Rob D

Let's see some progress pics as you start to build it and get set up!

Easy lift harness - I have seen it in the flesh and it's a cracking bit of kit

Very professional looking carving

Appreciate the advice John - I have been milling and selling timber in this area for the last 7 years. Have called round all the local joinery shops, carpenters and any others that would likely require timber. There was very little interest all round... Also am a member of the New Forest Marque and am pretty well known in the area both with the local council and local businesses. I have done a lot of the local shows in the area. One of the main problems I encountered early on is customers coming with a specific list of timbers and sizes they were after. I could maybe supply half their list but not usually all. Secondly the type of timber I was/am milling is not of the very straight/no knots type! Tends to be more rustic and interesting type! Presently I have found the best place to sell timber is good old ebay! Lot 5075 CEDAR Wood Timber Plank 100 x 19 x 4cm items in chainsawbars alaskanmill and treet store on eBay! as this gives you a UK wide market. Works well as an advert as well as direct sales.

I think that is an excellent ethos - but not one I have been able to maintain selling wood. You just get beaten down by the time wasters and those that like to talk wood rather than buy it. Added to this are the many customers who wish to use wood but have no starting knowledge of how wood works... There is def a market out there - people love wood! It's how you can deliver a product to them in a way that does not cost you a lot of time is the key. That way you can do it for a better price and still make a margin.

It would be a very good way of putting out information and as a side benefit I think it would be an excellent way of promoting your own business.

Thank the lord you all got out of there ok!

Ref timber pricing and prices of imported timber - from people I've spoken to if you're looking to spend a few thousand £ a time you can look to pay around £20-00 a cube for US kiln dried oak. I'm not sure if it will ever be possible to compete with this as a small producer so unless you have something special ie. something figured or unusual then you are looking to sell to people spending say a few hundred £ so you can keep your price per cube higher. But then this is going to limit your available market ie. after you've satisfied this demand then who do you sell to next?

I still find selling timber very difficult although now finally have a working model and am selling regularly on ebay... but it's small margins and any lower and it would not be worth doing. Looking at reducing timber prices - we tried reducing our ebay prices for a week with a 30% off sale - result - no more/no less timber sold! We tried doing auctions with £0.99 start - a lot did not sell at all and a lot went for less then £3-00! Yet the pieces that didn't sell when re listed sold further down the line for £20 to £40 each. I don't think I know any customers that have bought off me that look to stock timber - they usually always wish to buy what they are just about to use. When they have a specific project they tend to buy exactly what they need and are happy to pay higher prices if you have the right timber. So in my case it is better for me to keep prices higher but store stuff for longer and selling cheaper did not make any difference to quantities sold... but the average sale price would be around £40-00.

Only just seen this thread! It's a good one to keep looking at. I think it's a brave move to lower your prices Jon - time will tell if this works - it could be your customers have taken advantage of lower prices to increase their own stocks before you have a chance to change your mind back again! But hopefully not and it will attract new business. There is a new initiative called 'Grown in Britain' Grown in Britain | Creating a sustainable future for UK woodland which should be exactly what is needed - why don't you see about writing up in their blog Jon Grown in Britain | Get Involved | Contact Us - I have e-mailed a few times along the lines of 'I am a small timber producer and struggling to find markets for my product can you help link me to these...' and replies have been 'yes we are here to help people like yourself access new markets please register on our site and...' ... but little practical advice on how to do it! But I think someone such as yourself fighting the corner of small timber producers and generally being vocal would be good!

Cool set up - be interesting to see how that works out - I know the chainsaw carver Nick Speakman runs 1/4" chain on a quarter tip bar on a 550XP! And has not broken any chains so I'd say you'll be fine there. When you say dime tip - it looks more like a Rollamatic E bar on there rather than a dime tip... what's the bar part number? I may look to get some Sugihara 12"/14"/16"/18" bars with a 1/4" nose sprocket for 200 and 201s - as in theory should be a good combo and would also allow you to run longer bars on these saws...

Do you find there is any chain slop so to speak in that bar? As the new stihl chain is .043" guage and I think that bars is .050"? Stihl have now got some very small nose carving bars out - like the Samurai bars they are laminated with very small nose diameter - they look quite fragile very walled rails! Will stick some pics up in a couple of days.

It is a cool looking chain. We have it although not in the selectors yet - but all chains can be found here Custom chain loops though we are a little more expensive... I'm not a direct Stihl dealer and so all Stihl equipment is available off CSB. I bought quite a few £s worth that would last through the online selling ban before it came into force... As below one PS and one PS3.

Nice load of pics there John - starting to build up a good load of timber there

Just here - Guide bars You can get the bar that runs the 95vpx chain as well - which is a lower pro chain that helps keep chain speed up. Only Oregon have these at the mo although will be getting some Sugi ones in soon... If you do buy a bar put in 'arbtalk' as the voucher code for a free gift. Rob

You'll get a Cannon to fit no prob - they come in a wide range of mounts... But get a Sugihara - not got the light types yet but do have the pro solid versions (but I am biased!) - they are both great bars... if you buy a Sugihara and don't like it you can return it for refund and get a Cannon!

Good stuff - thanks for posting the pic Ed -

Great looking table and bench

Thought so - but does the D009 bar still all line up ref oiler hole etc even though there is a bit of play?

They've run out of studs but there's another on ebay selling for £4-95. I'm hoping I haven't found a fly in the ointment - but with 8mm studs won't this give a K095 type mount and not a D009 mount? K095 = 8mm slot D009 = 9mm slot So then if only a K095 mount max bar would be 24" - did you get a chance to try your 576 bar on the Makita Ed? It'll fit but is there a lot of play where it sits over the mounting bolts?

That's it - so you can do first cut with the Alaskan and side cuts with mini mill - all on one system.

Actually I have got these (sorry - hidden behind another sprocket ) will PM as well.

I'd love to see a way that you would have a set of first cut rails like a ladder type set up - that you could use to get the first cut but then it would also act as the rail for the mini mill or a mini mill type set up... Maybe one day!

Nope all gone I'm afraid as are 12" light type for 200T etc, 25" for 441 etc, 28" for 395xp, and now running low on other sizes as well - long time to wait for next load but I'm putting in another order now so they will start overlapping better!

Sorry late reply - yes may get some 16" light types in for the MS260 - no where near as much demand for bars for the MS260/MS261 than for the 550 and 560... could be because people still like to use Stihl bars... But all the 15" and 18" in sugi pro solid and light type have now sold out Next delivery for 1st July