Dean O

I seem to be going through the very same experience at the moment. having had only one construction client wanting us to have cscs - they are also the only one to have cancelled re scheduled, cancelled, rescheduled, now want to begin works on Monday, have it complete by Wednesday, then more than likely decide they wish to deduct cis without letting me know before hand. it was also let slip today that they hadn't discharged their planning condition of a pre-works meeting with the tree officer - which apparently is now scheduled for Thursday..... hmmm I have been wondering wether to arrange cscs tests for the guys and myself or gently let this particular customer go. additionally they've asked for 'smas' (a ssip akin to chas and aaac apparently) the fact that we are chas has put their mind at rest..... Unfortunately none of our large clients (particularly in construction) acknowledge AAAC or would entertain accepting this as something suitable - despite its ssip status and industry relevance to our line of work. - Arb association - get on it please we will go down the cscs route, its likely to make things easier to get onto site into the future

hmmm I hadn't considered the speed - wonder if something like you see on the small timber trailers or riko's fast tow trailer would be a better bet for what I'm after

Thanks Scraggs......... there seems to be some 38.1s knocking about - but at just under 7k new seems a lot. did you do yours through truck and marine cranes? how did you find them? they have suggested the 2300 with extra services for a grab and rotator - what's the shelf weight of the 3500? I was worried about nose weight? thanks Dean

Been weighing up options for putting a crane on a triaxle. following some advice I have been considering the atlas 38.1 (own legs, hyd tank, 520kg, 6.2 metre reach) what are the equivalent offerings from the likes of hiab etc? thanks Dean

Thanks for the advice Ill move my log stack about and get them under there (not as flat a floor though unfortunately). Ive read on here regarding bigger kilns, would building a tent/ tunnel with a dehumidifier force the timber to dry too quickly causing probs.

Thanks guys, I'm itching to get on with the build hence my eagerness to plane (though I know deep down its a bad idea) It would be more convenient for me to be able to stack the planks in a narrow but tall pile than in a short wide one (planks are over double the width I require). Ill get them roughed out - then as recommended - plane later. how should I be weighting the stack? Thanks again

Ive milled a bit of timber from an oak log I saved a while ago. info: intended for interior use as a small bookshelf, its all heartwood, currently stacked and stickered in the workshop. for ease of storage - while it dries a little, can I get away with ripping to rough sizes (not finished sizes) and planning or should I wait for any movements to occur first. with the way the boards are I think I can predict where some of the boards might cup - is it wise to cut this waste out of the pile to save some space. thanks Dean

I know others do, but I couldn't make a living from an Alaskan mill personally. And I know I might get slated but I think its a piece of kit that's best used as a hobby tool.... unless your using it to break down large logs for further processing with a band-saw, as I appreciate some on here do. I use it because I love wood and making our waste into something nice... Its certainly satisfying seeing the freshly cut wood and then making something out of it on a hobby scale, but there's only so many benches and coffee tables one house can take. I love the idea of going down the mobile milling route or even having a static set up somewhere but I just don't see a big enough market for the product at the moment to justify it. I purchased the Alaskan I have when I worked for someone else and used to mill the odd bit of something here and there in my spare time out of stuff that would otherwise be firewood - which is kind of what your looking at at the moment Ed. Back then I used something like an old ms440 with a long bar on it, maybe a 25 or 28 inch bar. maybe a smaller saw like this pared up with an Alaskan and a vertical mini-mill might be a better long term purchase allowing you more flexibility in the short term while giving you the chance to upgrade to something bigger if you find you want to. I guess you come across plenty of stuff that they'd let you at in your spare time or on their behalf. But if doing it for yourself transport and storage is something else to consider too while you wait for buyers to want what you've got.

After doing that oak the other day Ed I fancied an 880, but to be fair if we hadn't had to mess about with getting the logs from out of the tree and trying to make sure that we weren't going to get squished by the root plate we would have been so much more productive. having spent 2 thirds of a day on preparation we spent the rest of that day plus 2 more in actually producing stuff, and I calculated (very roughly as it wasn't for sale, and I could be wrong) that we produced around £900 worth of timber in that time with the 660. From what I know of you and what your likely to get hold of for milling get a big mill but a smaller saw. bigger logs can be ripped down for the Alaskan when you come across them and this will allow you to create a much more stable product than through and through cuts. nothing more frustrating than watching a lovely wide board banana over time because of the way its cut.. with a bigger mill at least you can upgrade the saw if after a bit of use you want to move up and the work you line up can justify it... and as others have said (like with a 660) at least you can use it for cutting your firewood pile. I'm not sure what they cost in comparison to a 660 or 880 but I find our husky 372 is quite surprisingly poky. Dean

I work on 500kg per cube. Not sure where I got that figure from but probably on here

This is a way better idea than making a 90 into a tipper....

over the years I've found standard landy suspension to be as good as anything (though the addition of an anti roll bar might be a good add on if you haven't got one), and if not carefully done lifts can be more trouble than their worth.

Surely you'd want to carry wood chip for a unimog to be worthwhile in arb?

As Kevin says if you can get users using it somehow then the suppliers will want to be on there. Kind of chicken and egg tho' It would have to be marketed on a large scale to get creating some traffic to your app/website.

I think some employers wouldn't mind others will, and this will be partly influenced by the size of the company and their field of arb. A large utility probably wont mind you doing private domestic jobs on the weekend as long as your not using their kit, ppe etc as - as long as it does not effect your day job you aren't taking work away from them. I would assume that many companies like this know some of their staff will be doing this sort of thing and choose to ignore it. for smaller companies it would probably go down a little differently and if you were effectively starting up in competition I think many would cut you loose and allow you to break free sooner rather than later. From a legal stand point, as other have said - you'd have to declare everything, but this would be simples - maybe take some advice from an accountant rather than us lot to be safe. On another note making a business work requires a lot of commitment - your either in or out - I think it'd be a struggle trying to hold down two jobs when one is a business.

I'd have gone for Chamaecyparis

thanks all wouldn't of even crossed my mind.

a friend of mine bought me a little nest of bowls, I told him I'd try and find out what sort of wood they were from very prominent end grain/pores, with what appears to be spalting? I'm sure itl be an easy one for some of you guys - any help appreciated.

I like the idea that you might be able to update a saw quickly as technology progresses. having recently trialled an electric saw I would like to see some improvements in its features. I like the idea of replacing all our saws with leccy and have it mind to wait 6 months to see what improvements and new models are made. Unfortunately I can imagine stihl or husky already having the next upgraded saws ready to roll out on the drawing board but are having to hold back on their release to make the current production run, with the current (and probably already outdated) technology, comercially viable. this idea would negate this issue - but is it really viable?

I'd got a feeling it had gone back to ustilina for some reason. Thanks for the info tho. Dean

I feel these are Ustilina/Kretz (which is it now?) Crown is perfectly healthy, and weighted towards a property, some 'mechanical' damage around base, The fungi, top left of picture 4 in the wound looks like it has a bit more substance to it - something desiccated - does anything in particular hang around with Ustilina? thanks Dean

that's a good advert for the 160, I'm not sure that the husky we had would get that far, it seemed to struggle and use a lot of its battery reserve in the bigger wood. maybe its just us tho? what say other lecy users?

if it covers most situations -just a standard gob cut? ie even thickness hinge etc.... not sure what else id call it other than 'gob cut'

took this photo last autumn as it made me chuckle sorry I know, very childish

is it the botex 38 on that - anyone know if jasp are still making these trailers?