wills-mill

I (personally) feel it is an unsustainable system that suits producers with logging rights on huge areas overseas, or massive plantations in the developed world. It's a bit of a joke for small woodland holdings and individual trees, and I'm very happy to explain to my customers why my timber is not FSC. Today I'm milling a big Sycamore from a North London park and some Thuja logs from a garden in Haslemere. Neither are remotely acceptable as FSC produce, but I can document a full chain of custody down to the last cough and bum scratch. The end user is always happy to know the story- it's usually the rubber stamping dudes in the middle who don't want the hassle.

This looks quite handy, it would be nice and open at the front- GALVANISED STEEL BUILDING FRAME,18 ROOF RAILS 9.5 METRE SPAN | eBay

Edit- Without prohibitive cost and paperwork, you CAN provide legal and sustainably sourced timber (with a traceability/ chain of custody paper trail). You can't provide FSC timber without coughing up. It's a bit like selling fruit and veg that is grown without chemicals- unless you jump in with the Soil Association, you can't legally label anything with the magic 'organic' word, even if it is as clean as a whistle. There's Government advice on timber procurement and the definition of a legal source. The people to talk to are at CPET (Central Point of Expertise on Timber). From what I remember from a few years back, there was no need to be locked into a costly scheme like FSC. To keep most people happy you just had to define the scope and geographical range of your timer buying. I wrote up a little statement about legalities and the normal sources for my timber, with a bit about felling licences and replanting/management conditions, it seemed to satisfy most people. https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/making-sustainable-development-a-part-of-all-government-policy-and-operations/supporting-pages/timber-procurement-policy-tpp-for-public-sector-procurers-and-suppliers-of-timber I've been looking into the Grown in Britain scheme, which mainly uses the FC felling licence as documentary evidence of legality. Very sensibly priced.

Can't help with the Tree Officer, but I can give the thumbs up for the beach cafe beside the nuclear power station 'Sizewell Tea'

Well done, proper job!

The Wetterlings mauls are also sold re-badged as Husqvarna mauls. Usually quite a lot cheaper.

I had a set with run flat bands inside as well. Ridiculous heavy but tough as nails

Another vote for Startrite bandsaws (Band-it, 351 and 352), other ones to look out for are decent size Elektra Beckum and Scheppach saws.

The only thing I've got photos of- My grotty BSA Snipe 12 bore single. Worth nowt. Hated the plasticky looking Beech, so I decided to barbecue the woodwork, then wire brush and wax

Big J would know what prices are like locally. Down in SE England you'd probably be looking at anywhere between £2.50 to £6 per hoppus ft for roadside Oak, unless it's truly exceptional. J is a member of ASHS (Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers), it might be worth looking to see if there's a member near you. ASHS seem to represent the smaller, niche mills who may well have a market for some of the odder timber that would be less attractive to the really big mills. Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers - Home

It's a slippery slope! All liked...... I've worked out how to 'like' from my Woodlouse page (rather than my personal one)- you go to the page required, then click on the three dots beside the Message button. This opens up a menu of options, one of which is 'Like as your page'. Will.

Done!

Correct me if I'm talking cobblers- Didn't this come about because there was a regular occurence of accidents when folk were using a topper in the right hand and holding firewood in the left hand. Lots of damage to the back of left hands. This led to 2 things (?)- Introduction of chainsaw gloves with that weird bit of protection only on the back of the left hand. Followed by- Introduction of having to produce an NPTC cert to buy a top handled saw.

Does anyone have a site toilet that is hired in and serviced by a contractor? There's no toilet in the yard and workshop I'm setting up at the moment, and so I'm wondering about costs and pitfalls. I've never hired one in for a site, so I've no idea how often they get pumped out, or what the like CPT (cost per turd) is likely to be. I've been in a compost bog yard before, but I'm not too keen on the idea of Ratty burrowing around in the compost bins Maybe it's best to buy a unit?

Boat diesel has got strange in the last few years- now boat owners fill up from one pump, but then have to declare what percentage will be used for propulsion (duty to be paid) or for space/ water heating on board etc (no duty). Someone buzzing up and down canals constantly should be paying more for a tankful than someone who is moored up and not moving often. Odd, but there you go.

Crane a few extra tonnes onto the roof of the 'barge'

I think frame saws are probably coming back in, they are a very nifty way of milling multiple boards with minimal handling and space. Right across Alpine Europe a lot of small mills seem to keep using them- in German they're called Gattersaege or Vollgatters if you want a youtube journey. Logosol are doing a very nice one. If this doesn't get you excited, then your anorak isn't tight enough The old Dutch mills are pretty awesome- [ame] [/ame]

I've cut a lot of Sw Chestnut waney edged boards for one customer, he does a lot of rustic decks. We've found that if the stems have lots of tension the boards will 'self cleave' pretty much straight away. If the boards behave themselves to start with, they tend to behave long term. Sometimes boards will bang open right up the middle while you're still sawing them. Worrying at first, then quite entertaining. One of the things we found that's useful, is to deliberately handle the boards really roughly- slam them down onto bearers and stacks as they come off the mill. If the end splits are going to travel, they show up at that point, and they can be chased out with a chainsaw. You can then treat each half as a separate board. Chestnut does sometimes spring loads and have lots of tension, but once that's been released it behaves itself and dries beautifully. If the photo loads, it should show a bit of wang in structural chestnut:

You can add a digital control (VFD 'variable frequency drive') to pretty much any lathe. So you could get a solid old Union Graduate or similar and pimp it up with completely variable speeds. Probably much cheaper?

I've been wondering this on the tractor front loader? On the Quicke joystick there is a 'float' position that clicks in if you push the joystick fully forward. I'm not sure if that's just dropping the boom under no pressure, or whether there is flow that could be tapped off?

There are a lot of Fountains vans running around our neck of the woods at the moment. Haven't seen them for ages... Anyway, we all know that 'Tree Surgery, Fencing, Driveways, Tarmacing' Ltd are the biggest firm in the land

Looks good alongside the towed unit, looks like a factory job. Well done!

Edit- also interested in: Western Hemlock (non Phytophthora) Larch sawlogs Poplar, clean and winter felled 16in min to 30in max

Do you put in something similar if there is dithering, the stacking site gets full and you can't get on with the extraction?

Hi, I'm looking for an artic load of Chestnut for milling. Looking for 9 to 18 inch top ends, 8fts and 12fts. The 12fts are for cladding and structural, so prefer those cleaner and larger. The 8fts are for fencing and landscaping, they can be knottier and smaller. At a push I'll go for 10fts, but they're a bit wasteful when cut back for gateposts etc. I'm in West Sussex, what have you got felled or currently felling? Thanks, W