Bill C

Trailoftears my saw is also the tool free one, didn't want it but if it's clean I can't complain about it as it works better that I though it would. I'm afraid the little 180 has also been used for milling 4ft long 13 inch wide ash, to be fair the end result was less than 1/32" out so most impressed. The more stick I give it the better it runs, but i've got a horrible feeling that after 16yrs of abuse it's going to cry enough soon.

Not being any sort of expert but ref your idea for a MS241, well I have a MS180 running a 3/8x0.043x14" bar/chain, used for almost everything it was designed for and things it wasn't as its light and runs on very little fuel and cuts(if sharpened correctly) way better than it has any right to. I also bought a secondhand MS240, in a bit of a state and it came with a 15" bar and the most damaged chain I have ever seen, I replaced that with a 325x0.063x16" Stihl bar/chain, serviced it and checked it over and it turned out a better buy that I hoped for. It's nice to use and well balanced and feels as light as the MS180 but with loads more power, but in Ash etc I felt a 16" bar/chain is the limit. The 15" bar I rechecked and cleaned up and then bought a new Stihl 325x0.063x15 chain, the 1" difference in length changes the saw completely, so much so that I used it to cut up a 24" long 38" diameter round into 8" lengths rather than get the 036 dirty, so if the MS241 is the improvement that people say it is, it must be a really impressive saw for its size.

Depends how big the plot is? As a kid I used to rotavate my fathers garden(40mtrs x 220mtrs) with a Howard 350 rotavator, hard work but it did a good job. A Howard Gem second hand might be a good bet on a large plot, the Howard equipment is a very good rotavator and will dig out 2" plus roots so grass is no problem.

So we're both old enough that it still hurts but has no lasting effects🤭 but should still remind us that at times a thought should not be put into words😆

Hope you were wearing your safety gear when you asked!!!

Just got the photos from a photo shoot, Mutts doing what they were told!!!! in the sun.

I take it this is'nt what is known as using the "Dogs!"

Second the post for a roller, just as quick and for the price of the rollers they don't need cleaning. Just pick a roller length to fit the boards.

3/8" between rings is fast growing, it's one type of wood what I've not got(at the moment) though we have some 12" willow that has not cracked but it feels not finished! after sanding down even with fine paper, but it looks ok when varnished or oiled. The Holly was hard to sand but it looks really good when varnished, a lot better than when oiled. The filling with dust and glue I've done before but not on wood that will be burned after but it's worth another experiment.

Nice to see someone else experimenting with this and finding results and answers almost by mistake. I was given two 5ft lengths of 11inch Holly, I cut them into 12inch lengths and left out side for 4 months, then rounded them into 1 1/4" thick rounds, the end pieces have not split but the closer to the middle of the 12inch round the bigger the split which I would have thought was the wrong way round. I've now got various bits of various woods in various places exposed to all types of weather an various amounts of weather protection, so in a couple of months I'll be no wiser!!

Thank you Andrew, somebody said that to the wife on Thursday, so it seems that i'll be trying that the next time she asks me to prepare another round of timber. I've also seen a very old sign on a round that wasn't split, but can't remember were it was, other wise I would have a closer look to see how that was cut. The more I look into it the more I think luck takes a part in the result. In the middle of December I ringed up a piece of Beech, 10" thick and 22" wide into 5 equal pieces, 1 split in half, 1 cracked and the other 3 are still in one piece at the moment, the experiment continues!

Thanks for the answer I think I might try the cutting out the center, let it dry and glue it back in after idea next. I've tried the cut to a longer size then cut after its dried, the Holly that I had drying for 8 months, the outer end bits didn't crack but the bits in the middle did, but the Beech was the other way round and the outside ends split. Might be easier to get the wife to change hobbies!!

As another beginner the best advice would be take the bar number to a shop and get a chain to match as stated above. If your friend wants to mill wood get a ripper chain, if he is going to use it as a normal saw just get what is listed. If you want to sharpen the chain go to this page:- FAQS - Chainsawbars WWW.CHAINSAWBARS.CO.UK Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or require further information on any our products. >Videos of all... and read through that page a few times, then order a ripping chain if that's what he needs and sharpen the old chain for crosscutting as sharpening practice. The chain is a oregon chain 0.404" x 0.063". The Stihl cross reference states 0.404" x 0.063" x 36" Duromatic bar with 104 drive links but count the drive links on the old chain. Then go back and read the FAQS page again as it's full of good information.

Hello everyone, advice needed on the subject of drying rounds of timber. The wife has taken up Pyrography (burning of images into various materials but mostly wood) Of course Joe muggings here has the job of cutting and sanding, and the most difficult bit drying the round with out it splitting from the edge. I've tried all the Goggle answers with not much success on the larger diameter wood( wood up to about 3" diameter seems to dry with out splitting) and I'm just wondering if anyone on here has had any bright ideas or success in this area. Or even a idea that you've not tried yet but think might work. Lengths cut with the grain are no problem so far!

Hello everyone, long time lurker that decided it was about time to join the forum. Very interesting reading throughout the forum and friendly, unlike some that I’ve been on. I’m not in the trade but have spent my whole life dabbling with hedges and firewood with my father in Devon. I try to avoid tree felling and major jobs, and have just been helping a few select friends/family clear up wood for fire wood. Things have changed this year as the Wife has taken up pyrography (burning images into hopefully non-flammable materials), mostly wood so I seem to get an almost constant stream of timber to cut and sand to size, it started off with small rounds but even those have grown in size and now I’ve had my first taste of very small-scale milling, that is addictive. At least the Stihls are getting a bit of a work out and of course, the off cuts and mistakes make good firewood. I’ll no doubt get around to being annoying when I start asking questions later.

I'm afraid it's the luck of the draw, One bloke at work had to wait 15 months to get his back, another was 2 months and mine took 3 days. I've since renewed my passport only because it makes it easier to deal with the paperwork. Another thing I did think is I can't read my own writing it's so bad so I print all forms, did wonder if it's easier to process and the people at the office deal with the easy ones first?

Wife and I use Sabatier knives most of the time but we have a set of Japanese knives(feel better balanced in the hand). Both very sharp but will blunt if used on any chopping board other than wood/plastic. Japanese knives are sharpened to a different angle to European/ English knives. I use two wet stones, a 600/800 for major refacing and a 1000/8000 Santoku wet stone for final finishing, the Japanese knives are then very very sharp. As already said warn the wife that they have been sharpened, Oops, note to oneself also remind yourself(you know when they are proper sharp as it takes a while to notice the blood followed by the pain🤭) Heinne tools sell good if expensive knives WWW.HEINNIE.COM UK-based retailer specialising in kit and accessories for the collector, the outdoorsman, the military and the ordinary guy. We stock a massive range of...

Long time lurker of the forum but joined after reading the good reports of Chainsawbars.co.uk. good service should be noted. I usually order any parts from the local dealer (very good as well) but the milling forum got my interest (might end up as a costly mistake) and after reading the website I decided to order a ripping chain and a few other parts that popped up on the easy to use website. Parts ordered late Sunday night, arrived on Tuesday morning as per e-mail. Complements on the out standing service. PS Do like the FAQ page🤭, well worth the read.