Rhob the Log

Got the Ash stickered and sealed today. Nicely in the round, though we're still yet to finish the other half of the rotten one. The plan is the make beams of it, that way, you're getting more useful wood. Anyway, here's some pics! I used 2" x 3/4" batons that we had spare from shelf creation at the dairy, for the most part 18" apart, though that was on the first board (the only one we've kept from the 2nd butt). Then it was a case of following up from wherever there was a sticker for the 5' smaller butt. We kept the boards in milled order, particularly important 'cos we milled them angled, so they're not horizontal to the ground. Comments welcome, always looking to improve technique though I'm only copying you lot!

Big Beech, great job! Nice to see you underway so soon. That Granberg chain gives a lovely finish indeed. I'm using a modified Carlton filed at 10 degrees and it does the job passably well. A little sanding and you've a smooth board. Less complicated sharpening I find. Shame about the loss of wood to maggots. Bad year for flies this I reckon seen mozzies and allsorts and it's only February. Now it's just time to sticker, end seal and store! Good luck with the benches/sale.

That's what the pics show too - no telescopicness! It's actually scaffolding pole I'm suspecting. Poorly drilled holes for a depression pin, 3mm gauge surrounding 2mm gauge poles...will have a chat with the seller, otherwise new handle it is...this is getting pricey for a £30 bargain winch! A & M have been grand so far, cheers putting me in touch.

John, does your handle lock with the machine? I received a telescopic one with this winch that has an internal groove at the base of the outer rod, which is too large to correspond with the bump on the machine handle. Perhaps its the handle from a larger winch model?

That makes sense. We've only this nice darker mycelium up the first few boards and this was milling down from the cavity where we found the fruit. The white rot is spread throughout but doesn't impinge on the darker stuff much so probably outcompeted. A saprotroph like the Daldinia probably leaves little resource for I. hispidus. The pulpy heartwood was the reason it fell over in the first place. Cheers for the input Graham!

A little fungus research and it's probably Daldinia concentrica - King's Alfred's cakes. We found a lump of fruiting body in a cavity at the base. Looks like Daldinia concentrica - King Alfreds Cakes - David Humphries’s Fungi Directory - Arbtalk.co.uk | Discussion Forum for Arborists as this causes white rot, though it was a pretty pristine white, strong mushroomy smell and darker gills. King Alfred always burns his cakes so still not 100% this was the fungus. Thought it was a piece of flint the tree had picked up when I first saw it! No image, we cut it up to look inside.

Hi Rob. How do they compare to Oregon powermatch? I'd like a shorter than 47" setup for smaller logs and this will be cheaper than a 25" bar and chain but is it proper heavy? It's not a laminate bar but solid, right? What's the flex like? Is it thin like a Husky bar or bowed out like the Stihl duromatic?

First use of a the 56" mill today on some windblown Ash. Two lumps, one we got 5 x 3" boards off, the other is still a work in progress as the light went. Not a bad afternoon and I must say it's handy being a farmer. Ed has a wee Deutz Fahr and loader that did a fast job of moving this timber into place! Anyway, here are some pics...the upright boards are from the 1st butt. Unfortunately, the 2nd butt was a double edged sword. See the end? I crosscut it to give a fresh end as these logs have been down for around 18 months - the whole of the heartwood was pulpy and fibrous and extends about a foot wide up 3/4 of the length and through at least 14" of the 34" depth (that's as far as we got today). It's a learning curve. We've given up the 1 1/4" slabs we were making because of the beautiful fungus lesions. No idea how they're gonna turn out when dry but there's a square foot of really nice looking timber there - we're gonna ask the "inventive carpenter" who has a unit on the farm. Will probably shorten the butt or quarter it to find the extent of this pulpy crap. That's about it - a few bloopers as this is the first time I've had my large mill out: Upright the wrong way round at the nose of the bar, causing a taper that we only noticed very late on - 1cm over the 30" width or so. Not ideal, but it depends on the end use. A sloping outdoor bench seat, for example... Turning your saw upside down to sharpen the other side of the bar, mill attached, is BRILLIANT but the saw doesn't seem that keen on starting after. A little throttle blipping later.... More ash to mill soon, this stuff green. A nice crotched piece, again about 32" at the base. Lovin' it! Beats 12 year on the ground Oak hands down.

Great John, thanks for the info. Wimborne's just down the road from me (about 35 mins) so may well get this machine looked at. Will try them for rope and a service agent. Much obliged! You're probably right about the diameter. Kinking cables isn't a good idea I'm thinking though one mm...all adds up I expect.

Hello all, I'm the recent owner of a Habegger HIT 10 hand winch, which is listed as taking 8.4mm 6 x 19 fc wire rope. It's a swiss-made Tirfor style winch. I've had a scout about and found a new, branded length for £150 with a derth of any other suppliers at 8.4mm. Question: can you run a lower diameter cable through this winch? Available are Tifor maxiflex at 8.3mm for the TU08 or even some 8mm with a SWL of 800Kg? Can pick up some ex-MoD 8mm cable, 30m for £42 + postage from Bridgewater supplies Would like a long length (15m +) as I'll be using it to crosshaul timber up into a trailer, as well as the usual tree felling uses. Thanks in advance!

Great that you're enjoying the work. I've been milling up seasoned Oak in the local nature reserve for the past summer - 12 years on the ground and tough as old boots dropped in wet concrete... I run a Stihl 088 with 47" bar and filing is....fun.... We're using an ms880 with a 36" bar and mill in the reserve as well. One thing I will suggest if you're looking for bars is to get the largest mill you can afford as anything over the 36" mill comes with an extra bracket which, conveniently, you can rig up at,say 25" inches, thus using your rails on smaller logs without running the chain through several more miles. Just remove the upright post and U-bolts and slot in closer to the powerhead. Rob also does upgrade rails to lengthen your mill though so no biggy if you underbuy size. Penny for your thoughts....and hello. Just joined