Diversifying into milling to utilise oversize timber.

[arboriculturist]

On 30/03/2020 at 22:24, Woodworks said:

For a bit of research it might be worth a nosey here 

Anton Coaker and Sherberton Farm index page

WWW.ANTON-COAKER.CO.UK

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Anton Coaker English Timber Ltd and Sherberton Farm - Dartmoor farm selling sawn green or dried timber particularly...

 

Do you know what mills he has? As he's been milling 'forever' I expect he has the perfect setup. ?

[topchippyles]

I have used this one and what a tool

 

Band saw mill Sawmill Trak-Met TTS-1200/60 STANDARD

[arboriculturist]

4 minutes ago, topchippyles said:

I have used this one and what a tool

 

Band saw mill Sawmill Trak-Met TTS-1200/60 STANDARD

1200mm !!! Don't get me started ! Is this the one they had at the APF? 

[topchippyles]

1 minute ago, arboriculturist said:

1200mm !!! Don't get me started ! Is this the one they had at the APF? 

APF ??  

[Woodworks]

18 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

Do you know what mills he has? As he's been milling 'forever' I expect he has the perfect setup. ?

Think he had a woodmizer but not been there for years. He has a very large barn for storage of the boards. I thought you said you were short on storage space which will limit your market as for furniture you really want nicely dried boards IME

 

[arboriculturist]

4 minutes ago, topchippyles said:

APF ??  

Welcome to APF Exhibition 2020

WWW.APFEXHIBITION.CO.UK

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The APF Exhibition is the UK’s largest forestry, woodland, arboriculture, fencing and biomass show. The show caters not just for the forestry, woodland and tree care industries

 

I went to the last one  -  

www.oldstationyardsawmill.co.uk   were there with a Trackmet milling 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by arboriculturist

[topchippyles]

Just now, arboriculturist said:

Welcome to APF Exhibition 2020

WWW.APFEXHIBITION.CO.UK

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The APF Exhibition is the UK’s largest forestry, woodland, arboriculture, fencing and biomass show. The show caters not just for the forestry, woodland and tree care industries

 

I went to the last one

Sorry never been as we have the royal welsh just over an hour from me and for all the big GUNS like myself ? its an annual event 

[arboriculturist]

7 minutes ago, Woodworks said:

Think he had a woodmizer but not been there for years. He has a very large barn for storage of the boards. I thought you said you were short on storage space which will limit your market as for furniture you really want nicely dried boards IME

 

Mmm -  very large barn is what we both need ! Yes short of flat storage for stacks or roundwood right by the processors, but I am working on that now the 'drought' has arrived.

Yes virtually no buildings right now as I took down the collection of old corrugated structures years ago. Plan to profile sheet over some rows of IBC's for now as its super quick.

As you have been at the sharp end as a furniture maker / joiner how do you like to see boards stored ? Apart from perfect level ground, stickered every 18", out of sun/wind, ends sealed 3 coats solvent based paint.

[Woodworks]

1 hour ago, arboriculturist said:

 

As you have been at the sharp end as a furniture maker / joiner how do you like to see boards stored ? Apart from perfect level ground, stickered every 18", out of sun/wind, ends sealed 3 coats solvent based paint.

Honestly I gave up on air dried and moved to kiln dried. Air dried in this part of the world was still some way off what is required in a home if you dont want the wood to move. When I was buying air dried and kiln dried I went to Bedford Timber in South Moulton. Steven was very knowledgable and explained how for the best boards you want trees grown in valleys away from prevailing winds as trees that were growing in windy spots had tension built into the boards which would show when planked and dried through warping. The air dried as you says needs to be stored dead flat and beautifully sticked. Never too stressed about the sealing of the ends as there were always cracks on the ends painted or not that would be cut out and ditched. Avoid direct sunlight which is brutal to fresh cut boards. If I make furniture now I use European or north American timbers that have been kiln dried as the consistent quality allowed me to buy unseen saving so much time driving to yards to checking on quality. Sad but thats how it is

[arboriculturist]

6 minutes ago, Woodworks said:

Honestly I gave up on air dried and moved to kiln dried. Air dried in this part of the world was still some way off what is required in a home if you dont want the wood to move. When I was buying air dried and kiln dried I went to Bedford Timber in South Moulton. Steven was very knowledgable and explained how for the best boards you want trees grown in valleys away from prevailing winds as trees that were growing in windy spots had tension built into the boards which would show when planked and dried through warping. The air dried as you says needs to be stored dead flat and beautifully sticked. Never too stressed about the sealing of the ends as there were always cracks on the ends painted or not that would be cut out and ditched. Avoid direct sunlight which is brutal to fresh cut boards. If I make furniture now I use European or north American timbers that have been kiln dried as the consistent quality allowed me to buy unseen saving so much time driving to yards to checking on quality. Sad but thats how it is

Thanks for the detailed reply. I that suppose Anton has been at it so long, that he has built up a massive database of customers over the decades. Not sure how he gets that mountain of varied timber species, specifications to an air dried level that satisfies the end user.

 

Back in the day of course, air dried was it, but then houses were not clinical, sterile baked dry boxes that a lot seem to be in this age.

 

Kiln drying to me is a black art to me. I think that unless you are prepared to shell out and buy a commercial computerised, automated drying schedule standalone drying unit, there is a huge amount that can go wrong.