trigger_andy

Yeh, always the case. Some Oak I milled last time home. Similar colouring.

I’d have thought that being Starmers man you’d be used to it by now....

In one of the vids the guy demonstrated the dryness of sub 18% and over 25% (I believe) all from blowing bubbles, not sure how accurate that but if its correct to any degree is seems far quicker than setting up a wee camp fire whenever you wanna check it out.

Cracking logs them! Almost Oak in colour.

I think the operation will be different. But here’s a couple of pics. Maybe it will help? I was initially sent a silent video of how to disable the two handed operation from the lads at Rock, but they clearly never tested it as it would never work. Only extended the ram. So I had to rebuild it. In the end it was simply a case of removing the bolt in the picture to allow the handle full travel. The only down side is I have to keep the second long handle in place for it to operate. But it’s on the other side of the splitter so does not really get in the way.

What model or Rock Splitter do you have? I converted my Venom 22t ES easily, but it’s a different mechanism than the standard Venom. The thing is the Spool is designed for single handed operation and converted to two handed. So it’s really a case of reverse engineering what’s been put in place.

Maybe a 50cc Saw doubles the youtube revenue?

Try Birch.

Seems a shame to split it all for firewood. If there is any good diameter stuff its worth considering having some of it milled into slabs. Ash is quite a beautiful timber, much under rated I think.

Got a couple somewhere. I added them to my collection of land on the Moon, about as likely I own either. 🤣

Bought a mate a bottle of Ron Zacapa XO Rum a while back. Was gutted to see him instantly top it off with Coke.

Something very similar. Every so often we head up to Glas Allt Shiel Bothy for a night or two. Its bliss. Took the missus and my 17 year old for a couple of nights as well.

My Brother and I will be necking this soon.

Nice selection. I like a Laphroaig when sitting around a camp fire or on a Bothy night with friends (yes I still have a few ) The 12 year old Highland Park is often on Special at Tesco and I always buy a bottle when it is.

I like my women like I like my Whiskey. 18 years old and mixed up with Coke.

The 18 year old Highland Park is most likely my favourite whiskey I’ve ever tried, certainly the best 18 year old. It’s like a richer younger Highland Park offering much like a Slightly Smokey Christmas Pudding in its complexity. For a tough over £100 it’s a damn good buy and hits way above its weight. Although a surprisingly good “cheap” whiskey not often found in the shelves and was actually discontinued for years is the 15 year old Jonnie Walker Green Label. Yes it’s a blend, but when you’re blending in 15 year old Caol Ila and Talisker from the Islands and a couple from Speyside it has something for everyone. Well worth a try at under £40, I much prefer it to the Blue Label. Im yet to try this 15 year old Highland Park. It’s now valued at £600, so might be a while before there is an excuse to break it out. 🤣

Chainsaw and a Log Splitter.

Love the mill though, any more pictures? Ive toured a few Rum Distilleries in the Caribbean and always take the time to marvel at the engineering thats gone into these old Mills.

I’m North East Scotland, just outside Forfar. Interesting points regarding the cogs. As I understand it quarter sawn like the bottom picture is the most stable but the top plain sawn I guess with the more cross section of the grain the cogs are stronger?

Hey Andy. I have some 3-4 year air dried Beech available but due to being away for the next 2-3 weeks and being in Scotland I’ll assume you’ll find something closer. Curious why you prefer/need plain sawn and that quarter sawn is the worst of the bunch?

Im lucky enough to have over 12 quite majestic Scots Pine in the Garden. I dropped a few and they burn beautifully. I know what you mean regarding old Pine. I removed the flooring from my 1880 farm house and burned the lot. Amazing smell and burned beautifully. Larch is another tree Ive got growing in the Garden, some nice 25"+ DBH trees. Ive got about 20-30t of Larch processor grade Larch coming over the next two weeks and thats another softwood I really like to burn. Not a fan of burning Sitka either.

Two reasons quickly come to mind; 1, as previously discussed the contracts for this could potentially be going to their cronies. 2, at this level of testing they’ll suddenly and unexpectedly be blown away by the shear number of positive results and have no other option than to introduce the next lock-down. If all the old and vulnerable are vaccinated and as the scientists say (but dismissed by Handcock) we’re on the cusp of heard immunity I can’t see any justification for this at all. I for one will take and send off the tests religiously, but will spoil them. I can see a huge number simply not bothering at all. If that pans out could to be true will there be more laws passed enforcing the testing? The tip-toe of draconian laws is not just getting those you consider “Conspiracists” worried. The Tory back-benchers are up in arms about this as is various newspapers.Are they all conspiracy nuts as well? Or could they be seeing the dangers of allowing a government to get drunk on absolute power? I’ll preempt your standard retort along the lines of “but why would they do this if it means they’ll be voted out at the next election?” I don’t have the answers for that. But if MP’s and people far above my pay grade with their fingers on the pulse find it deeply worrying perhaps you should too? The Guardian view on the coronavirus bill: strengthen the sunset clause | Coronavirus | The Guardian WWW.GOOGLE.CO.UK Editorial: Emergency legislation to combat the Covid-19 outbreak is necessary. But so is proper parliamentary scrutiny of...

I make plenty kindling out of softwood too. It’s handy having a small sawmill for this. Rattle off a few 3/4”-1” slabs, or keep the sapwood cuts back. Chop to size on the chop saw then cut into kindling with the hatchet. Goes amazingly fast.

Not quite. As I mentioned many including myself mix soft in with hard. Some burn purely soft either for economic reasons or because they see it as just as good or in some instances they sell the hardwood to those who demand it and are quite happy to burn the soft for themselves. And the title of this thread is Pine as Firewood is it not? So regardless if I burn it in the kitchen or the living room it’s still firewood.

On the contrary. Burning softwood in kitchen stoves is preferred by some. Quicker to heat up so you get your oven up to temp quicker and also allows you an increased degree of oven temp control some of the reasons you list above. Once the kitchen stove is up to temp and we’re not using it for cooking but instead to heat the room and/or the water then depending on the hardwood it will get just that. When burning dense hardwoods mixing in some softwood is also preferred by many. I’ll have a lot of English Oak next season. It certainly benefits from a ratio of softwood mixed in.