: Grant,

: I hadn't noticed the .nz.

: Nick introduced a thread on Paulownia sometime back, and I remember a caution
: about stains that can appear over time - if I remember correctly the
: stains are related to phenol compounds that occur in the wood. Have you
: any experience with that?

: Is there any kauri still being dug up down there? I remember a kauri museum
: north of Auckland that had huge planks milled from logs that had been
: buried for thousands of years...

: Thanks,
: Sam

Yes the phenol compounds can stain the surface wood but I have yet to experience it myself with the strips I cut 3 weeks ago. The 2.4m lengths came to me with 2 sides weathered from the drying process. The other 2 sides which would have been facing towards each other while drying show no signs.

The weathering was only about 5mm deep (less then a strip thickness) and when cut was a weird purple colour. By the time the staining starts up I should have had the yak glassed which will avoid it from happening. I have read that you can soak the wood to remove the phenols. Since the wood has been used for centauries for furniture etc, I don't think the staining will be a problem.

The Kauri place would be The Ancient Kauri Kingdom a few kms past Kaitaia at the top of NZ. I LOVE this place and drop in whenever I'm passing. You get to the top floor by walking up a staircase carved inside a solid log and the furniture is drooling material(but the prices will cause your accountant to have a heart attack!). I have even considered using some of the 50,000 year old wood for a kayak but all though the colour and texture is much better then fresh kauri, it is more brittle. There is still a good supply of buried wood and it is easier to obtain then the fresh stuff since more of it is being milled.

Pete Notman is about to use some fresh kauri on his kayak, so Pete tell us how it goes.