Lime and Sweet Chestnut.

[trigger_andy]

Anyone Milled Lime and Sweet Chestnut? Any positives or negatives? Retail Value?

 

Some logs for sale my way. 

[Squaredy]

14 minutes ago, trigger_andy said:

Anyone Milled Lime and Sweet Chestnut? Any positives or negatives? Retail Value?

 

Some logs for sale my way. 

I mill both Lime and Sweet Chestnut regularly.

 

Lime is a wood with limited value - great for carving, but not generally valued for anything else.  You can use it for furniture etc but it is usually a bit plain, very subtle grain, light in weight and colour and rather soft.  Durability outdoors is non-existent.  Unless you have a buyer lined up you might struggle to sell it.

 

Sweet Chestnut is a durable timber not as strong or as hard as Oak but more stable and quicker to season.  Look out for ring shake in the log - if present this can ruin the log and result in most ending up as firewood.  More likely in large logs.  Chestnut can be used as structural outdoor timber but also as furniture and many other things.  Much easier to sell.  Retail value a little less than Oak.

[trigger_andy]

4 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

I mill both Lime and Sweet Chestnut regularly.

 

Lime is a wood with limited value - great for carving, but not generally valued for anything else.  You can use it for furniture etc but it is usually a bit plain, very subtle grain, light in weight and colour and rather soft.  Durability outdoors is non-existent.  Unless you have a buyer lined up you might struggle to sell it.

 

Sweet Chestnut is a durable timber not as strong or as hard as Oak but more stable and quicker to season.  Look out for ring shake in the log - if present this can ruin the log and result in most ending up as firewood.  More likely in large logs.  Chestnut can be used as structural outdoor timber but also as furniture and many other things.  Much easier to sell.  Retail value a little less than Oak.

Thanks for the in depth reply. Think I'll pass on the Lime then.  The Chestnut Log is meant to be over 1.2m wide so good to know I should look for Ring Shake.

[Rough Hewn]

Milled loads of sweet chestnut.
Just mill it green as it does start to harden quickly.
But not as bad as ash.
Retail s.c at £600-£800 m3 or more.
Kiln dried
Makes great planks if a little dull.
Lime only if it's big.
Squaredy is spot on.
[emoji106]

[trigger_andy]

1 hour ago, Rough Hewn said:

Milled loads of sweet chestnut.
Just mill it green as it does start to harden quickly.
But not as bad as ash.
Retail s.c at £600-£800 m3 or more.
Kiln dried
Makes great planks if a little dull.
Lime only if it's big.
Squaredy is spot on.

Do you kiln dry or air dry?

 

I wonder if I should invest in a kiln? Ie, build one?

[Rough Hewn]

Do you kiln dry or air dry?
 
I wonder if I should invest in a kiln? Ie, build one?

I air dry, but most of my stock gets sold green to woodworkers and furniture makers.
Build a kiln!
If you have an electric supply,
A small 1-4m3 kiln is pretty straight forward.
[emoji106]

[trigger_andy]

10 minutes ago, Rough Hewn said:

I air dry, but most of my stock gets sold green to woodworkers and furniture makers.
Build a kiln!
If you have an electric supply,
A small 1-4m3 kiln is pretty straight forward.

Was thinking a Shipping Container or something? Maybe an insulated Truck Body?

[Rough Hewn]

Was thinking a Shipping Container or something? Maybe an insulated Truck Body?

Refrigerator lorry box is probably your best bet.
Containers will always rot.
I'm even considering a 4-6m3 kiln
Made from ply and celotex.
There are many threads on tinternet about people making kilns.
[emoji106]

[Macpherson]

Personally I don't think trying to rush seasoning works at all, it's fine for firewood, but if you want to use the timber to make something which your going to invest a lot of time and effort in it really wants to be as stable as possible....and time is the answer, just my take on it..........and as you said.. some Larch being possibly the most frustrating to mill and stack, goes as hard as nails and then moves and goes banana when you plane off an 1/8" ???

[Squaredy]

13 hours ago, trigger_andy said:

Do you kiln dry or air dry?

 

I wonder if I should invest in a kiln? Ie, build one?

I think it is worth pointing out that as a general rule when you kiln timber you do so after air drying - to get it dry enough for indoor use.  Kiln drying from freshly milled is possible but very expensive and troublesome.  Air drying will bring timber down to around 20% in most parts of the UK, and kiln drying then will take it down to 12% or whatever you want.  You may actually find that there are plenty of people who are quite happy with air dried.