Interesting note on shipping teak

[Wayne Lomman]

I was surprised to read about the runaway iron ore train in Australia. It was running raw ore to be shipped to other countries. I would have thought the government would have required they build a steel plant with paid workers and only ship out steel not ore like a backwards third world country.

Has anyone had a look recently at which country is top of the list in the world for average personal wealth or had a look why Australian steel is exempt from US import tariffs? No? Might be worthwhile before making comparisons with third world countries. Cheers

[Edwin Santos]

Has anyone had a look recently at which country is top of the list in the world for average personal wealth or had a look why Australian steel is exempt from US import tariffs? No? Might be worthwhile before making comparisons with third world countries. Cheers

Well thanks to your post, I just had a look, and what I learned was interesting, thank you.
Edwin

[Lee Schierer]

Years ago, while I was on active duty I was being transferred to a new duty station. I had some really old cherry lumber that I wanted to move. The moving company inspector wasn't going to allow it to be shipped. When the moving crew showed up to do the packing the leader called it shelving and they wrapped it up and put it on the truck.

[Bill Dufour]

I did not mean to imply Australia was a third world country. I was just wondering why they did not build a steel mill and get more high paying jobs for the country. It may have to do with all the fuel to run a mill would have to be imported from somewhere.
I understand USA west coast paper mills are closing down and the logs are being shipped to Asia where they will pay their own people to make the paper. The old growth lumber is gone and the high pay timber jobs are being replaced by low pay seasonal tourist jobs. Or they grow Marijuana in the woods which some counties can be 25% of the economy or more.
Bill D

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/opi...-industry-jobs

[John Goodin]

Malcolm,
Now you can say you built this beautiful boat with some reclaimed parts from a bookcase. It will make a good story.

[roger wiegand]

Given the history of devastation by introduced species from Dutch Elm disease, chestnut blight, and gypsy moths to the more recent Emerald Ash Borer and Asian Longhorned Beetle one would be well advised to be careful about importing wood. Those rules are there for pretty good reasons.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Malcolm,
Now you can say you built this beautiful boat with some reclaimed parts from a bookcase. It will make a good story.

Well, actually the rudder and part of the rudder stock are going to be from reclaimed Ipe from a high-end yachtie boat dock that DID NOT need to be replaced. If they had just sanded it, it would have looked just like new!!!

I pegged the Ipe along with thickened epoxy because it doesn't take well to gluing. It will also be fiberglass encapsulated and have bronze drifts. I did a test piece of just the ipe and glue and it held up to a hammer blow. I wanted Ipe for strength in case of accidental strikes.

Rudder 1.jpgRudder 2.jpg

[Wayne Lomman]

Australia does have steel mills. It just has way more iron ore than we can possibly use and it is high grade. As to high paid jobs, mining is the high paying jobs. An entry level production operator gets $100K+. Fuel to run the mills is coal which Australia also has in considerable quantities but this is changing to solar. A read of what Liberty Steel are doing in Whyalla, South Australia is where the future lies with steel production. Those of us still working in manufacturing would like to see government do more to support the industry, but whenever did a government do enough for everyone... Cheers