Big J

SCM 2200 I am told (was going to be extracting it today but have epic sinus pain), which has a 500mm planing width. I'm promised some photos later today.

My mistake, it's an SCM, not SGM. I'll post details later today.

It is entirely non-portable. I'm extracting it from a workshop tomorrow, so I'll report back.

I have a three phase SGM with an 18 inch throat that I bought and don't really want if it's of any interest.

No, this is just for elm cut and sold straight off the saw. I do have kiln dried elm but it is more expensive.

I suppose different kilning techniques have different results. I must admit I've only kilned one large cedar log and it was a while ago, but in the 8 weeks it was in the kiln, few defects developed.

Cedar kiln dries very well from green. Most softwoods do.

Lovely work there Tim. Glad to be able to help out, and nice to meet you too

It's not to say that there aren't some good oak woods, though they are very few and far between. I think they aren't restocking like once they were. Just a feeling really.

Very impressive indeed. Stands of good Oak in Scotland are as much by accident as hard work. I've seen instances where everything has been done right, but by virtue of the ground and weather conditions, the trees are awful.

I like poplar - useful timber to have in the yard for general applications. I built a 45 square metre mezzanine in one of my barns a couple of months ago in poplar. I am a long, long way away though and I must admit that I rarely pay for poplar.

Monster lump indeed. I've yet to see an oak of that quality up here. Crappy Scottish climate.

Outstanding log. What is the DBH?

I've nearly 100 tonnes of elm coming into the yard this week. All grades, from small to large, clean to burry and everything inbetween. Prices are low, with £7 a hoppus foot at the low end for small and plain elm to up to £18 for the largest and burriest lumps. That is on the basis of a double pallet's worth (circa 80 hoppus foot). Any quantity can be cut - double pallet to multiple lorry loads!

A lot of preemptive felling is taking place. As such, the market is flooded.

It is worth bearing in mind that ash is worth next to nothing roadside now due to chalara fraxinea. Good quality, roadside butts are making only £5-10 more than firewood per tonne in England. I've had scenarios similar to this in the past as well but I don't touch trees like this now unless it's truly exception.

Whilst that is true Bob, if they are the size they appear to be, they will make up a load in themselves.

Message Cornish Chough. I would expect he would be very interested. If you can't get hold of him, I have his contact details.

Where are they?

Already have a firewood processor. Interested in forwarders and extraction machinery really.

What is on demonstration? Might pop along!

I fully understand the issues with Shia and Sunni Muslims. I am entirely anti religious, but reasonably well versed in the fundamentals of world religions. Important to know one's enemy and all that. I have not been to the Middle East other than passing through briefly and nor would I want to. It's a hell hole with minorities of people going to great lengths to assert that their brand of flying spaghetti monster is the one true flying spaghetti monster. The issue is that the majority of people are simply collateral damage. State lines in the Middle East are a western creation. The insertion of Israel was and still is a complete disaster and rightly a huge source of malcontent towards the West by Muslims. The deposing of Saddam Hussein and other Middle Eastern despots is directly responsible for the rise of Daesh. These are all contributing factors to the present situation and we have to take some responsibility for it.

It is also worth bearing in mind that we have the consequences of centuries of colonialism coming back to haunt us. We are largely responsible for the situation in the Middle East, which is to say that I do not excuse the individual actions of extremists (quite the opposite) but the creation of the States as we know them in the Middle East is one of the largest contributors to the conditions that create extremism there. The reaction of the Far right in Europe and the popularity of Donald Trump are simply extreme reactions to extremism. In much the same way that you cannot fight fire with fire, you can't fight abhorrent behaviour and ignorance with abhorrent behaviour (waterboarding anyone) and ignorance. The popularity of Donald Trump (for me) again calls into question the value of universal democracy. A controversial topic I know, but in much the same way that every other SNP voter won't know the first thing about the SNP's policies (but will strongly believe that the English are the reason their life is crap) I'd bet every other Trump voter will just like the policy of banning Muslims from entering the US and the idea of a wall on the Texas/Mexico border and won't understand much else. I just wish that some people would educate themselves in politics a little before deciding who to vote for. You hear of so many people answering the question "So who are you voting for?" with "well I'm voting for *insert political party*" and answering the question "Why?" with either "Because I've always voted for them" or "Because my mum does". Qualification for a right to vote, I say! Let the abuse begin.....

Exactly. Nothing unites better than a common enemy.

Possibly just better quality trees. Even seemingly nice looking trees up here in Scotland are awful. Crappy climate I expect.