Thanks for all the replies, it's an area I'm weak on so it's really interesting to hear others thoughts.
It's definitely on the harder side.
It's definitely on the harder side.
Lets see your wood
- Thread starter Stigmorgan
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spanner48
Established Member
Possibly Poplar?
pgrbff
Established Member
planed looks similar ash but it isn't, definitely conifer, doesn't look like SYP I have used which usually has wider growth rings
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pgrbff
Established Member
Stigmorgan
Established Member
Those 4 pieces of gidgee look similar to a log of robinia I was given a while ago.
pgrbff
Established Member
They were posted from Australia to New Zealand and then flew back to Italy in my friends baggage so I hope theyr're not the same! Bits of wood that cost next to nothing in Aus are simply gorgeous compared to what I can get here.
jrm688
Established Member
View attachment IMG_0480.jpeg
View attachment IMG_0481.jpeg
This is Ontario grown ash. Face grain looks similar but end grain is slightly different.
Stigmorgan
Established Member
You guys never cease to amaze me with your generosity, just recieved a parcel from a fellow member who I won't embarrass, inside was a nice postcard and a beautifully scented piece of cedar 
a bit of drying to do but it won't take too long 
a bit of drying to do but it won't take too long 
Stigmorgan
Established Member
Had a huge delivery at work yesterday on a 4x8ft pallet, in the middle of all the boxes was 2 pretty sheets of what look like good 12mm ply, checked the edges and there's no bits missing, cuts are very clean, definitely going to be keeping them for a future project
Stigmorgan
Established Member
Soooooooo I've got 4 silver birch coming down soon to make way for new classrooms,
The tree surgeon has agreed to cut them however I want, my thinking is this, remove the tops and wodchip everything under 6inch thick, the crowns at the top of the stems can be left as a whole log and maybe split into several smaller crotches if i get chance, the main stems which are around 6 to 8 feet tall are where I'm unsure of how best to deal with, obviously stored as logs with ends sealed would be best but to make moving them easier my thinking is to cut them at ground level and then to cut them along the length through the heart as best as possible then seal the ends, this might be difficult with the one on left in the pic though as it looks like the main stem is made up of 3 or 4 fused stems, won't know until the tops are off.
Thoughts?
Also if anyone local wants some of it I'd be happy to keep some bits aside. Also have a couple of oaks coming down this year, 1 soon and the other towards the end of the year.
The tree surgeon has agreed to cut them however I want, my thinking is this, remove the tops and wodchip everything under 6inch thick, the crowns at the top of the stems can be left as a whole log and maybe split into several smaller crotches if i get chance, the main stems which are around 6 to 8 feet tall are where I'm unsure of how best to deal with, obviously stored as logs with ends sealed would be best but to make moving them easier my thinking is to cut them at ground level and then to cut them along the length through the heart as best as possible then seal the ends, this might be difficult with the one on left in the pic though as it looks like the main stem is made up of 3 or 4 fused stems, won't know until the tops are off.
Thoughts?
Also if anyone local wants some of it I'd be happy to keep some bits aside. Also have a couple of oaks coming down this year, 1 soon and the other towards the end of the year.
Ed Weber
Established Member
Jester129
Established Member
The Americans (and not of course forgetting the...er...um..Canadians) (joking, honest!) are really spoilt for choice in type and size of wood compared to all of us poor Brits, jammy bu99ers! Not that I'm envious! 
Ed Weber
Established Member
I'm in contact with a tree service, they occasionally bring me some really nice stuff,
Last large drop off was black locust, the burls you see. Redwood and Mulberry.
I was indeed fortunate this past year. When the path to the back yard dries up, far too muddy/soft currently, I hope to get some more.
Last large drop off was black locust, the burls you see. Redwood and Mulberry.
I was indeed fortunate this past year. When the path to the back yard dries up, far too muddy/soft currently, I hope to get some more.
pgrbff
Established Member
Australians are even luckier, lovely wood like Jarrah used as fence posts.The Americans (and not of course forgetting the...er...um..Canadians) (joking, honest!) are really spoilt for choice in type and size of wood compared to all of us poor Brits, jammy bu99ers! Not that I'm envious!
I had the Bosse ‘polo mint’ cut into three rings a few weeks agoI’d put a bid in on an eBay offering of a 2-3” thick x 32” dia oak cookie slab and won it for the vv good price of £26
An hours drive to near Stafford today to a farm based wood yard ….and wow what a find. A great guy called Ross who has loads of different species in both planks/ slabs and smaller pieces for those into turning or even pen making ….including iroko, Douglas fir, wenge, padouk, oak, walnut etc.
Here is the oak cookie after a quick use of my trusty Wolf belt sander
View attachment 174144
I spotted an 8” thick 30” cookie cut labelled bosse - also known as Nigerian pear wood, this looks like the dark version ….Guarea thompsonii Sprague
it a 100Kg beast and a deal as done at £30 ….WOW
again a quick attach with 60/80/120 grit
View attachment 174145 View attachment 174146
Reserved a 3.5 m long x350mm x 80 mm slab of sycamore fir less than £100 too .
If anyone wants his details pm me
Over the weekend I’ve inserted a 9mm ply supporting sheet into its base
And fitted three beech bowties to stabilise the splits
Now has 1 coat of expos resin to seal the grain
Nice ring lines
Here is the Bosse table …now finished & waxed etc
On my travels along the east coast this week insnafflee two 1300x900x65mm cookies of kiln dried sweet chestnut
They have been milled before I got them …but a Quick Look with my straightedge shos another 15mm will have them much better …and at 65mm thick I’ve plenty meat to use.
Bith cookies shown after a quick white spirit wipe over
They have been milled before I got them …but a Quick Look with my straightedge shos another 15mm will have them much better …and at 65mm thick I’ve plenty meat to use.
Bith cookies shown after a quick white spirit wipe over
Andy's Shed
Established Member
A day off today and I'd arranged to pop over to a woodyard not far away, I wanted some wood to make cutting boards as gifts for the family. It was my first time visiting a Woodyard and I felt a bit out of my comfort zone, not really quite sure what I needed.
I came away with a 6 or 7 foot length of Oak, hopefully if it doesn't distort too much, I'll use it for a shelf in the kitchen. I'll leave it to settle (in the kitchen) and fingers crossed it might be alright, but if not, I'm sure I'll find another use for it.
I also bought a 5' length of Sycamore, it looks like it could have some nice figure to it and the other board is a nice and chunky piece of Beech.
The total cost was £55 and he also threw in a rough piece of Lime wood for carving practice.
I came away with a 6 or 7 foot length of Oak, hopefully if it doesn't distort too much, I'll use it for a shelf in the kitchen. I'll leave it to settle (in the kitchen) and fingers crossed it might be alright, but if not, I'm sure I'll find another use for it.
I also bought a 5' length of Sycamore, it looks like it could have some nice figure to it and the other board is a nice and chunky piece of Beech.
The total cost was £55 and he also threw in a rough piece of Lime wood for carving practice.
I’ve been working on a piece of spalted sycamore …I’ll post up some pics tomorrow
Here is my spalted sycamore after jointing/sanding to 2000 grit and 5 coats of finish
