Squaredy

2 hours ago, gobbypunk said:

Hi yeah first cut all the boards the same width,then thicknessed then surface planed one side then orbital 120 grit then half lapped the edges so by that stage the edges only needed a quick go with the hand sandpaper so in all a big job and cutting round the plug sockets and windows was a bit of a ball ache ,but not sure what finish to go with .Glad you like it a bit of a shame it didnt get many comments though

I have just finished my new porch in coastal redwood too.  Finishing was a ball ache as the preservative treatment I put on actually ended up dying the wood, so to even it up I had to put a dye on the whole lot!

I have no advice on finishing except to test it first on scrap which I am sure you know.  If you want to keep it light colour I guess a water based floor varnish might be good?

On 24/03/2023 at 08:11, Jack0 said:

Hello , I’ve got a Jotul 3 and despite running well with plenty of draw , no smoke from chimney it just doesn’t heat the room . it produces a very disappointing amount of heat ( well seasoned wood etc ) I’ve had two installers come and look and one said that the stove was too big for the fireplace opening and doesn’t have enough room to breathe ….but considering the fire is performing so well I’m not sure I understand that ? Even if you put your hand around the burner when it’s going full pelt it doesn’t seem to really radiate heat ….you shouldn’t be able to get you hand into the opening once going ? 
I think I’m going to have to admit defeat and sell it . Does anybody know what they sell for ? I’ve seen them on EBay for £800 but not sure if that’s realistic ? It’s the enamelled multi fuel version and in good condition . A friend has just had a cheap £650 stove fitted which she says is amazing . I don’t want to spend a huge amount of money …I can’t justify it at the moment , plus it’s not my only form if heating , just adds ambience to the room so only have it on at night . I know you usually get what you pay for , but my expensive well made Jotul isn’t working so think I’ll go down the cheaper route ?? 
 

I think what difflock says is right.  The video seems to show a very hot fire burning well.  I suspect the chimney is not lined and that most of the heat is disappearing up it.  Which is the same problem with an open fire.  
 

And if it is a large draughty room that won’t help.  
 

Did you have the stove installed or was it in the house when you moved in?

4 hours ago, irish surgeon said:

Hi guys, looking for a yard forwarder, the more basic the better, for a small sawmill. Cheers 

Do you mean a machine to move logs around the yard?  

In which case what is your yard like - is it flat?  Is it concrete/tarmac?  What is the maximum length and diameter log?

On 24/03/2023 at 10:05, gobbypunk said:

So this has been a big job first we went to the woods and chose the logs then milled them dried them cut ,planned,sanded and now fitting them so now I will try and get some photos uploaded 

Very nice.  Did you plane the edges or just the face?

2 minutes ago, woody paul said:

Haha they lasted another 10 months. 

Well that sounds like a good result if you ask me.  I have had boots wear out from new in less time!

 What I was researching is how good CT1 sealant stuff is.  Were you impressed?

On 17/02/2019 at 20:43, woody paul said:

Up date on boot repair used CT1 adhesive and sealant, stuck sole back and then built up front with CT1 and scrim. Will give them a test tomorrow and see how they go.

 

And four years later, how are the boots holding up?

30 minutes ago, GarethM said:

Depending on energy price at 38p, that's around £1.41 an hour

Well in reality probably a lot less - depending on the load.  A 1kw electric fire will cost £0.38 per hour, but the cost of running a 1kw motor will depend on the load. 

And of course, to mill a log you make a series of fairly brief cuts, and move the sawhead back and stack the timber with the blade stopped.  Hence an electric mill is way cheaper to run than a petrol one.

6 minutes ago, GarethM said:

The USA use a split phase system, 240 distribution and a pole transformer to two 120 circuits.

 

5hp is 3.7kw, so must be 240v.

3700w is 30A on 120v, 3700w on 240 is 15.5A

Well in this case it should run fine in the uk…. If it is possible to get hold of one.

1 hour ago, charlieb said:

I'd jump at this if I knew the right person.  (As most of the issues with the saw are either in the engine or the engine control).   Does anyone know anyone suitable in SE Scotland..? 

Or a slightly easier option would be to sell your existing mill and buy a new electric mill.  The timbery m100 mill is single phase I see, though this would be 120 volt presumably, and maybe difficult to get hold of in the uk.  But maybe one of the other makes is also available in single phase uk specification?

What capacity supply have you got available?

4 hours ago, doobin said:

Got to be cheaper to just replace the unreliable engine with a nice Honda or an electric motor? Especially as you say you are otherwise happy with the mill.

 

 

If you know someone with the right kind of knowledge to help, you may be able to fit a single phase electric motor to your existing mill.  I notice that the electric version of the timbery M100 only has a 5hp electric motor.  Even without a soft start you might get away with running that on a 16a supply.  To do it properly fit a soft start and it will draw very little once up to speed.  The running cost of this would be a fraction of the cost compared to a petrol engine.

 Years ago I converted a crosscut saw from three phase to single and this was 5hp.  Used it for many years without any issues.

Just to add to the sycamore discussion, I mill and sell at least ten or fifteen tons of sycamore every year, and I never dry vertically, nor do I worry about the sawdust.  It still sells!

1 hour ago, waterbuoy said:

Evening all

I'm heading south in a week to clear up three sycamore and a beech which my folks have had cut down in their garden - all very different from the ubiquitous spruce which plagues us here in Argyll.

 

One of the sycamore trunks is a steady 3-4ft diameter and would appear to lend itself to milling.  Any thoughts as to what it could be used for?  I know the grain is usually pretty dull but wondered if it might be suitable for anything other than firewood as there is plenty of that to be had from the other trees!

Certainly a useful timber for indoor items.  Ideal for kitchen cupboards, serving boards, etc.

 Can be difficult to avoid staining this is true, but in my experience this does not stop it from selling.  If the logs are left for a while they can spalt but this is usually accompanied by some rot so may not be worth trying.

 Might be worth simply milling into large slabs and you will be into the right sort of size for dining tables.  And this is where sycamore really scores, as it is pretty stable compared to most uk hardwoods.  
 

Post some photos if you do mill it!

As has been said if you zoom in it is really obvious.  The staining is coming from the very top of the stack.  And if you look at all the "siding" boards (or cladding as we call them) only the bottom of each board is stained, confirming it is simply running down from the top not seeping out part way down the chimney.

It would be nice if the OP replied to say if he has had a chance to get someone up a ladder to inspect but clearly something is awry up there. 

Seems to me a terrible idea to clad a chimney - it would look far better to be exposed brickwork.  And let's be honest a little tarry residue on brickwork would probably hardly notice, whereas on bright cladding it stands out like a sore thumb.

Very difficult to tell anything from the pictures.  Maybe you will have to remove a few of those cladding boards and see where exactly the creosote is coming from.  For it so seep out of the cladding there must be an awful lot of it being produced in the flue!  Or could it be the LP boards cannot take the heat and they are making the stuff?

5 hours ago, Vigen Tigen said:

Felling willow for storing prior to chopping for logs. My question is how much bark do I need to strip off to facilitate the seasoning process? (the Willow is extremely wet as they are growing by a riverbank) 

All logs will season best when cut and split.  This is the way to go and then keep them covered and in a windy spot.

2 hours ago, spudulike said:

My brother is building a posh lodge..aka man cave and he has spent a lot of dosh on nice sweet Chestnut cladding.

He wants to retain the natural colour of the wood rather to letting it silver over time.

He mentioned he thought varnish was best, I thought, in my limited experience that a clear oil based preservative would be best.

He is happy to regularly treat it and it is always easier to re-treat rather than rubbing off the old treatment.

So...do any of you have experience of a preservative/ covering that will maintain the current colour of the wood?

As has been said already, steer clear of varnish.  It would need rubbing down hard and redoing twice a year.  Oil is the way to go if he really wants to treat it.  But it will go grey eventually no matter what he does.

37 minutes ago, Whoppa Choppa said:

Average multi stem

stump size.

FC have stipulated complete removal. As per opening post, we don't want them there either.

Ah this makes more sense.  No individual stem is ten foot plus.  A stem of that size is a venerable tree planted around the Norman conquest, and would be classified as an ancient tree.

14 minutes ago, Whoppa Choppa said:

Hi. Picture if you will a 15 acre woodland on a mild slope. Recently clearfelled. We've now got over 200 absolutely massive oak stumps. The smallest is 4 foot diameter and the largest easily over 10ft diameter. They are also quite high as there was no chainsaw big enough to get to the bottom of the stump if you get me. Some are nearly 6ft high. Currently a bit vexxed about what to do with them. We don't want them there for replanting. Thinking either dig out and bury or mulch but don't think there's a mulcher big enough! Either way it's a big old undertaking and we want a blank canvas. Appreciate your thoughts. 

Amazing that the FC allowed clear fell of trees that size.  Or maybe this is not the UK?

 What will be planted in their place?

3 minutes ago, [email protected] said:

One of the larger black pines felled on a site clearance recently😁

 

I would say the person filming was brave.  Or foolish!

8 hours ago, Logdaft said:

Fiat 128.  Only car I ever had with massive rust holes in the roof.

1 hour ago, Jzarty said:

My spoons if you call them that are terrible.  I hate to admit it but i have realised that I do not have the strength to do hard carving as my old  wrist injury as come back.  I am going to cheat and purchase a dremrl or foredom instead.   What would be the beat treatment fr wood if i were to make jewellery?  Tung oil, water proof varnish?

 

Ah now you can't just leave us all hanging....we need photos.  Especially if your work is as bad as you say...

5 hours ago, sime42 said:

Oak. Though the picture is a bit to blurry to be that sure.

 

What's the story with this tree? Where is it? Looks like it might have been cut in the past at some time.

 

Wrong form for oak.  Looks like lime, but a decent picture would help!

She got off very lightly in my opinion.

 The harm she has caused to the accused men and their families; not to mention to the cases of every person who really is the victim of an assault is immeasurable.

4 hours ago, JDon said:

Hey I've been self employed 7 months and have got a few questions I'd like to ask about tax. I've got an accountant to do it officially but wanting to know what I can get away with putting down on my tax deductible expenses. 
 

I've a little Kangoo van I bought earlier this year for 4000 which I want to put it down on my tax bill. 
 

Also have a MG ZS that I'd like to put down as well as the payments are 200 a month and I use that for getting about in as well as family. (not sure if you can fully put cars down) would be good to know if anyone else does this?

 

if I can't put the cars payments down fully I was looking at getting a pick up next year as a family motor/work motor. And still use my van as well, or is there limits to this? 
 

Can I also put my full mobile phone bill down as it is 50 a month for my phone?

As you can see from the good answer above this is quite complicated.  This is what you pay the accountant for and he or she is the expert (or should be).  Cars are especially complicated.

14 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

Amazing isn’t it.  I bet they have sent out this letter to thousands of people in similar circumstances.  Yet when they are put under pressure to come down hard on Gary Lineker their interpretation of the guidelines turns 180 degrees.  I partly blame the BBC but I mainly blame the government for thinking that it is their role to manipulate the news.

 I have read about “The day with no news” which was I believe Good Friday 1930 when the government of the day told the BBC not to report an incident; so they decided to report nothing, and the 15 minute radio broadcast played piano music instead.