From Graeme Turner, Gippsland Woodcraft Group
The sawmill at Heyfield currently owned by Australian Sustainable Hardwoods has had a few owners over the years but has been a constant supporter of our group for over ten years. They have donated timber for a number of years and continue to support us in many ways.
While talking to Vince Hurley the manager some time back he mentioned how they had considered making rulers for customers to show off the mountain ash they process, however their machines were unable to go thin enough so the idea was shelved. I mentioned that the machine at the club would go lower and proceeded to make up some ruler samples that were 320 x 35 x 2mm thick.
After sawing 5mm strips these are machined down to 2 mm thickness. As the thicknesser wont go low enough, a sled is placed on the thicknesser table allowing the machine to take the timber to 2mm.
The next process was to organise laser engraving however a quote of $9 per ruler was received and that was for a minimum of 125 rulers. Once again the project was shelved. In 2015 we were lucky enough to have Daryl Hooke of Paradise Ukuleles join our group to help increase his knowledge and skills to help in the making of his instruments. After a few months at the club he mentioned he had purchased a laser engraver and shortly after bought along samples of what it can do.
I mentioned the ruler project and contacted the mill who gave us their logos and relevant details to add to a ruler Daryl drafted up. We came up with a costing of $6 per ruler which was to be split evenly with Daryl. The mill immediately ordered 100 rulers so we dressed some 45mm thick mountain ash down to 35mm and ran them through the tablesaw taking 4 to 5 mm slices. These were then run through our thicknesser taking them down to 2mm and after that they were sanded and cut to a length of 320 mm ready for engraving.
90 x 45mm mountain ash is dressed down to 35 mm width.
Daryl’s original machine could only hold one ruler at a time and the engraving took at least 45 minutes, however he later purchased a bigger machine. This can handle seven rulers at once but each ruler still takes 45 min to do meaning over five hours work per set of seven.
To date we have provided the mill with around four hundred rulers with more orders expected. Last year Vince attended a conference in China and took along some rulers that Daryl had managed to engrave with Chinese writing. According to Vince these were a big hit!
The rulers being cut to 320mm length. After a light sand they are laser engraved with the mills details.
The rulers are handed out to customers and suppliers to the mill and Vince said they all love the fact the rulers are real timber not laminated, and are Australian made with the wording “ Made in Gippsland Australia” etched on them.
One of our members asked if he could have an imperial ruler made as some of his toy plans are American and have only imperial measurements, this was done and more were made to meet demand. We charge $2 per ruler with Daryl donating his time. He then went on to make a club ruler detailing what we do at the club, carving, woodturning etc along with our Facebook details. Next he made up 150 mm long rulers both imperial and metric and a marking out ruler has since been made up which has the zero in the centre and increments measuring out either side. The shorter rulers are made from vertical blind slats and have a hole in one end to hang them up.
We are lucky to have members with a variety of skills who are happy to use to them to the club's benefit.
Contact details for the Gippsland Woodcraft Group are listed here.
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