could hear the band saws start to screech when they came into contact, giving everyone a few seconds to take cover before the three inch ( and longer ) teeth shattered and flew off in all directions! Great fun when you're young and daft! 

I don't know of any clay grounds in this country amongst trees from which verneers would be sourced, but that doesn't mean there aren't any. 

[Westley]

There have been incidents of people being injured in USA from steel shot being propelled by chainsaws.

[Ultrastu]

Also on hard woods especially,  steel embedded in a growing tree will turn the timber black as the water moves up the tree it drags the black upwards staining the whole area  and totally degrading the value of the wood .again not what a forester wants his years of investment  devalued at milling time .

 Ps . Lead doesnt do this  

 

[Ultrastu]

[Centrepin]

Excuse my ignorance but is that reject for all uses or just reject for veneers?

[Ultrastu]

Probably rejects for any timber that is destined for joinery ..so stairs .floors .cabinets .anything other than green out side timber .ie posts and frames .

 

[Saltings]

2 hours ago, Ultrastu said:

Also on hard woods especially,  steel embedded in a growing tree will turn the timber black as the water moves up the tree it drags the black upwards staining the whole area  and totally degrading the value of the wood .again not what a forester wants his years of investment  devalued at milling time .

 Ps . Lead doesnt do this  

 

read somewhere that Scandinavian countries had banned steel shot in woodland areas    dew to damage to chainsaws  and other logging felling  machinery  and milling machinery blades at sawmills  a substandard product  with costs incurred dew to damage     no longer profitable 

[johnphilip]

Heard years ago about a guy loosing his life in a saw mill . Seems  the tree had a fencing spike in it . Over the years  the tree grew around it  years later in the mill . The tree going through the saw hit it . It flew out and hit the guy and killed him . 

[captainhastings]

Used to work in the woods and that never occurred to me. Mind there weren't much steel shot flying around back then if any

[figgy]

My dad bought a lot of 3/4" random strip oak flooring. It was American light oak. 

The amount of blue and grey streaking in its grain and the odd bit of shrapnel.  Quite grainy metal much like cast iron when it breaks.

When talking to the suppliers said its probably from the civil war. They get lots of it and use blades suited to it. Door casings and back molds were the same. Looked stunning when finished. When I first saw the shrapnel I thought it was French oak and from the two world wars. 

The mills will have to use different blades. The steel shot is soft iron so it should dissolve into tree in a short time.

Edited February 26, 2020 by figgy

[GingerCat]

Used to work in a mill, the wood we had for a while was from Russia. I can only assume the Russians liked nothing better than to machine gun bullets into trees as the amount was frightening. 

It would put a ripple in the wood when planed down and the blades weren't cheap nor stoppage time to change a block mid set as you can only sharpen so much when running. 

It used to ruin saws and moulder blocks alike. An 18 foot bandsaw blade wasn't cheap.  We stopped sourcing wood from there in the end. The actual finish was normally ok for the purpose if they were jacketed bullets. Never noticed any shot, just bullets.

[rovercoupe]

Hit a large screw once when milling a old beech tree, first full cut and a brand new hundred and twenty something link chain needed re grinding and sharpening. 

If the trees are full of steel it will be a good time to get into the sharpening business