Rob D

The cubic meter vented log bags are the best thing I ever bought for selling logs. Just fill them up and don't worry too much. A cubic meter filled bag is a cubic meter. Don't worry about log count as already said this is irrelevant.

Cheers. I don't want to derail this thread. I'll be putting up a seperate thread when it's all up and running. Back to the topic - the people who do best with mills already have an interest or use for the timber before they've entered the milling game i.e. as said a carpenter or joiner, furniture maker etc. It's harder for a tree surgeon as where do you find the time to market your timber after you've milled it... It's hard enough just finding that extra time to mill it let alone all the rest!

However all that said.... I'm getting a forum in the next few weeks that will function purely as a method for small wood producers to sell their timber. You'll fill in a form as to what you have, which area it is, how much you want for it etc. And of course be able to post lots of pics. Woodworkers can then come onto the forum and look for what wood they are after and see who is milling near them. People will also be able to advertise their timber in the round that they a) want to sell, b) want to have milled for them, c) a tree surgeon can advertise a tree due to come down and see if anyone wants to come in and mill it d) you're taking down a tree and can mill it on site - is anyone interested in the milled timber and picking it up direct off site e) people who have timber in the round and want to sell it as firewood. In short I want it to be a medium where people can trade wood. Whether it'll work or not who knows! ....

It's a very good point you make in this thread. Something I've asked myself a few times over the last few years... Why is it such a tricky question? Because to make a success of milling financially IMO you need to committ to it in terms of time and money. Who are you going to sell the wood to? It takes time to mill and store planks properly - very difficult to do if you are a working tree surgeon with dead lines. If you are doing it to make a few things for yourself, friends and family or you have some building projects or some such in mind then you are onto a winner - you would not be able to buy what you can make. You will save a fortune milling your own wood. My advice would be to buy a mill, mill just the good stuff i.e. that acacia sounds good, any straight oak always a winner, any wood you just fancy seeing what it looks like milled. Firewood the rest. If you then get people sniffing around or someone buys a load of planks from you then it may be worth looking more into it as a business.

Ridiculously dangerous.

Alaskan is easy to fit to any chainsaw really - just clamps straight to the bar. As you have put it would work well breaking the bigger timber down in order to resaw with your M7.

Yes I have to be the most biased person to comment on this - feel free to tear this post apart. Alaskan - pros - cheaper, quicker to set up and mill, portable, easy to use, can do huge logs. Cons - the U bolt can be a weak point (these are being made out of better quality steel now), can't build up a static system, no add ons to make milling easier. Logosol - pros - well made, can be added onto to become M5 M7, vast vast amount of additional equipment available, static set up works well on regular shaped logs. - cons - more expensive, fiddly to set up on one off logs, designed in Scandinavia so more based around milling softwood (at least all the demos I've seen are based around milling softwood). But I'd be interested to hear what logosol owners have to add as I've never owned/run a logosol only seen demos.

That's a good point - has anyone out there not been allowed to claim on their insurance?

I'm doing exactly the same thing! I had an MS441 for 2 years and noticed better fuel consumption, great performance and the air filter never seemed to get that dusty. Roll on an MS881!

Looking at the replies and differnet opinions thrown up this has been a great thread - threads like this keep things interesting. The best threads should make you question your own opinions and standpoint.

He may have had a years experience and it would be a worry if he did this with smaller bits of wood.... but he said this was the first 'big lump' he'd cut up. The curves on the wood say to me the saw was dull, worn bar or both. And it would also explain the myriad of cuts. He needs to understand why he had problems cutting the log up. Shown the correct way. Then hopefully the next time he'll get it right.

Great pics and what a great way of loading the logs onto the mill...

I'd love to say yes but it's just a bit far... i have trouble milling the stuff 10 miles away at the moment! But thanks for asking.

For those concrete saws you need to plug a hose in and it'll cut wood like a chainsaw will cut concrete! I had a big cedar to do like this - chiesled and blew, chieseled and blew and still wrote of 4 chains.... when you start breaking it up the little bits go everywhere. In the end I had to split most of it with wedges....

As above - there's still plenty of time left so just hang on in there until just pre Christmas and then after the New Year. My log sales have been steady but not awe inspiring so far but all the others will sell out soon....

Local to you anyway! I doubt he'll sell it for that. I have a feeling that this is the same one that may have been on the Gumtree for a while. But if you don't offer postage you're going to limit who you sell to.... I'd love to get one but can't afford such luxuries at the mo!

That is a superb 1st carving - wish I had the talent! But the price tag - hmmm I would have seen that and thought 'hey that's ridiculous' and the art would have been lost on me...

Can I ask how much you charge per cubic meter Bob? Currently I charge £95-00 inc 5% vat. That leaves £90-00. Given that you prob get 1.5 cubic meters per tonne so the cost of the wood is £42-00 which leaves £48-00. Doesn't seem a lot to me. I don't see how there is any profit there unless you are getting more like £120-00 a cubic meter.

This is what I disagreed with as others had posted in between!!

Sorry but I disagree with that. I idle and gently rev a new machine for the first tank. Treat it carefully by not revving for a long time on the second. A new machine still needs to bed in IMO and there is more friction in the working parts. How can being gentle with it for the first few tanks have a negative effect?

I just think with moisture meters you get what you pay for. Of the 3 cheapies i bought 2 broke and the third gave me different readings from the same piece of wood - within 5% (where the Delmhorst meters gave a consistant reading in the same spots). The cheapies will tell you whether wood is dry or not but just don't give an accurate reading if you're looking at planked timber.

Bout 90k for me... 70k is on our flat and 20k business.

All the cheap moisture meters will be fine for firewood but next to useless for seeing how dry planks are! They seem to give inconsistant readings. I went through about 3 cheapies before getting the Delmhorst ones.

Nicely done Jon. All the pippy oak I've ever dried always comes out a bit like that

I know you need to take precautions ref thieves but how would they know where you lived to pinch it from what you've posted? Great pics and good review. You should still make it secure though!