Macpherson

Hi, I'm not a carver as such but a bloody good effort for a first attempt, I would say as far as the cracks are concerned that' probably a trait of that timber, it's very hard to get thin ringed up lumps to not split radially particularly if so fast grown, that lump looks about as tight as the soggy Sitka carrots that grow up here. But as a miller [amateur] I sure appreciate the the frustrations of timber selection and movement.. and think this hard to learn knowledge is the biggest factor in any living lumber to finished product enterprise. You'll no doubt get better the more you do, so good luck and keep posting👍 Are you sure it's Elm.. ?

It looks great standing in place 👍

I think that just the fact that he shunned ties to corporate interests and remained a scientist of independent thought stands him apart from nearly all others these days, whether one agrees or not with him he was at least a great intellect and honest, cheers.

Quite some years ago I bought a billhook on ebay and when it arrived I was slightly disappointed that it didn't look like the photo but was obviously hand made probably in India from an old leaf spring. It didn't take long for me to grow to like it very much, it keeps a cracking edge, feels just right in the hand and kind of matches up very well with some of the old British made Elwell tools I treasure👍

Top notch derail👍 Oh yes, and I made 12 pots of raspberry jam last week🙃

I know it's unpopular to mention the World Economic Forum, but Sunak's up to his neck in it and it's not about money.

In my workshop I use a very strong magnet from a large PA speaker [around 8" dia.] to hold all the little tools like chuck keys / small blades / tiny things that get lost etc, it works great and everything that I keep there becomes magnetised👍 My micro wave has just given up the ghost so I must have a look inside.

I would have said that too until I googled it👍 hedgehog+scat - Recherche Google WWW.GOOGLE.COM

I've got several steeply banked areas that I try to keep neat and I've found that holding a strimmer at 45 degrees is really hard on the wrists and swinging a flymo on a rope isn't great either... so you're suggested solution is also mine.. it can look very good at certain times of year particularly if different wild flowers come up in it as they come into season👍 And to @Drinksloe, if you're determined to keep it cut could a scythe blade mounted on a long pole be a low tech alternative ?

Aye, I appreciate that if the wood was very dry you might get a bit of dusting and particulates... if you're getting any dust then you should protect yourself... but mostly I just get chip which I spray onto a tarp and once dry I smoulder it in a bucket to repel the feckin midgie's.. but I'm no expert either 👍

It was a Topic that had a Hazelnut in every bite.. but I can't remember one that loaded😄 But a quick google suggests a guess of Badger or Hedgehog who's scat looks surprisingly similar, or maybe a large Marten, cheers.

Here in the wet NW I store my firewood on a line of pallets with a long specially made tarp for a cover, under some trees so not totally exposed and logs cut to just under 12" and split, mostly Birch, Alder, Ash, Holly, Hazel, Prunus, Larch, Spruce and some Oak.. so a good mix and most down to below 15% mc after a year and around 10 / 13 if left longer.. so for personal use I agree with you but as a commercial operation I'd imagine the process would be too slow. But having said that I can't imagine how anyone that uses a wood stove wouldn't have a system similar to mine.. at least a years worth of seasoned wood in reserve at all times so surely the sensible and economic way to acquire firewood is green and season it yourself which I've always done ... after all it's a way of life, cheers.

Hi, I'm just wondering if your problem could possibly be mildew, something I've experienced with Linseed oil. Have a google on the subject, it can be like ' blooming ' or cloudiness when moisture gets into a cellulose paint job or a black mould that forms due to dampness. Essentially although Linseed oil is a setting oil it's also a foodstuff and can go off just like milk if the conditions are wrong... I'm not sure what you could do about it retrospectively, pics would be helpful but I'm certainly no expert but maybe someone else can suggest a fix, cheers.

And this came along just after I replied to you. Cheers.

Yep, DDN has to be one of the more reliable sources of information in these changing times, I'm generally not remotely political until the feckers threaten my way of life and I suspect that over the last couple of years that's exactly what's being enabled by the rapid gains in technology from who knows where. As far as our would be ' Leaders ' are concerned and in light of the WEF's Klaus Schwab's conceited, smug and revealing vid of a while ago claiming to have infiltrated governments around the world.. quoting Turdeau's Canada with owning more than half of the cabinet for instance.. ..just how many of our would be changeling politicians are also graduates of the WEF's ' Young world leader programme ' and are in our parliament at this minute deliberately creating diversionary chaos by design. ? Everything's become Global so rapidly that the petty politics of GB and most other places are trivial at best.. and as they're getting kind of synced up with other crap like BBC/Sky news, popular tv, the papers, advertising and all the pish folk seem to fall for.. As a captive audience in this Petrie dish globe we inhabit, we're long past tech being used to essentially doom / groom us influenced by greed, possibly designed illness and stupidity. Anyway this is only my angry response to what I see happening now, others may disagree... but that's fine with me👍

Liked this, and he's so young.. anyone who likes guitar should enjoy this, he was a 1 off👍

I grew Queens last year and they're back in this year , very nice tatties but I do most of mine in black bags as it's so much faster up here👍

To be honest I just enjoy learning how a successful process that goes back through the ages was exactly achieved, makes me want to buy an original blacksmithed froe and give it a go.. I've got access to plenty Cedar... ..But as someone once said, 'Time leaves on fruit on the tree' ,cheers.

Just a thought, but if you were to cut shingles that way on a bandsaw could you not simply raise the log for the tapered cut with a simple shim under the thing of of say a 1/4" slip the length of your log taken from your table saw or just a couple of wedges. That said, I'm sure you may enjoy this video, and what they strive to achieve using the correct method all 1/4 split.... which sure needs to be practiced and remembered 👍 njoy this if you've not watched it before

After cutting it all day I'd say Alder as well👍

I don't do as much milling as many on here but as you mentioned your chain I thought I'd say that I mostly use Carlton Granberg which is ground in a different way altogether and I don't remember anyone ever commenting on any kind of comparison to conventionally ground chain.. I'm certainly happy with it but it doesn't seem to get a mention, my new 42" Oregon bar came with a 3/8 FC chain so I guess be doing my own comparison soon, cheers.

To the OP, ideally if using an old tyre on your block get as wide a car tyre as you can and use it to mark and trim a shoulder onto the top of your block with your saw at near to the size of the bead on the car wheel it will mount on like on a wheel and won't want to come off... also drill some decent sized holes in the bottom sidewall with a hole saw to let the water out or your block will rot quicker.. bike tyre will be no use unless it's off a top fuel dragster, cheers.

How disappointing for you😄 One of my aging very straight neighbours has similar growing from her birdseed, she feels like a rebel and refuses to get rid of it even although her friends have told her she's risking arrest👍

Great story, and ok I take back my comment ' that how could it sound right with the strings on upside down ' ... I've obviously heard Gregg Wright many times but never heard his name before. I guess you can learn any way you want if you start at aged 4, and he's got it nailed.👍 I'm glad you like Randy Hansen, welcome to a new rabbit hole...and no, it can't be reincarnation as they were both alive at the same time. but I wouldn't rule out possession, cheers.

Aye, it would never sound right [ correct 🙄 ] if it wasn't, he seems a really straight up guy also from Seattle and he's been playing Hendrix stuff since the man was alive. He has an American band and a German band.. both good but the latter being imo the closest with Ufowalter on bass and Manni Von Bohr on drums, both excellent in their own right and they've been together for years and are probably tighter and definitely more practiced than Jimi's set ups. There's also good poor footage of Randy and Ufo with Buddy Miles drumming. I remember getting off the school bus and hearing of Jimi's death, so I've a lifelong connection to his music... but you can go and see Randy and not for silly money either, he was recently touring parts of the EU and the ticket price was a mere £25 and in small intimate venues with probably only a few hundred folk attending. Ufo on bass is amazing himself, apparently when they first met he had a band where he performed Jimi's songs on bass with no guitar present, very interesting to watch. And I'll put this up as well as an intro to Ufo who seems post all their stuff and anytime I've left a comment he replies quickly and a short conversation can be had. I find it very hard not to watch them and just tonight looking for these links I've watched a full gig and a lot of other stuff👍hope you enjoy.