Big J

I don't find there to be much difference in cutting speed with the Granberg, and the last two chains I had both had tie straps shear, so I no longer use them. That said, 17.5hp with two 088s does funny things to the equipment. I've not had any issue with the Oregon chainsaw though.

Lots of very good ideas and certainly very interesting. I love the challenge of something like this, and it's surprising the lengths I'll go to to avoid chainsaw milling on this scale. Rather fresh in my mind is that the only other tree that I have milled from that field was so hard that it broke my chainsaw mill (sheared cast aluminium) and an upper section on the bandmill would barely cut on about a 15" cut width and a fresh band. Here are a couple of pictures of the trees. The first one is the larger one. I'm 6ft 8" and my head comes up to the top of the lower left branch. The second one is just a touch smaller.

I do quite like the idea of winching/rolling a log onto the trailer. The issue is the sheer size of them - the larger one is 7ft in diameter at chest height, which is the smallest point of the 14ft length. They are also not uniformly cylindrical. We will have a large skidder on site for some of the operation, so that combined with the tractor/trailer will likely be the easiest option. I'll still need a crane to put them on the artic though.

Much appreciated Stevie

About a grand to load it would be my maximum budget.

Winching just isn't an option due to the aesthetic issues. The trees stand in a field right infront of a castle, and the extraction route through the field takes you out of the field around the back of the castle. Assuming a crane is 6 wheel drive, they tend to have pretty well treaded tyres - the issue is presumably the dead weight of the vehicle. The field is perfectly flat and well drained - it would need to be a bloody good frost though.

Bugger! Any suggestions?

Many of you use cranes on a fairly regular basis and many of those cranes are described as all terrain (designed to negotiate construction sites no doubt). I have two very large elm butts to move at the end of next month. Each of them, depending on where it is cut, could weigh as much as 14 tonnes. They are field grown and access is only achievable through the field - they cannot be skidded to roadside. The question is this - assuming a reasonably hard frost (and the ground is quite firm anyway), would a 6 wheel, 50 tonne class crane be able to cross a flat field in order to lift such stems onto a waiting tractor trailer? The other option is an awful lot of chainsaw milling, which I honestly really, truly do not want to do. Jonathan

Fresh breeze and starting to rain. God I hate Autumn.

Well at £400 it's less of a rip off than a grand (google it, that's what they seem to retail at now), but it's still a dreadful stove. Perhaps it's the boiler that ruins it.

It is kiln dried (7-8% MC) and no, not suitable for outdoor use.

I'm actually not sure if it has the log lifter, but it wouldn't be an issue if it didn't as I have the forklift. The production is all straight forward enough, it's the construction of 60 2m cube crates that is filling me with dread! Sounds like a bloody good production rate though. All I can really do in a day with the log splitter is 5t/12 cube if I'm lucky.

My local plant hire place has recently purchased a Riko WP36 processor and I was wondering what sort of production rate I could expect with it if I were to throw 3m larch, all sub 30cm diameter at it. It would most likely just be me (though a second man could be found) and I'm pretty quick with these sorts of things usually. Logs would fire off the conveyor into crates. I've got an option on 50t of 18 month felled larch, and I quite fancy hiring the machine to split it as I just can't be bothered with the faff of the log splitter. Here's a link to the plant hire place: http://www.akromultihire.co.uk/product.php?prodID=2667 Jonathan

Due to a customer changing his mind about a beech floor at the last minute, I've got a pile of just over 100 cubic foot (well 180 really, but the customer has only paid for 101) of lovely quality, white and clear Scottish Beech, cut at 34mm, 400-500mm wide and 3.65m long. Very tough and hardwearing too, if the first couple of boards machined are anything to go by. Looking for £20 a cubic foot plus VAT, and we can machine it for an additional cost into flooring. There is enough there for about 100-110 square metres of flooring (that's all 180 CF). If you are interested, please let me know. Jonathan

Aaah, if you look through the gallery, you will find a stove with an art deco style sun burst glass door. All my stoves except the one in the office have a glass door with sunburst pattern. It's most attractive

I disagree. I find that most stoves are overpriced for what you actually get. We are just about to rip out a Dunsley Highlander 7kw (with back boiler) in the house we share with a mate up north. It's a well respected manufacturer, about £1000 new and a total and complete waste of time. It produces almost no heat to the room, takes all day to heat the water for one bath, is unable to reach the zone of best operation (according to the flue thermometer), eats wood, won't stay in for more than a couple of hours and did I mention it would have cost a grand?! So, it's being replaced with a 13-15kw back boiler stove from Martin Champion at The Champion Stove Company. It's a beautifully made stove, 50cm deep, 45cm high and 40cm wide. All laser cut steel and as well made as anything you'd find from Morso etc. It's also £400 (£340 without the back boiler). I'm presently sat in my pants infront of a 70cm version of it, which is providing all heat (by air convection, no back boiler) to a 127 square metre, 18th century house. All corners of the house are over 17c, the living room is 20c (all doors open). It is using about 2 cubic metres of wood a month at the moment, and it's always on (24/7 from October to April). So no, you do not need to spend silly money on a stove. Instead, you can support a small British business, save yourself a packet and get a top notch stove. I've three friends with stoves from him (2 installed so far, the third is to be delivered next week) and they are delighted. Champion Stove Company Apologies for getting on my soapbox, but it does my bloody head in when folk say 'you've got to spend £xxxx on a stove to get a good one'. You don't, you just need to know what you need. Features I like about the Champion Stoves (I can speak only for my 20kw, 70cm stove): * Keeps in for 14hrs. Not exaggerating, that's how long it takes to go out. It's very easy to completely heat the house stoking the fire only once every 8hrs (I should stress, that's not shut down to the point of smouldering, but happily ticking over with temperature right at the top of the zone of best operation) * Logs are loaded front to back, not side to side, so nothing falls out. * Wood burner only. You only need coal if you have a crap stove. A good wood burner will last just as long without all the clinker and muck. * Due to there being no grate, the ash condenses amazingly. On average, I remove a bucket of ash every 3 weeks. * Huge flat surface for cooking/kettles. * Incredibly air tight, and complete air control via one vent. It's idiot proof to use. My elderly former neighbour had difficulty operating her Villager Bayswater for years due to bad seals (double doors) and too many vents. She loves the simplicity of these stoves. * Did I mention they were a fraction of the price of any other stove? You won't find the larger stoves on his website yet as mine were done by request. I'm more than happy to email photos should they be required. * Rant over!

I have both the DCS7901 and the DCS9010. Both very good saws, albeit completely different. The 7901 is an absolute animal of a saw on an 18" bar. I can't see any stock saw ringing up firewood quicker than it. It's lively and light enough to throw around. The 9010 is a slower slugger of a saw but very competent. I went for it over an MS660 as it was over £200 cheaper and I like Dolmars. Only issue I had on warranty was the oiler screw broke. The only issue I've had with the 7901 is AV mount broke after several years of hard use. Both are simple and robust, and great value.

If you can bear with us until about March, we (ASHS - Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers) are writing two shortish publications on Sawmilling and Timber drying. I'm heading up the timber drying booklet, and both of these are going to accompany a one day course on the aforementioned subjects. Jonathan

It has wow factor - big, gnarly, deep red colour, lots of burrs. It's getting collected in the morning, so I'll get some pictures.

I disagree. I find it holds onto it's water longer than any other species, Oak included. Starts at 37% when felled and takes an age to get down to 18%. That's from observations with sawn timber and firewood, kiln dried and air dried.

I have a large, already hollow burr elm coming to the yard tomorrow morning. Would be close to 40" diameter and 7ft is no problem. I think it could go on a single pallet if carefully stood up.

Get two MS880s and a double ended bar. Cuts 40" softwood at 4ft plus a minute.

Stunning yew. Hope it's used wisely

Estate we're about to start felling on has dozens of perfect 3ft diameter clean 100ft trees - at least 50ft of branch free stem on each one. Need to find a use for them as they want them gone!

Probably about £200 for the timber. I'd send 5 foot of the stem though - it's covered in burrs and would be 4ft in diameter at the base and 3ft at the top. It also has a great dark reddy brown colour, as it was felled live.