yaxleylad

I am looking for 2 cords of wood to cross cut and split myself. I live in the North Suffolk/South Norfolk area 4 miles from Diss. Is there any arborist in my area who would be willing to supply any thing, even willow or alder (but no coniofers)? Even smaller stuff that you would normally chipper? I can collect with trailer (although not in one complete 2 cord load-and I only have an astra LOL so arent able to drive across too much muddy field's ). Willing to pay £50 a cord. Sincerely Jonathan

Even thieves havent got any coomon sense any more Imagine the sceanrio when they thieve the ally warning signs from a tight bend and some poor soul flies off over the egde cause he didnt know there was a bad bend.

Why is that is it because of having to keep changing the chains if they have a chainsaw crosscut?

Thanks for your reply Ed:icon14: I understand completely about chainsaw crosscutting useing a lot of fuel etc, but what other way is ther to do really fat logs that are simply too big for conventional cross cutting? Unless you have something like that tractor mounted spiral splitter to break then lenhthwise first? Or could it be possible to build a simple front loader mounted hydraulic cracker that could split longthwise in a conventional way, but could also be used (maybe with special shaped splitting wedge's) to crack logs open from the side if the logs were turned 90 degree's? It seems that about 4 foot is the max length of stroke on splitter's? I just dont have an in depth knowledge of the possible technology/solutions. What I know about tractors is, well minimal at best ! If you have a seperate engine as you sudgested, can you still use machines that would of needed a 3 point hitch and the pto and hydaulic's? Sorry if it seems a daft question Cheers Jonathan:icon14:

That price is a lot lower than I would of expected Does any body import them to Britain? I am surprised about the blade lasting so well, is that a normal tct or one of the "hard steel" sort whatever they are (never heard of them before) I worked in a pallet refurb factory once and we used a blade a week generally on the radial arm, but then they get nicked on nails and soon go. I just thought maybe real dirty muddy logs might ruin them fast. But thanks for your advice, the crosscut seems a real possibility and its not too many £'s either:icon14: Can I ask what make is your current splitting machine? At a pinch to start with I could get a tractor/splitter combo first and crosscut large billets into rounds with a chain saw, then invest in a crosscut later? Cheers Jonathan

Thanks for your replies lads:icon14: Do you run one of these tw7's Ed, and dare I ask Dean how much they cost?? Do you manage with 2 blades Ed-one in use one sharpened and ready to swap? With big splitters, do they cut evenly on a 4 or 8 way split (log say a meter long), or do the cut's sometimes run off as they do with wedges and maul? Can I ask Steve with your machine what maximum dim's can it handle (I assume its a complete processing machine?) I read your comment about the importance of preparing stock to go smoothly through the processor (without having to doctor guard's?) Is your tree surgery waste every diameter and quality (ie rough gnarly bendy etc) I figured having a tractor would somehow give me more flexibility if I changed to a different 3 point mounted machine possibly less expense involved, plus it could tow a trailer as well which a japa 300/hakke hawk wouldnt?

Forgive me if my question has been asked before, some of the older threads have certainly helped, I'm just looking for a bit more detail. I am seriously thinking about starting a firewood business as a sideline of my green woodworking. I realise-from bitter experience-doing logs by hand is a no no (but I have the greatest respect for those of our ancestor's who cut and split wood by hand before the advent of chainsaw's and hydrualic's!) My initial thought was to buy a small processor (eg self powered japa 300 that you could tow about) But firewood isnt always nice straight coppice poles is it :bawling:. I was thinking how would a machine like that deal with huge diameter, or bendy/gnarly old crap logs (the video's always seem to show pristine round section's of fresh birch, not some wild piece of dry elm or oak) I have begun to think I'd be possibly better off with an old tractor, big horizontal splitter about 16 or 18 ton to split down big sections or round's, and a simpler crosscut saw/screw thread to cut and split smaller logs (only I dont like the thought of replacing/sharpening/maintaining a 700mm blade) surely a chain option is cheaper. Is this sort of set up viable, bearing in mind my wood supply will likely not be of the straightest quality? Oh and I am proposing to offer best quality logs, 15% mc or better. I must admit I am taken by the french method of splitting meter lengths into 4 way or 16 way, then stacking them in square piles to dry then crosscut to customers stove size as and when required. If any one would care to comment, offer any tips or advise, I would be really grateful.

Ah they are sturdy enough to stack without collapsing as well, even better. Excellent idea, cheap and simple Do you have a pair of forks on a tractor to lift them? Oh and do you mind me asking how much you sell a load like that for (nosy yorkshiremen, me!!) It'll be about a cube meter is it?

I liked that idea I saw on here (cant remember the thread) where there was frame made of strong wire pig netting wrapped round a pallet base to make a basket/stillage type thing. Yuo could just put them in lines with a tarp over them?

this one looks a better prospect for any one in kent http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Logs-Firewood_W0QQitemZ280229198982QQihZ018QQcategoryZ38220QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I went on ebay and asked about 8 or 10 firewood seller's what was the MC of there log's. I only got 1 sensible reply (between 7 and 12%) and that was from someone selling off cuts of oak beams and joists (probably kiln dried) Not ordinary firewood logs. The only other reply was something like sorry dont know, our logs were cut in 2006 and are under cover hope this helps .

I reckon it would be different if the bags were used as giant tesco bag's (ie just to hold volume and not lifted on or off a wagon with a crane) I think someone mentioned that they load theres with cut log's and tip the lot off there tipper

Well I did say IF it works equally and fairly.... possibly if some clever bod invents a test that is less crude than just detecting use that might of been there possibly a day or a week or more or whatever, instead one that is sensitive or specific enough to tell if you have used canabis while on this shift? Like an acurate spot check? But then it comes down to practicality, cost, time etc, surely its better to work on trust and common sense, just agree to abide by a no drug at work policy? And any way dont the police reckon drug driving is more of a provlem than drink driving now? But then theres been a profound cultural change with drinking and driving, its not "acceptable" like it once was, should be the same with recreational drug's in the work place-any work place

I seen that a few times and each time I thought if its done by a real pupeter with the strings etc (not compouter generated), its fantastic skill especially when he slideds along on the studoi light:wave:

I stopped on Nov 11 1987. Prior to that had smoked morning nnoon and night for the previuos 6 or 7 year's, yyes I was mellow in the various jobs I did during that period of time, including electro plating (with conc sulphuric acid), demolition for Ivor Rich (Perched on I beam's with pneumatic drills breaking concrete floor's 8 story's up-no harness's or even H&S back then) , security work (just at the time when the IRA blew up harrod's) , gawd knows how I managed to only have 2 bike crashes and escaped srious injury or death. It was the invincibilty factor that bothers me now thinking about weed use, I still get nasty flash back's of a time when me and a mate run at full speed along the parapet of a 7 story building when we were on a buzz, one gust of wind and we'd have been history. I've never been up a tree stoned, or with another stoned chainsaw user, but have sinceworked in various scenario's with folks who were using hash/weed, or a pallet fixer who used speed (he was scary especially when the nail gun's were flashing about). Several did get the push including fork lift driver's, and I believe that was down to someone else in management objecting, not a test; official company policy with one (large american) company was drug or alcohol use at work was an instant sackable offense. Should there be a test? If it works equally and fairly, fine, but things being what they are folk will no doubt devise ways and means to dodge.

Its durable for utensils but they arent out in the extremes of weather, alder is durable if its permanently sodden as in driven into a river or lake bed, it will last a long time then, dont ask me why alder lasts a long time under those conditions but it does. If you did the same with ash it wouldnt last more than a year or so. Elm lasts a long time, I think they found elm water pipes from the 1600's buried in London and they were still sound. I know someone as used alder poles to make peg bay's for his carp lake's. Its no good for fence posts or rails or joists rafters or studs (as far as I know) stick with chestnut or oak for them! The big ladle in the centre of my avtar pic is made of alder

I think I saw some of that in a huge dry old oak stump on the air field at Brome today, I thought it was a pile of yellow peppers at first

Alder is also a fantastic wood for carving treen utensil's as it is easy to work, light weight and relitiively stable when its dry, its been used for that purpose in England for hundereds of year's. If theres any spoon carvers or bowl makers near you they might pay well for it especially if theres some thicker pole's. Its a queer wood, it is extrememly durable; when its wet and sodden-even more so, it was used for pilings in docks and jetties etc as it lasts for years, also was used for clog sole's

You could try cutting your discs out the log when its still completely fresh and wet, then imeadiately put a disc into a sack generously surrounded with damp shavings (eg fresh chain saw chip's) If you use this method with wood products, they dry out evenly with less stress, with less chance of radial split's (Thats what I wondered about your bench steve if a radial crack opens on the leg it will snap off, but your probaly right if there generous that may not happen, or maybe thuja is a stable timber and not prone to radial cracking?) It would just take quite a long time and patience using this method. Any way I have used it to dry out ladles and spoons, without them cracking OR going mouldy, other spoons just left out in the open have dried fast (too fast) but have cracked and distorted, especially cherry its a pain, I prefer alder and lime. Obviously a wooden ladle or bowl with cracks is useless. I think some people use a micro wave oven to treat green wood also but I've not tried it. Hope this hepls, cheers Jonathan

Interesting shape steve it reminds me of stonhenge Is it cut from one solid log? If it is wont your legs possibly be a bit fragile (short grain) if it gets knocked sideways? Is the thuja wood rare or expensive? I have made plenty of chairs and stools from cleft or riven wood with (mostly) round taper'd mortice and tennon's to join legs to plank seat. But I now have a small chain saw and I want to experiment with making components by freehand slabbing small oak and ash into simple planks, square legs into square tapered mortice's, and retain the teeth marks, they have interesting patterns and will hold layers of paint glaze in interesting ways, I prefer tool marked surfaces than glassy smooth one's.

Is it true that you are only supposed to use thos builders bags once or does that only apply if they were used for sand/gravel and not log's? I mean is it feasible or legal even to re use them for customers and give them a little bit of discount if they return the bag's for to refill them? Seeing as they are a bit pricy to have to get new every time? any tip's or advice? cheers Jonathan

I know they are usually done with wedge's and a froe, I reckon I could do clear logs like those long ones in the vidoe in 3 or 4 minutes maybe less. Maybe they just showed ones that split good and edited out ones that ran out? It is an effective tool though. Did you see it working at a demo Mr Ed? Is it as good as the video sudgest's cheers Jonathan

I know, but why is he splitting them lengthwhy's? Is it because he might have a processor that can only take smaller peice's (excuse my lackl of knowledge, but I am curious). There must be some reason for it. I've seem fence posts in France made of oak or chestnut split 4 way, but never anything as long as the "rail's" in the video? Anyway cleaner and faster than sawing:icon14:

I saw this on you tube, a quick way to make cleft rails and posts [ame] [/ame]

I am not sure if I posted this in the proper section but Can I ask please if any tree specialists in the suffolk area have any small elm logs (no more than 5 or 6 inch diam) that they would consider selling. They dont necessarily need to be very long (4 foot would be fine) or even straight. (To make wedges and proper maul heads to sell on). I have a trailer (tiny @ 3/4 ton ) Any thing doing? cheers Jonathan