Planking

[gstar]

Hi all, I'm new to this site. I need a bit of help. I have a large copper beach trunk which was felled in October. Its about 20' long and approx 4 to 5 foot wide. It seems sacrilegious to chop it up into fire wood so I want to try and get it planked. I'm thinking 2" planks. I'm based in suffolk nr ipswich. Is there anyone on here who can help with this? The images are before, it on the ground now. Thanks in advance. 

Edited January 22, 2023 by gstar

[Squaredy]

3 hours ago, gstar said:

Hi all, I'm new to this site. I need a bit of help. I have a large copper beach trunk which was felled in October. Its about 20' long and approx 4 to 5 foot wide. It seems sacrilegious to chop it up into fire wood so I want to try and get it planked. I'm thinking 2" planks. I'm based in suffolk nr ipswich. Is there anyone on here who can help with this? The images are before, it on the ground now. Thanks in advance. 

The images are also missing….

[trigger_andy]

3 hours ago, gstar said:

Hi all, I'm new to this site. I need a bit of help. I have a large copper beach trunk which was felled in October. Its about 20' long and approx 4 to 5 foot wide. It seems sacrilegious to chop it up into fire wood so I want to try and get it planked. I'm thinking 2" planks. I'm based in suffolk nr ipswich. Is there anyone on here who can help with this? The images are before, it on the ground now. Thanks in advance. 

Factor in 1-2 days to mill at about £600 a day. Beech can be very attractive timber but there is not a huge demand for it although Ive used it in a few of my own projects and really like it. Its not durable like Oak is so its really limited to indoor use unless well protected. 

 

Personally I just clog up the majority of Beech for firewood these days but if I get a nice log in the future I might mill it. 

[Steven P]

To go a bit further to Trigger_Andy. Looking at the costs and your suggestion it might be better as firewood - can you rent a mill, might be if it is all going to go for firewood the OP is only loosing a rental fee and time to have a go themselves? Might be rubbish, might get a gem, but be good experience any way

[Stihl123]

please post pics

i'm local to this and will be able to recommend someone

[trigger_andy]

14 hours ago, Steven P said:

To go a bit further to Trigger_Andy. Looking at the costs and your suggestion it might be better as firewood - can you rent a mill, might be if it is all going to go for firewood the OP is only loosing a rental fee and time to have a go themselves? Might be rubbish, might get a gem, but be good experience any way

I dont know a single person who would be willing to rent out their kit. Far to much of a risk of killing the saw, knackering a couple of £100 chains or even damaging the Mill. 

 

You could find a second hand set-up for the cost of two days Milling. I just sold my 60" Panther Mill & 084 Saw for £1350. The op would then have all the time in the world to learn how to Mill his Beech and hopefully know enough not to kill the saw the first time using it. 

[Cordata]

18 hours ago, trigger_andy said:

Factor in 1-2 days to mill at about £600 a day. Beech can be very attractive timber but there is not a huge demand for it although Ive used it in a few of my own projects and really like it. Its not durable like Oak is so its really limited to indoor use unless well protected. 

 

Personally I just clog up the majority of Beech for firewood these days but if I get a nice log in the future I might mill it. 

Is that a going rate for milling timber? Seems like a lot 

[trigger_andy]

10 minutes ago, Cordata said:

Is that a going rate for milling timber? Seems like a lot 

Its what I charge anyway. Ive heard similar prices from other members here as well. 

 

If its so much perhaps you should get into milling as well.  

[Squaredy]

26 minutes ago, Cordata said:

Is that a going rate for milling timber? Seems like a lot 

If you can find a small sawmill nearby they might be willing to mill it for you if you can get it to them.

 

You will have to convince them it has no metal in it of course.  And if it is not forest grown then who knows what it may contain.  Also you will have to cross cut it into two pieces.  But then I would suggest doing that anyway - rather unlikely to find a buyer who needs twenty foot slabs. 

 

The mill then might just charge you by the hour; or my local mill charge by the cubic foot.  Research needed in your area.

[Steven P]

2 hours ago, trigger_andy said:

I dont know a single person who would be willing to rent out their kit. Far to much of a risk of killing the saw, knackering a couple of £100 chains or even damaging the Mill. 

 

Not something I've ever done you see, interesting to know.