Milling Table tops

[Billhook]

Due to the money I have saved last year ( no eating out and no drinking!), I decided to splash out on a planer, a sander and a lap board maker for the Lucas Mill 8 inch cut.

I already have the slabber which I have used to slab some Evergreen Oak and some Ash into three inch slabs about 30 inches wide which have been stacked and sticked for a couple of years now

I would like some advice on the best way of tackling these trunks in the yard 

The first four are the Elm which had been standing dead for at least two years. It is four feet at the base ending up at three feet

Then at 5 and 6 there is a Sycamore  about three feet in diameter which was blown down in a storm and has been lying there for a year.  Someone suggested that I should have cut it up earlier to avoid deterioration

7 is an Oak that snapped off in a storm, 8,9 and 10 are Ash and 11 is Evergreen Oak ( very gnarly and twisted)

 

I was going to take the first third out in boards with the circular saw so I could see what the log looks like before slabbing.  Is that a good idea or would you just slab the whole trunk?

I intend to build a large wooden shed with lapboard sides in the yard and really only want to make five or six tables so there is a lot of wood needed for the shed

 

Is it best to slab these logs as soon as possible or better to wait a while?

 

What is the ideal thickness of slab?

 

Is it obvious to plane the slab only when totally dry?

 

I presume Ash will dry much more quickly than Sycamore or Evergreen Oak.  Is a year an inch still the perceived wisdom?

 

What is the ideal distance between the sticks when the slabs are stacked for drying?

[topchippyles]

I would be keeping the middle third of each trunk for slabbing as you only require 6 in total and cut up the rest for the shed. Drying time around an inch a year is correct but does vary depending on timber but i have 4" ash slabs which have dried over the last 18 months and ready for use.Sticks 10-15mm thick and space about every 600mm- 24" apart and i bet you get some wicked stuff out of those trunk stems bill.

Edited June 5, 2021 by topchippyles

[MattyF]

Mill the elm and get under cover!! It’s starting to look a bit spongy ...

Maybe leave the ash and oak for a bit though.

 

[topchippyles]

26 minutes ago, MattyF said:

Mill the elm and get under cover!! It’s starting to look a bit spongy ...

Maybe leave the ash and oak for a bit though.

 

Why leave it matty ? Mill the slabs off at 110mm and let then season which is better 

[MattyF]

I’ve milled very green ash even 3” it’s warped , split and generally been a waste of time .. been a lot more stable if it’s sat for a year or two .... you could leave it for even longer and try and catch spalting !

 

[topchippyles]

1 minute ago, MattyF said:

I’ve milled very green ash and it’s warped , split and generally been a waste of time .. been a lot more stable if it’s sat for a year or two .... you could leave it for even longer and try and catch spalting !

You have milled it to thin then matty.All my logs are sealed on the ends asap when they are cut down or i get them and you mill any slab at 100+ mm it will not do any different to being a stem if stored in the dry

Edited June 5, 2021 by topchippyles

[Billhook]

57 minutes ago, topchippyles said:

You have milled it to thin then matty.All my logs are sealed on the ends asap when they are cut down or i get them and you mill any slab at 100+ mm it will not do any different to being a stem if stored in the dry

That is one thing I have not done which I should have.  What do you use to seal the ends

What do you think about the Sycamore.  I suspect it needs dealing with sooner rather then later.

[Billhook]

6 hours ago, topchippyles said:

I would be keeping the middle third of each trunk for slabbing as you only require 6 in total and cut up the rest for the shed. Drying time around an inch a year is correct but does vary depending on timber but i have 4" ash slabs which have dried over the last 18 months and ready for use.Sticks 10-15mm thick and space about every 600mm- 24" apart and i bet you get some wicked stuff out of those trunk stems bill.

Thanks for that, sounds like good advice

[topchippyles]

19 minutes ago, Billhook said:

That is one thing I have not done which I should have.  What do you use to seal the ends

What do you think about the Sycamore.  I suspect it needs dealing with sooner rather then later.

 

16 minutes ago, Billhook said:

Thanks for that, sounds like good advice

Bill when you mill logs they become valuable but also each one will have a story in the grain, Mill the lot 1/3 through the middle into 100-150 mm slabs and store them in the dry (barn/sheds) with 10-15mm spacers around 24" apart.Rest use for the sheds 

Edited June 5, 2021 by topchippyles

[muttley9050]

Sycamore will slightly discolour but also spalt if left on the ground. I leave sycamore for 2 years then slab the lot. Not great for building.

Elm can be used for construction but to be honest most of those logs have too many big knots in to be any good for any building.

Last picture is firewood, next one up not construction worthy. Next one up looks to have shake and ring shake. Cut into big beams around the faults.

Next one up good construction timber.

Next one up slab the lot. You can resaw into 4x2 etc once seasoned around faults. 1

Next 3 slabs all the way.

Top one I think will give you good construction timber.