Newbie advice...

[Al Mayne]

Morning, looking for some quite broad advice. I have a small copse of woods at the back of our garden, 1.1 acres. Mainly beech and a good number (maybe 15 or so) of pretty mature larch. Then a few ash (unfortunately mostly with die back), sycamore, field maple, one lonely small oak, then holly, some nice old yew, and a couple of lovely large corsican pines.

 

We are about to embark on a building project, with a wood clad large garage/shed plus wood cladding on the extension. That's a lot of money to buy wood when we have a whole load sitting right on site that needs thinning anyway. And further, the larch apparently had no value as it is in mixed woods and needs extracting carefully (local chap I would trust said he would take it for no cost, but if we leave it longer it might not be worth it once larch is tool old)  

 

I'm considering 3 things:

1. Milling the larch for cladding on garage and house;

2. Milling one large beech to make floorboards for the sitting room ready for next year; and

3. Longer term, milling some of the larch to make a pole barn type structure at the back of garden one day 

 

Now ... I am not an arb. 

 

I am looking at the amount of wood we have and will need over time, and am wondering whether it makes any sense to invest in a saw mill, probably one on wheels to get up into the woods and mill in situ (as opposed to trying to drag it out of the woods)

 

Question - with a decent mill (e.g. woodlandmills.co.uk) how hard is it to mill cladding, and is it simply a case of stacking it under a tarp with spacers for a period of time or can you use it green /is it better green? Then on flooring, clearly the beech will need drying, so is it best to section to 1inch+ and dry with spacers and if so for how long, or does it need kiln drying as well and then putting through some sort of thicknesser or similar by a pro afterwards?

 

I LOVE the idea of the house being built from the woods, and then long term could sell the mill or indeed keep for the future. But if getting any form of decent result needs a huge level of experience, then I need to be realistic and know that as well. 

 

Alternative is to find someone locally to come in a do the milling. Either way, it helps open up the copse a bit and start to get some new trees in there as well, am keen to get it a bit more diverse and add some variation like lime, maybe some cedar etc for the long long term future!

 

Many thanks in advance for all advice and comments!!

 

Al

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Khriss]

I think yr location first ( county would be good enough )  as some blokes milling on here may be close by  ?  K

[Al Mayne]

Good point Khriss! We are in GL5 near Stroud.

[trigger_andy]

38 minutes ago, Al Mayne said:

Morning, looking for some quite broad advice. I have a small copse of woods at the back of our garden, 1.1 acres. Mainly beech and a good number (maybe 15 or so) of pretty mature larch. Then a few ash (unfortunately mostly with die back), sycamore, field maple, one lonely small oak, then holly, some nice old yew, and a couple of lovely large corsican pines.

 

We are about to embark on a building project, with a wood clad large garage/shed plus wood cladding on the extension. That's a lot of money to buy wood when we have a whole load sitting right on site that needs thinning anyway. And further, the larch apparently had no value as it is in mixed woods and needs extracting carefully (local chap I would trust said he would take it for no cost, but if we leave it longer it might not be worth it once larch is tool old)  

 

I'm considering 3 things:

1. Milling the larch for cladding on garage and house;

2. Milling one large beech to make floorboards for the sitting room ready for next year; and

3. Longer term, milling some of the larch to make a pole barn type structure at the back of garden one day 

 

Now ... I am not an arb. 

 

I am looking at the amount of wood we have and will need over time, and am wondering whether it makes any sense to invest in a saw mill, probably one on wheels to get up into the woods and mill in situ (as opposed to trying to drag it out of the woods)

 

Question - with a decent mill (e.g. woodlandmills.co.uk) how hard is it to mill cladding, and is it simply a case of stacking it under a tarp with spacers for a period of time or can you use it green /is it better green? Then on flooring, clearly the beech will need drying, so is it best to section to 1inch+ and dry with spacers and if so for how long, or does it need kiln drying as well and then putting through some sort of thicknesser or similar by a pro afterwards?

 

I LOVE the idea of the house being built from the woods, and then long term could sell the mill or indeed keep for the future. But if getting any form of decent result needs a huge level of experience, then I need to be realistic and know that as well. 

 

Alternative is to find someone locally to come in a do the milling. Either way, it helps open up the copse a bit and start to get some new trees in there as well, am keen to get it a bit more diverse and add some variation like lime, maybe some cedar etc for the long long term future!

 

Many thanks in advance for all advice and comments!!

 

Al

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morning,

 

I was in a very similar situation to yourself. I have about the same size of woodland around my house and have been steadily thinning it out and milling the timber into cladding, 2x6” and 2x8” beams for various projects. 
 

I initially started out with an Alaskan Mill but soon realised I loved milling and started my hunt for a Bandsaw, so I did my research and bought my Logosol B751. But for your needs a Woodlands would be perfect. I’d get the biggest mill you can as you always want more. 
 

Larch makes very good cladding and fencing materials. I’d be looking to keep the trees you have for your own use and if needed get someone in to tell them and not take them as payment. I’d not worry about them getting to old, but it’s easy to say that without seeing a picture. 🤣

 

Milling Cladding is very straightforward, very satisfying as well. “Stickering” them so they dry is simply enough, just mill some 3/4”x3/4” Barton’s and space them out, plenty vids on YouTube on the fundamentals of this. For Cladding I don’t bother drying/seasoning. I just mill and get them up. 
 

Milling green is generally preferable. Ash and Beech can go rock hard when seasoned and not fun at all to mill. 
 

If I was in your boots I’d buy the Mill and mill everything you need. You’ll either get the big or you won’t, if you don’t you’ll find the mills hold their value very well. If you do you’ll find countless uses for you Sawmill and will

is it more often than not. 
 

Here’s my workshop I’m building out of Larch and Spruce. I went for the Waney Edged look. Below that is my brothers workshop/office. All milled on my Logosol. 
Then some Larch Fencing and Oak sleepers for the Driveway. As I mentioned, you’ll find plenty uses for the Bandsaw and it can also make you some beer money milling for others and selling timber.
 

 

[Al Mayne]

That looks excellent, would be very happy to achieve results looking like that!