lux

11 minutes ago, Elliott.F said:

I have actually been thinking about that and have done a little research on the subject.

We have a decent amount of Alder, but right now I’m not sure I’d have the extra time to make, process and sell charcoal.

I might change my mind if thought it could be a profitable enterprise and worth the investment, but at the moment I don’t know too much about that. 

 

I might start a new thread and get some advice 🤔

I’ve recently started my own charcoal commercially. Just 1 kiln at the moment. Will add another next year perhaps.

I’ve started producing and selling charcoal as an extra recently.  Traditional ring kiln method.  

Interested to hear if there are others doing the same on here.  

Thought about a charcoal kiln for the Alder coppice. ?  It’s one of the best and young coppice like that would be ideal.  

Yes most of that is too large for fence materials. Selling to a mill would be an option , looks like a good size for cladding and beams.  

What’s the purpose for felling them ? Woodland management or development 

Could you not have a removable flat bed fabricated which uses the bolster holes to locate it and have the versatility to change to what the job requires? 

10 hours ago, polish pete said:

Hi,

 I have this Riko timber trailer but I don't have enough work for it and am interested in swapping it for something that will be more in line with my work.

 I was hoping to pick up lots of logs for my mill but reality is that more often I'm collecting bits from arb jobs. Plus I can't use it for transporting machines on it.

 I'm interested in p/x for a flatbed trailer with hiab or Avant loader etc. I'm open to other options/ suggestions.

 Cheers

 

Peter

That’s a lovely trailer. Would Riko trade it back in ? They sell a fair bit of used kit there. 

If it’s oversize ( you didn’t say how big and sweet chestnut gets pretty large ) unlikely it’ll be good for fencing if it’s too big for strainers etc.

Makes lovely beams , planks , cladding though 

Wests and English Woodlands have been pushing it due to rising price of oak , most of which they get from France.  They are both in West Sussex. 
As are Big Beech and Doobin , both good guys to do business with and both mill timber. 
big beech likes the oversize character pieces , he’s had big chestnut of me before and sold some lovely boards from it. Doobin has a nice woodlands mill. 
@Big Beech@doobin

13 minutes ago, AJStrees said:

Very nice and chunky looking. 

Cheers.  
I milled the boards at 75mm. They finished at 60mm when I’d flattened them out. Customer loves it which is the main thing.  👍

9 hours ago, organic guy said:

gate I made from my own oak. No nails involved

 

Not seen them topped off on two different axis before , looks like on side is rounded at 90 degrees to the other ? 

Finally got around to installing the Robinia garden set today. 
the table top was in use for a couple of months on a set of saw horses I lent to to the client whilst I fabricated the legs and had them powder coated. Both benches and table all have adjustable feet as the patio is uneven. Came out nice.  
4 years since I felled and milled it in the garden. 
hopefully the little walk around videos uploaded. Looks quite nice. 

If 2 trees have fallen and caused 'significant' damage to property and vehicles was there not an insurance claim process at some point from your customer against the land owner ? 

As previously mentioned Highways can instigate an enforcement notice although they are epically slow at everything they do. 

The last two comments are on the right track. Dont waste your own efforts on this, let the client do it and call you when they know / have permission. 

Ive got the stihl FS 460 or 461. Really good with the stihl mulching blade, also the jet cut head by Oregon for grass. 

other brands will be as good but thats the sort of size machine you want. 

Anyone replaced the cutter wheel bearing on the predator 38? Mine has a bit of play in it now. 

Any special tools required ? Was the old bearing tricky to remove and install a new one , I dont have a hydraulic press so would just be drifting it in with a suitable socket or using the big vice etc. 

If its not going to be possible I'll just book it in to be done. 

Thanks All. 

17 minutes ago, doobin said:

It's official- the recession is here!

 

Seriously, branching out in to patio cleaning is a sure sign of a recession. 'Easy' trade with low entry barriers.

 

 

If you're sure you want to do it.... Customer supplies water, if you have a decent pressure washer (ie, of the standard required to call yourself a pro), you will need a buffer tank. Customers hose fills this, presure washer draws from it. Whenever you're not washing, the tank is refilling. This deals with the usualy (though not always) mismatch in flow between a domestic water supply and what a 13hp 16 litre a minute pressure washer wants. Most common is a wheelie bin with a ballcock and hose fitting at the top- simple, cheap and effective.

 

You'll want a hard surface cleaner (whirlaway) and for a proper job a wet hoover to remove the waste water/muck. Otherwise you'll just end up with dirty pools against borders etc.

 

I don't actually offer this service, I just send a guy out on a couple of the commercial contracts and only because they begged us. The whirlaway is more useful to me for keeping the yard clean outside the workshop doors.

 

Regarding sealing- I know nothing about this other than you need to take good advice, pay good money for the right product and test a small area first. If you get it wrong it will cost you big time- which is why most pressure washing outfits only have a mobile number!

He's not wrong, theres more to it doing it properly than most customers think I suspect. 

We watched across the street from our tree work as a bunch of guys jet washed a block paved drive and blasted all the sand out of it, cleared up got there money and buggered off. 

Id imagine they change their mobile number fairly often....

Chainsaw milling has its place. He's already got a Bandsaw mill so anything regular sized Im sure he will put through that and just mill oversized stuff with the chainsaw.  

I agree - its a long and tedious process but it is what it is.  

@doobin I would say you are welcome to try my lo-pro set up on your new saw. I leave  the bar attached to the mill etc so its a quick swap over when i want it but mine is running on my MS660's and im sure Ive been told the bar mounts are different on the 880 / 881 - Im sure someone more learned than I on the topic will confirm or allay that.

lo-pro is more efficient and ive not snapped a chain but they do stretch a hell of a lot and you need to take a link out after a while as the chain adjuster is maxed out. Thats even with running an auxiliary oiler. timber species makes a big difference on this too

GB bars are good for milling. 

I re milled three largish boards yesterday that are 4 years old. needs must and it was enough for me to put the chainsaw mill away for another few months and forget how tedious it is 😆

10 hours ago, AJStrees said:

I think it suckers quite readily too. We have a few on the estate in the same area. Had to fell a large one recently. It had been blown over part way in strong winds. Had been leaning for a while so not sure if it’s worth milling. But yes supposed to be better than oak for durability per the books on woods of the world. 👍

Definitely. Tightly grained and has attractive grain too. Due to its growth habit bark pockets are a pain and you can waste a lot of some boards getting the good bits out. Wear a mask for the fine dust when flattening and finishing the boards. Apart from that it’s great stuff. It air dried very evenly and had less movement than most oak I’ve milled.  
👍

16 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

I very rarely get offered robinia.  I guess it is not a forest tree in the uk?

Not forest no.  Common in gardens and towns. Self seeds prolifically 

in the states they are suffering from a beetle that’s killing them off so they are felling them all and using the timber from the little I’ve seen. 
makes good decking and cladding etc.  good weather resistance 

1 hour ago, Squaredy said:

Ah, well I have only milled one robinia log.  Next time I do I will have to note how similar it is to chestnut.  Thank you for enlightening me.

It’s great timber.  And the offcuts are one of the best firewood’s. I love the stuff. Give a crack. 👍

1 minute ago, Squaredy said:

Well, now I am intrigued!  I would have bet my mum's life on that being sweet chestnut.  Good job she isn't here...

 

So what is it?

Robinia that one.  Very durable. Not widely used over here but other countries like it for decking etc. 

2 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

That is lovely.  Sweet chestnut is such a good timber, and I love what you have done with it.

It is. But that isn’t sweet chestnut. 

Satisfying for sure.  Used a fair bit of my own on our house build. 
 

Doing a little commission for a customer atm. Took the tree down for her 4 yrs ago and milled it with the intention or her wanting garden furniture. 
 

Here’s the rustic table top.  I left a waney edge on the bread board ends to leave more of a link to the tree she was sad to see go. 
 

1 minute ago, lux said:

Im sure it’ll be just fine. Had this one 4 years with no engine trouble.  

 

My 38 Rx that is 

4 minutes ago, doobin said:

Give me a diesel engine for this kind of application any day! The petrol ones won't last half as long.

Im sure it’ll be just fine. Had this one 4 years with no engine trouble.  

5 minutes ago, doobin said:

So will the Sherpa. Guess the Yanks don't care as gas is so cheap!

It’s not though. Well 6 months ago they were hardly paying less than us which given the sharp and huge percentage it increased must of been a hard pill to swallow. No idea if those prices have fallen sharply again.  
My tracked grinder uses and American v twin Kohler. 38 hp. 
I can easily stick £80 a day in petrol through it if doing some hefty hard stumps all day that make it work hard.   I went for the petrol as the initial outlay and servicing is cheaper but in hindsight maybe diesel would of been better 

been a good machine though so mustn’t grumble.

a recent switch to multi tip teeth from rhino teeth has improved economy.  

2 minutes ago, doobin said:

One bucket, but an hours machining of the backplate will see Sherpa attachments drop on.

 

It's exactly the right size, just needs the tipping pin welded in rather than a big fat washer to allow clearance for the two middle hooks, and the place is a mill too thick so either grind or do a nice job with a 20mm endmill.

Is it a standalone design.  ? I.e my worky quad uses the same as the avant so that range is interchangeable, as long as it’s not too big or heavy for a smaller machine.