Big J

I wrote to Transport Scotland to enquire as to why it would take them until 2025 to actually dual it, as well as protest about the average speed cameras. They gave no clear or useful answer, simply stating that purchasing land was complicated, and that various bits would be completed by various dates. Typically vague and non committal. Either way, I really do hope that they will back down on this one, as the average speed cameras have been demonstrated to be a bad idea for the A9 by quite a few different studies/groups/individuals. The problem is driver education - I think that it's a disproportionate number of tourists involved in the accidents, many of whom perhaps don't realise how dangerous the weather and traffic conditions can be. Education first, dual it second and if it's still claiming a disproportionate number of lives consider the cameras. Jonathan

So long as you tarred the elements of the timber going into the ground, I could supply you with a pile of poplar for constructing a shed for £212 a cubic metre (£6 a cubic foot) plus delivery. I did a 22 cubic metre capacity store with about 1.5 cubic metres of Oak, and I over sized everything. Jonathan

I realise that this doesn't affect a great deal of you, but the Scottish government announced some months ago that they were going to average speed camera the whole of the A9 from Perth to Inverness as an interim measure prior to dualling it. They did so without any public consultation and all efforts by pressure groups to enter into discussions have been refused until now, where they've finally 'permitted' a petition. If you feel that it's relevant to you (or not, and still feel you want to) please could sign it if you agree with the wording (that has a few spelling errors that need to be ironed out). The issue is that excessive speed is a factor in 2% of accidents on the A9, whereas overtaking is a factor in over 50%. The Scottish Government are using the average speed cameras as a distraction from the fact that they are taking decades to dual the road, which would save hundreds of lives. Additionally, it being primarily single carriageway would mean that lorries are limited to 40mph (95% don't adhere to that at the moment and the Northern Constabulary don't bother them as long as they stay until 50mph). This would result in monstrous tailbacks, increased frustration and more overtaking related accidents. Anyway, here is the petition - please sign! PE01503: Review of A9 speed camera proposals' - Getting Involved : Scottish Parliament

There is a making of video of the stunt - it was filmed at the Ciudad Real airport, in one take between 0805 and 0820 in the morning, when the light was correct. He has a couple of wires as backup in case he fell, but it was still real.

Channing Tatum spoofing Van Damme's Volvo ad: Channing Tatum Spoofs Jean Claude Van Damme?s Volvo Commercial, And It Looks Like It Hurt (Video) | Elite Daily

Fair question sir! What I suppose I meant to say is that when you measure a log when you buy it, you use the Hoppus measure, which allows for sawing wastage. Firewood offcuts are that wastage, so you effectively don't pay for the firewood element of the saw log. When you eventually sell the boards (whether they be fresh sawn or dried), you're still only selling the proportion of the log that you've paid for and you take your profit margins from that. The firewood is just a bonus. I don't think that the costs for milling timber are that much higher than firewooding it. I'll put through a solid 4-5 cubic metres of oak/elm etc on a day's milling (including sticking and stacking). That would be the equivalent of 12 cube split. The drying time is pretty similar, there is a bit more handling, but the eventual sale price is 5-6 times more. I think that I worked out that at point of sale I'm 50% profit on kilned sawn timber, after all day to day running costs (rent, fuel, electricity, machine costs etc) before capital expenditure and loan repayment. Jonathan

Hi Gary, Welcome to the forum. I've got a nice pile of 1.5 inch ash at the moment, as well as some very good pippy 2 inch oak in the kiln (as well as 1.5 inch too). Other species such as beech, alder, little bit of elm, lime and cedar are available. Jonathan

My burry oak boards are still in the kiln. 1.5 inch thickness - any use? I also have some large air dried spalted/flamed beech boards - 8ft long, 2.25" thick, up to 36 inches wide, though mostly half that. Can be kilned at short notice. Jonathan

My wife has bet me that I can't do a side splits like that, so last night project "Split like Van Damme" started. I used to be able to get about a foot off side splits when I was doing Taekwondo, it's a bit further away now but I shall prevail!

Hehe, Marcus, you drive a hard bargain! I'll try to answer where possible, stating initially that a Stenner will nearly always cut better than any portable band mill. They are simply the Rolls Royce of bandmills. You'll need an awful lot of power to drive a 5 1/2 inch band. I don't know what, but I'd assume at least 80hp. I'm 38hp on a 2 inch band, and more power wouldn't go amiss. Bands cost a fortune for saws of that size. I seem to recall that the 4 inch bands for Autotrek saws were over £200 a pop. It will do the same job as a mobile mill when static, but obviously you can never move it. It would also need a very large shed as the sliding carriage means the machine is over 40ft long with a 20ft cut. It is definitely OTT for Sitka. You'd need to go and see another complete Stenner, or employ someone to set it up who has done it before. It's certainly a very good deal and actually ideally suited for someone like me who sells a reasonable amount of hardwood and is mostly statically based. For yourself, it would be limiting and the £2.5k asking price is only the tip of the iceberg as getting something like that set up and running would cost much more.

Advertisers Should Just Quit. Nothing Will Ever Top This Volvo Commercial | Distractify I'm surprised that the trucks were able to move with his enormous cahones dragging along the ground!

There is so little money in firewood though. It's only just worth me selling my offcuts and I've already made my money from the log with the milling. I only need to cover my time and fuel. A solid cubic metre of good quality kiln dried Oak will bring in £1500. The best the equivalent amount of split oak firewood can muster is about £250. That said, as nice as hornbeam is, it's brick hard to mill!

No apology required. Yew is a tricky one to price as it's a fairly low demand timber, but commands a high price when figured/pippy/burry. Low grade would be £30 a cubic foot dried. Middling grade figured mid £40s and veneer grade and the sky is the limit!

Will do. Please can you PM me your email address.

I have some very burry 1.5 inch oak that I put into the kiln today - will be ready at the end of the week. Burr elm is extremely expensive to buy in the round now - diminishing supply, increasing demand.

About £35 an hour for milling done at my yard, £50 an hour off site.

I do (http://www.rstw.co.uk) but it's horrendously out of date. I'm about 2 years further on now. J

Not entirely likely to have burr, but can be cut to order. Lengths typically 8-12ft, widths up to 28 inches. I have no burr in the yard, but do have an option with a big lump locally.

I have absolutely no Elm in at the moment at all - someone came in and cleared me out on Friday. Next kilned batch will be February - sorry!

http://www.championstovecompany.co.uk/ The stove arrived today, 48 hours after I placed the order. I've not had chance to install it yet (still have to build the office - spent all day on the 4 side planer doing tongue and groove), but it is a lovely little thing. Excellent fit and finish, very simple operation and I like the sliding baffle plate (slide forward to start it, and back once up to temperature, I assume). I'll start a dedicated thread when I get it up and running. Jonathan Jonathan

Very nice! Did you do any further work on the tree, or just remove the diseased branch/stem?

Not firewood. Elm is rare in your neck of the woods and I'd mill it. Please can you provide photos/details as I'm sure someone here will buy it. Jonathan

Not firewood - actually fairly sought after by turners and box makers. Just not food safe!

According to wikipedia, all parts of the plant are poisonous. Short answer - I wouldn't use it for a chopping board!

I know only too well - was cutting some firewood today for a friend with a Rayburn and even at 12 inches it was still too much! Steve - will let you know. I decided reasonably recently that where possible I'd always buy from small businesses like myself. I don't know how he makes any money on those stoves though as they are very inexpensive and look well made. Will update next week when it's lit. Jonathan