My woodturning pal asked if I’d like to give him a hand milling some timber. Anything working with chainsaws and wood gets a yes from me.
The Ash had been felled about a year ago but had been abandoned probably because of its position on a steep slope inaccessible with a crane. An Alaskan mill made our approach viable.
On Friday evening we strimmed back the shoulder high nettles and brambles to reveal the two big sections of trunk
We started milling it first thing on Saturday morning. The mill itself is an adjustable guide which clamps on to the saw bar. The first cut is made using a ladder as a straight edge
The four foot bar on Jonnie’s 3120 allowed us a bit more than a three foot cut. We cut a mix of three and two inch boards which had some fantastic grain. Jonnie trained as a cabinet maker then went to art college to study furniture design. He now works as an industrial furniture designer.
His plan is to make some tables from the boards and to turn some bowls from the six inch billets we got from the second log
Despite some teething problems with the saw we milled close on three tons of wood, and probably another three of firewood logs
I quite fancy making some garden furniture from a couple of Chestnut trees we are due to fell soon. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for a bargain four foot bar and ripping chain for my big saw. There is a special thrill in revealing the grain as the boards are cut.
Apoligies for the Instagram links,